The volume. I'm really pumped about this. Next guest. This is my guy, Austin Hooper. So, Austin and I met in twenty sixteen when he was a rookie on the Falcons, and I think it's when you guys were staying in Santa Monica for a week and I was like throwing money into a pool as part of a video shoot, which that's a whole other story. But you saw me kind of like wearing this purple pleather jacket act in the fool, and we struck up a conversation and the next thing I knew, you were in the super Bowl. Looked like you were about to be a Super Bowl champ. Another sordid tail. But you know, I've got to know you. I've seen how hard you worked, and you know, have loved watching your career progress. And I'm just gonna come out right now and say it, low key, this will be one of the great free agent sightings of twenty twenty three. New Las Vegas Raiders. Tight end Austin Hooper, Mike, thanks for having very cool to have you. You just became a Raider the other day, and you know, I know it happened fast. I know you were. You were in Dubai at one point vacationing and free agency. Hit tell me about joining the Raiders and what fires you up? Yeah, it's awesome. I mean being a Barrier kid right growing up in the East Bay watching the Oakland Raiders go. Uh, you know, since since I can remember right watching rich Gannon the Boys, John Gruden's first stint in there. I mean just watching the plethora of tremendous players and coaches that have come through that organization. So when they moved to Vegas, I had no idea what to expect, right, and then my agent called said Vegas wants to do a visit. So I was just like, wow, all right, that's awesome. Blew in and did the physical, did everything and got the offer and got the opportunity and now I'm just looking or to get to work. What excites you about the Raiders? You know they obviously they've got Davante Adams, they got Josh Jacobs, they got some dudes. What you know what gets you pupped? Sure? I mean you mentioned Davante. Having a receiver like Davonte allows other guys to have more favorable matchups, allows coverage to be dictated pre snap guys can't hold coverage and do as many funky things at the snap. They have to dictate because if they don't, Javonte I'll show you why he is who he is. So then you add Jacoby Myers Hunter Renfro's a beast like oja'son be in the tight end room with me and Josh Jacobs, the guy who led the league in rushing who can do some stuff out of the backfield too, as well as Abdullah I believe it was well and he's that dangerous out of the backfield. So I mean there's a plethora of guys Jimmy and then Josh just watching the system from afar the way how he revolutionized the two tight end offense candidly. So, I mean, it's it's a tremendous opportunity one I'm not taking lightly in one that I'm grateful for. Are you gonna wild out as much as Gronk like, are you gonna, you know, throw people out of the club and then you know, go forth? No, no, no, I'm I'll be chilling out in Henderson. Man, I'm being keeping low key. I'm keeping low key. Hey, I'm not gonna lie you. I'll definitely go to strip for a nice dinner. If there's a cool show someone I really want to see that comes to town, like something more low key. But yeah no, now there's only there's only one gronk out there. I am. I'm a massive fan of your new quarterback, Jimmy Gum, and I'm really excited for him to have, you know, this opportunity. But I also think about Jimmy and Vegas, and you know, I think Jimmy is more receptive to baby going and check it out the strip and all that. I don't know if you saw it, but a brothel offered Jimmy free sex for life already after his signing. You know, I don't know how if you and Jimmy Vegas, Jimmy, yeah, there you go that too. I was like, oh, all right, that's that's interesting. Usually someone's like, hey, like come to my restaurant. You know, we got you any apps, drinks? Like we got it. But you know, Vegas, baby, so up the ending, I guess. So I was cracking up when I saw that. I feel like, of all the things Jimmy needs, that's probably not high on the list, Like he's probably okay out his own Yeah, yeah, I'm sure. I'm sure Jimmy will be just fine. I'll be locking in learned the offense with the rest of us, and based on what I heard, like in terms of just through George and everyone, like he's down in. I know there have been a couple of things where people are like, oh, you know Jimmy, blah blah blah, but like knowing enough people that have played with him, and like opportunity to be around Jimmy in the past, like not even on the football field, Like Jimmy's super low key and he's a good dude. I mean, but if you look like Jimmy, it's hilarious. Like I don't know how much this I can tell, but lord start, I was with him in Nashville. We're just hanging out, having to drink right like as me him Cam Fleming was probably like four years ago, and that was the only time I've ever seen women actually get into a physical altercation over who's going to talk to Jimmy the whole time, Like Mike, it's just like me and you talk and I look over and just everyone's going and then before I look over, Jimmy's just grabbing him, just being nice. Cole walking with the the cavil. These two girls are going out and Jimmy's just out the back door, just into a cab. It was the funniest thing I've ever seen. I was like, it was like my second year too. I was just like, wow, all right, go to go to I've never seen females actually get into a physical altercation over who is going to talk to him. The whole time, Jimmy just doesn't even care, just gets up and smoothly walks out of La Bar. Was top five coolest thing I've ever seen in my life. That's unbelievable. So the moral of the story is, I guess neither one actually got to talk to him because he left. No, no, no, And the whole time, like we were sitting having a conversation, both of them were coming up up being a little thirsty, and Jimmy just being good, oh hey, no, hey good, good to meet you whatever, and it's like, no, I don't want to talk to Jimmy, don't want to talk to him. And then we look over and just like just a whirlwind of nails extensions flying. It was. It was hilarious. It was hilarious. Did one of the two get the upper hand or was it pretty like even you know it was. It was in the flyweight division, so it was going really fast, but not necessarily. There wasn't heavy hands, so it's just you know a lot of you know, tentphs to go for the hay, go for the face, but it always just ends up in the grabbing hair and necklaces. So it was more funny. And then it happened for like tenths. It not funny, it was just you get it. It happened for like ten seconds, and I was like, all right, ladies, and then they're like, where's Jimmy. Where's Jimmy, And you see Jimmy just sneak in the cab and it was just it was all time. Obviously, we don't want anyone to get really hurt. I don't know, of course not, but seeing two girls like pull it was right out of a mood be in me. I was like, oh my god, like is this real life? And you can tell like this wasn't Jimmy's first rodeo because it was just calmly, just takes a sip, it's good to see you guys. Just the smoothest thing I've ever seen. I was just like quarterback. Yeah, onto the next play, right, It's like, yeah, I'm gonna go down the street to a bar to have a drink with the boys and just try to have a chill night. There are some great establishments in Nashville. Do we want to immortalize this one? Where did this stick play? Okay? This happened that kung fu? This okay, So it's like, I don't know how much they change it. This is also like twenty seventeen, but yeah, it's kind of like half indoor half outdoor with like you know, you know, massive tic tac toe boards and like connects four and then the insides like a cool indoor outdoor bar with a big sliding glass window and some company like plush couches and like cool little able was just sitting down at the table and that's when two fighters stepped up to the plate and it was it was worth it worth it? Um. Last question on this fight not that I'm obsessed at all with five questions and I keep it rolling. I can't really get past it. Um. Did the two flyweights and questions seem to have a previous knowledge of each other? Like were they friends or were they total random straight I think they're adversaries. I think, you know, I think I think this was about that was coming for a while. There might have been something earlier on in the night. I don't know what was happening. I would know the build up, what was said up the pressor but you know, when they just said it's time, girls just went at it. So it was. It was pretty remarkable. It probably started at the way end. I'm guessing like some covets were made, probably how it's usually how it goes, the build up. No, I wouldn't Sayhi di to Jimmy. No, I wouldn't say hi to Jimmy. And then you know, the South struck first, and then it was just no hole's bar from there. Amazing, amazing that there was a South pup by the way. I you know, you played in Cleveland for a couple of years. There is a there's a famous story in Cleveland where Jeff Garcia, who at the time was the quarterback of the Browns, two women brawled in a bar um over him. One was what what I believe he's married to now and and was you know, ended up being his wife and the other one, yeah, right, the other one had some history with him, but that was a flat out reported brawl in Cleveland. So, uh, you know something about Niner quarterbacks or something something man something. Well there you go. All right, Well, I'm gonna I'm gonna probably give you like a special phone to carry for video purposes for the next Jimmy Jimmy G brawl you would. Yeah, this should definitely help out one with Jimmy Jimmy. I'm the Feds, don't worry me. You soon see you again soon. But unbelievable. All right, I gotta get back an interview boat because I had a lot of actual questions for you, and now I'm I'm completely obsessed with this has gone off the rails. It has gone completely off the rail. So you know, you know, George, And I'm sure you've heard all about Jimmy's um texting habits or lack thereof. And I actually wrote about this in August about how you know he's not known for texting coaches and teammates back, let alone people like me. Although separate story, I did just get my first Jimmy G return text. I'm so thrilled. But you know, George, I'm sure has told you that like you might be texting Jimmy, but he might not be great about returning that text. Yeah. I mean I've ben't m essentially. I mean, I don't have Jimmy's number. I mean I've only heard what's what's been reported. I can only judge him based off the time that I've been around him face to face. He's been a good dude. I mean, whatever he does in his free time, that's up to him. Yeah, I'll leave it at that. I mean I was kind of touched, he said to be you know, a few months ago, He's like, oh no, I get all your texts. I read him. I'm like, okay, at least like, you know, at least think the information I got them. All. Right. So, you did get that big deal with the Browns three years ago when you went through free agency, and that happened quick, and you, I think at the time were the highest paid ted in NFL history for like three weeks. Ship, Yeah, for three weeks. And then you know, two years later you experienced free agency again. Last year you ended up setting with the Titans. You've now done it a third time. How did this experience compared to those first two? Well, I mean the first one is super interesting, right in the pandemic. I remember talking to you when you were back in the Bay Area. We were don't worry people, we were socially distanced more than six feet apart. And when we sat down and had the interview way back when, I'm sure you remember. That was an interesting one, right like I was. Just the first day even showed up to Cleveland was day one of training camp, right like it was. It was interesting. I went down to San Jose in general to get my physical and just faxed in paperwork. I remember it, signing my contract on my on my parents coffee table. So it was it was. It was definitely, definitely an interesting circumstance for many reasons beyond football, but moving to Tennessee so and when I ended up getting release, send it up signing to Sean releasing a bunch of people, and I was kind of scrambling there for a little bit, and then John Robinson and Tennessee Titans called gave me an opportunity and took it, ran with it. Played there for a year. Very grateful for the experience there. I made a bunch of wonderful people in the building, offense, defense, special teams, coach, player, player, coach, everyone was super great. And now this time around getting the opportunity to be in Vegas. So I've been just very very fortunate. That's awesome. So you know, one thing I always wondered with Cleveland is they they stepped up and paid you, and you were coming off two Pro Bowl years. You're you know, catch stats in terms of targets to balls caught were like it's something insane, over eighty percent. And you know, I was just kind of like, okay, cool, they just paid him. They're going to go feed the guy. And then you just didn't. You blocked a lot. You were like on the light of scribbage a lot a lot Nick Chubb and Kareem Hunt and best one two punch and football there for a while. So, I mean, first year I'd be in line pyts. I wasn't frustrated, but that was what was best for the team. When we're ripping off five yards to carry, it's like, all right, click click, you know, it's time to rest some big boys because that's uh, you know, we're just leading the league in rushing. So it's hard to hard to cry about it. When we were winning games and Bart got to be part of the first playoff team since ninety four in Cleveland, So that was that was awesome, and just seeing how hungry that city was and how starved they were or some playoffs, so it was it was truly special to be a part of that team and do it for the city of Cleveland. Yeah, that playoff game, it felt like it was a player revolt, Like Stefanski was stuck in the basement. Not to the big light of COVID, but Stefanski stuck in the basement and you guys opened that up. Man, you're forgetting Mike. We didn't practice that entire week. Like, just to add a little more context, little story, Well, I don't know the statute of limitations is on COVID, but here we go. Anyway, So there was this indoor facility I'm not going to mention it somewhere in the greater Cleveland area. Since we couldn't practice, Bait got some route runners together because we're kind of on standby, right, It's like we went here from leak, we going, Qui going, Qui going. Eventually we couldn't so around like five to thirty bakes like you don't forget it, hey, you you you meet me at this indoor facility which I will not name, and let's get twenty thirty routes in. So that's what we did, like a couple nights in a road to prepare it. Because other than that, like it was all just like this over Zoom, just getting the game plan and the first time he went through it was in the game. But and that scares a lot of people. By the same time, I mean, Mike talk about fresh legs program, we were the boys were striking on the field. Everyone had the freshest legs. Everyone just laid up on Zoom, stretching, hanging out, and we got I think we got the Friday practice in. People were buzzing, and then the walkthrough. But like the first two days leading up to it, it's like where the bat bulk of the game plans put in. It's like, this is going to be interesting and working out. Could you tell it was going to be a more open game? I mean, you have no idea, right, Like, I mean, we're just so used to one play caller the whole year, so we assumed this would be status quo. I mean that Alex van Pelt, the Pittsburgh guy, was just like, I guess it's just like, screw it. Here we go, boys, we're checking it empty, we're airing it out a little bit like they got some big boys up the middle. They're giving us some fits in the run game. So you know what, let's see if let's see if their back end can cover. So it was and I think that really also played to our advantage because they're studying one chess master the entire time, and then's just like, all right, here we go, Like everyone has tendencies. Now it's just like all right, Kevin's in the basement hanging out watching the game like everybody else. And now a VP is just like, all right, you've seen duo a hundred times. How about we starting here, check to empty, explode to empty, and then five birds. Like I don't think we ran that more than twice the whole year. In that game, we ran it probably three four times. So they're probably just trying half that game. I feel they're just trying to figure out, like, oh my god, what's the new chess master doing with the pieces? And not to mention, I think our defense created like three turnovers at games so and special teams got one. I mean, it was truly a three phase, three phase game. All the boys stepped up. That's awesome. So before you ever got to Cleveland, you went down and hug with Baker that year in Austin, I believe they did. Yeah and yeah, Ive gown there and got real close with him, you know, you know him well. I there was all that drama there. Ultimately with Odell there was some Jarvis drama. It just you know, this would be true being in the media. It's like it's you know, it's always gonna be crazier in the media at the end of the day, Like it's it's all love in the locker room, it's just business. But once outside fact I can say this, once once outside factors get in the middle of the boys, that's what makes it tough. And that's what makes the you know, the real personal relationships away from the cameras, away from the interview, like just real people like leaning on you, like I got some family stuff going on or whatever. That's what makes it tougher. And of course it you know drawmasels, So you know, I'll say that much about that. So if you had a parent who was publicly questioning one of your teammates, that would that could make an awkward Yeah, that can that can intend to make things a little awkward. But at the end of the day, I mean they're both good people. It's just tough situation. And yeah, I feel like I got blown out of proportions, but it's it's one of those tough things. It's like, yeah, you didn't want to see it happen, but you know, that's that's how it ended up going down. And I was just you know, tight down in the locker room washing it all unfold. But like the media is all like, oh my god, oh my god, But in the locker room, Mike, it's just like, all right, well we still have practice. Like there was there was that one crazy morning where basically you were you guys were told hey, Odell's not really on the team anymore, even though he technically was right. Yeah, I mean it was it was pretty interesting because like we're just getting ready to go in the work, like it's like, oh, let's all happen. That's that's interesting. I wonder, you know, what I was going to say about it in the building or like, you know, I got blown out whatever, right, like you know, you have no idea what to think. And then to your point, it's like, yeah, O'Dell and can be here anymore. It's just like whoa well, you know which on the best good dude. I mean, just you know, unfolded that way. I mean, there's there's no hate. There ain't even the media try to build it up like Odell versus Bake. There's there's no it's it was never those two guys. And I think there's been enough bread crumb said on both sides. So and I'll leave it at that. I haven't always been Baker's biggest cheer leader, but dude, I gotta tell you that Thursday night game last year, what he had been forty eight hours with the Rams and did what he did to pull out that game against the Raiders, That's one of the sickest things I've ever seen in this sport. Were you watching get appreciated that? Absolutely? I was rooting my boy on just watching him go. I remember when it all happened, and I remember texting him. He's just like it's like, yeah, man, I'm here. I'm here in the hotel trying to get this thing down and built him his own little package because I mean it's I mean, the quarterback understand the audibles, the protections, the flips, like where you're outs. Who are you're hot? So it's just like let's let's let's get the general stuff that we're gonna go to. Like obviously got to pair the game playing down, right, Like the guy just got here bakes a really smart guy, but like Jesus, you got you gotta give him a chance here. And they did a great job by you know, listening to him on rich eyes and talking about how they did a great job of pairing it down for him, allowing him to feel comfortable with stuff he's done before, and also give him some autonomy because, in my opinion, bas at its best when he can just see the game and feel the game how it comes to him, because that's that's what we did in high school. That's what he's done in college and the most successful times he's had, like when people trust like, oh, you're the number one guy for a reason. You can see the game. What does your arm want to do here? And you can just see him out there just getting it, calling it and making the decision, just dealing out there. I mean, how can younot be happy for him? All? You know, all the aniversities at a fight through and you know all the voices and for him to get that, it was just how can you not be happy for him? I love it. So you went to the Titans and it was looking really cool. You guys were seven to three and you know, as part of a long run of Titans success under Rabel. And then all of a sudden, it was like Tannehill got heard and offensive coordinator got a dui and the GM got fired. Seven losses to end the season. What was that? Just take me through that experience, because it must have been a crazy turn of events. Yeah, I mean you touched on it. I mean we're riding high there, first division, first step that came. I mean this evall public information. So I'll just go through a series of events. I mean loss in Philly, got beat up in Philly pretty good, Jay Rob got let go. Then from there just went throughout the season, you know, trying to go status quo. And I mean I really don't think like it's not like when Jay Rob got fired the boys all laid down. I just just it's just one of those things, man, like one play here, one play there. We'd have to look back at it. I don't know how many games we lost by three or less, And I mean all comes down to is just you know, one play here, one play there. But you know that's thirty two teams across the league could play that game. The Raiders could have played that game last year. You know what, I mean three points or less and I have twelve, So I mean that's the league, man, I mean it was. It was definitely frustrating for everyone in the building. You know, when you're riding high first place, got a two three game coaching, and then you know you're fighting just to get a win, but you're feeling like you're a good team that's just not, for one reason or another, not living up potential. I mean, I think how to be like second or first or second heist in league in terms of a number of injuries, Like so we we're plugging and playing in guys that did a great job, that did a great job. I mean like kind of like a bake situation. Coming on Thursday. It's like, all right, buddy, you're starting Sunday, Like let's go. We're down bodies. So it was an awesome experience. It's just tough, Like there's a more two to factors we can go on for a half hour about, but you know, it makes use for it. We just we didn't finish the right way. Being around coach Rabel knowing the man he is, he's going to get it corrected. He's a great coach and he's gonna he's going to get everything down. Then I covered him as a player, so I just you know, everyone handles losing differently. I cannot imagine that he was in the best of moods toward the end. Yeah, I mean for sure. I mean, no, no coach is going to be happy with losing by We'll say this about Gray, Well, he knew being a player, he always knew how to read the room, see where the boys are at, like get the morales down, pick you back up, and if we're fine, they'll tell you a life fellas sain't good enough, but still doing in a way like when everyone's down that can get the team back to status quo. So I mean, I really appreciated that about him. I mean, and just the way he'd take care of us with how hurt the team was just understanding, like you said, like fourteen years as a player, he just he's been through it and he understands from that perspective as well as the coaching side, like where the psyche of this team is at at all times, and that was that was something I really picked up from his leadership and something I really appreciated about him. Apparently in Philly you reference that game, fans were chanting at the owner's box about a J. Brown. So you know, I don't know what happened with Jay Robin, why the timing happened. But that can't be good when you're the owner and there's a chance to get you in the box. Uh yeah, yeah, I mean I don't you know, I am an owner by but that doesn't feel good when anyone's yelling at you in your face. So yeah, I had no idea, right I was. I was too busy get my ass kicked on the field with the boys, so I didn't I didn't hear the chance. But that's that's interesting information. I had no idea about. But all I know is it happened so quick, and I was just so surprised because we were first in envisioned two three games up when that move was made. So that was so we were all all of a sudden locker room, we're just kind of scratching our heads like, wow, that quick son, That's that's above Mike, paygrade Mike and just just play tight end man. So no, just reacting to it like, wow, all right, the guy who brought me in this building is now gone. That's always an interesting straight up. Yeah, I've had that happened a few times. It's always better when the person who brings you in is still there. In my opinion, it's it's always better. Yeah, help. Yeah, So I Derek Henry, you obviously admired from afar when you see him up close and personal and how defenders reacted all that is it? Is it crazy just watching that dude run? Yeah, Derek, Derek special man, He's very special. And the thing I really appreciate about him too, is he works his ass off. Like being in the weight room with him, Yeah, being in the weight room with him, like he definitely doesn't take the easy way out. I'll see him over there lifting with the lineman, well he'll push it. And then when he's out on the field practicing like he's full till he's talking to the guys, picking the guys up, helping out the younger guys, and he's an open book. That's why I appreciate about him. Like I'm not back, So I didn't have, you know, questions pertaining cutting or how you see this hole or this or that, but the other backs talking with him like he's an open book. He's a good teammate, and just seeing how he worked throughout the year or something I really noticed and appreciated about him and his style of leadership, like always being there to pick the team up and like hold people accountable and then much like variable understand like where the team's at, like when people need to get lifted up, and then when people need to be told like hey bro, like I know you're better than this. So seeing that kind of greatness up close was was awesome. Yeah, I mean there must be looks on Defender's faces like later games. Yeah, guys make business decisions out there. When you see it on film, I mean, when everyone's moving twenty miles an hour, it doesn't look like that, but once you cut it down to one hundred frames a second, you see people start taking half stride, start doing this. Sorry, I feel like that, I totally sorry. It takes full advantage of that because if you don't like I mean, he'll punish you. He don't care, and he wants you to go full tilts he's getting up and I remember I think it was Houston and guy was choking him. He's like, bro, I can't even feel you. That's a little beasting amazing. Wow. So okay, so you've had I mean, you've had so many good running backs, you know, your whole career, and yeah, Nick obviously, Yeah, and then Derek Dontrelle did a great job and now you got Josh. So is your blocking is it something that you've worked on? Have you gotten better and better? Do you take pride in it? How do you feel about blocking? Yeah? Absolutely, I mean I'll do whatever's asked, like whether I'm I'm blocking, pass blocking, chipping on third down, running around on third down from the slot in line outside. I mean, I feel like that's kind of been my game. Might kind of like that jack of all trades guy. You know, I might not be the greatest set anything, but I can do everything. So that's kind of what's kept me in the league in my opinion. I can I can run routes enough, I can block enough, I can do whatever, enough, pass block, like whatever you need. I'm comfortable being in different spots because I've been in so many different offenses. I've required me to be that right, Like in Atlanta, I was pretty much a big slot receiver towards the end of my career, and then when I was in Cleveland, I was an extension of the offensive line when we're leading the league and rushing. And last year in Tennessee, I was blocking a little bit, mostly doing third down, red zone. So like I've done I've done both first, you know, a long time now, I've done either or for a long time. Like it's just kind of whatever it is. Willing to do anything. I won't turn contact down. I'll stick my face in there. In my opinion, that's just half of what run blocking is, because I mean, I mean, here's the thing, like I'll just breaking down, Like unless you're over two hundred and sixty pounds, it's a tight end. Like you're not going to be blowing up these two hundred eighty pound edge guys who make you know, thirty million dollars one hundred million dollars contract the guys are meant to put pause on guys who weigh three hundred and thirty pounds Like here's but what you can control is if you're two forty two fifty is just how fast you fire off the ball and trying to get your helmet under their chin, trying to snap them back and get your hands in the spot, and then understanding the scheme, like how long do I need to keep this monster attached to my body? Whether it's like thousand and one thousand two or sometimes you gotta get it to one thousand and three. But I mean, yeah, unless you're over two sixty, Like you're not gonna debo a guy whose sole job is to debo guys who weigh three hundred and thirty pounds. Well you know what I mean. Like, all you can do is just not turn it down on, fire off as fast as you can and just be ready. Like that's my advice when I talk to other tight ends. So it's like, because if you want to get really good at blocking throwing twenty thirty pounds and all of a sudden, you ain't going anywhere in the routes, like the ball is going to be in the air before you're out of your rogers, and then you don't have a job. So it's like what, so what do you want? So I just I just explain that to people and people are like, oh yeah, no, it makes sense. It's a. It's a physics issue. So you started out in Kyle Shanahan's offense in Atlanta, and you know, I've known him since he's a kid. I'm a huge admirer always of what he does schematically and what you guys were doing in twenty sixteen was was ridiculous. You know that, right, obviously MVP and very very close to winning a championship. Explain you know why Kyle is you know, so good at it and what it's like to play in that scheme. That's a great question. I was gonna take me a second. There's so many great things he did, and I mean, you gotta keep in mind, like you remember meet me when I was twenty one years old, Like I had no frame of reference of what an NFL coordinator is, and then my first year, I'm part of what top five, top seven most prolific offense in NFL history, So like that that was the only experience I had. So when you're asking me what he does well when we were absolutely rolling, like that could be the whole rest of this podcast. It's talking about how Kyle would he would legitimately predict everything that was going to happen, Like so I like called Nostradamus, like this dude predicted everything. He'd be like, all right, in his first fifteen script, He's like, here's what's gonna happen. Boom boom boom boom boom, Taylor Gabriel, we're gonna hit this chunk play Julio, get ready for this coming up, Davante pop up up. We're gonna score here. Then we're gonna get it back if we scored with him first twelve. We're gonna with these And I'll just be like rookie, like noah, okay, like you know, I, you know, coaches in college do the same thing. But we'll see. But it happened like every time where I was just like, oh my goodness, this guy's football IQ and understanding of everything within this system. And he would highlight, you know, receivers in the run game, the backside guard just how he's cut and open that b gap, the tight end on the cross sif that's going even though it's like a pass cross sif tight ends coming over their full speed, just selling it to the edge player so he thinks it's a run and collapsing instead of pass rushing, creating the space for Matt to move and then turn and throw move that throwing window for Julio to get right around that hook defender, just like having that. It's my first NFL experience was tremendous and the amount that he helped me just grow my football IQ was tremendous and I'm tnally grateful for him and so on that staff, you had batt Laflour had Mike McDaniel. McDaniel, yeah, and among others, U are, did Mike McDaniel try, you know, stand up on you because I know, you know, I've known him a long time. His set to humor, it's very very dry, very unique. Well, we'll keep his we'll keep his humor off the pod. Hilarious, hilarious. So I always wondered, you know, when he got to Miami. I'm like, okay, um, if he wins early, I think the humor is gonna kill. But if if they were like one in five, I just worried that people weren't going to get it on the outside. Yeah, yeah, very deadpan, very yeah. I mean, you're right, I mean success, success cures, all right, I mean, but that's I've had a lot of coaches have a sense of humor, but mc daniel, you know, you know how it is like he starting fast and just sense of humor, his his timing and just his understanding again like going back to the system, just like everything about him, how he carries himself and its enthusiasm for the game. It's it's infectious. And being a rookie with him, Lafleur and Kyle it was just Raheem Morris was a receiver's coach. So I mean, bro, that's that's an all star lineup right there of just just geniuses who are hilarious. Yeah, that must have been epic, and I know, you know, there was a there was a lot of talk about how Kyle and Matt you know Ryan, but it heads that first year and kind of we're trying to figure it out. Any time you put two alphas in the room, like, it's gonna take some time for everyone to like create. I mean that's normal with any business. You bring two multiple alpha males together, it's gonna take some time before everyone just realized, like, all right, we're on the same page. And you saw you saw those guys take the Atlanta Falcons the heights. They haven't been before, you know, they haven't had before or since really and so you know that second year was obviously it was Roland right what I recall that Super Bowl fifty one game plan. It was a little unorthodox in the blocking right, like they had receivers kind of blocking it defensive ends at times and right. So it was all based on Dante high tower because his ability to play off the ball mic linebacker and then hop on the ball and play Sam. So we had a Boston call so that idd like either back or a tight end, just dictating you know, where Dante is lined up and whether he's in the count or not. Because this is you know, seven years ago, so I could be butchering this a little bit. It was definitely Boston called. But I think the the thought behind it was they blitzed them so much from Mike that they didn't want Davantaire Tevin having to sit them down with a ten yard head start going you know, two sixty five to seventy pads and Tevin or DeVante they don't they don't turn anything down. They're tough SLBs, but it's just it's a physics issue. So they would have the line would account for him when he's in the mic position, and then when he was in the SAM we'd make a Boston call, and then there was a time where I got matched up with him in pass brom yeah, and backs would do it the idea thinking all right, like he's on the edge, it's going to take a little more to build up, and like he's just not coming with as much heat. So that it was really predicated upon that. So yes, in that sense, it was very unorthodocs in terms of how we would pick it up in the passing game. But I think this overall based downs and whatnot, like we're running our system, We're rolling there until it wasn't right. Yeah, I mean I've never seen a Belichick defense be that. You know, I don't shook as the word, but the width of the field, the speed, the you know, it just was and I don't know if you're aware of this, but the score was actually twenty eight to three in the third quarter. I heard at some point. I heard that. At some point I remember looking at the score bar I was like, yeah, that's that's interesting. It's looking pretty good. Is it one of those things where it just as it starts to snowball, where you're just like this. So many people have asked me. It's like an old nineties slasher movie, you know what I mean, Like you know who the killer is, you can see him coming, and it's just like, oh, you know, let's go split up and go in the woods. You know. It's just like one of those corny old movies where you see him, just the killer coming clambing back. But I won't ever forget there was a time look over at the sideline with some dbs that she'll not be a named but there's that iconic or Tom Brady, just that iconic picture of him on the bench. You're like, yeah, yeah, he's twinning that little and I'm just like I was a rookie. I mean I just turned twenty two and I was like, guys, I don't know what that is, but that's not the surrender Cobra, Like I don't know what's happening. He's tapping in. I don't know, this guy might go super saying or something. I don't know, But like all I knew was watching him, like I don't know. My whole life's like, that's not a guy you count out because it was iconic, right, Like everyone's over there like we're in control of the game. And he's just by himself, just tapping into whatever he tapped into and just willed willed his squad back. I mean that, and you know some three PI calls walking them down the field for one drive and the Edelman catch the other drive and something else happened. But by me, at the end of the day, like we stalled out and all it took was like one stall and then that was the old overtime rules. So first blood draws, they won the point toss scored and I'm rookie, I'm an idiot, right, so I'm like, all right, guys, like we're up, and I run an old dB, like now, bro, it's not caught like college like it's first blood draw. It's over. And just as he says that, confetti and I'm just like, oh, dagger. So those those dbs were the first ones to be like, all right, we'll go, we'll go for a walk in the woods. Let's just split up. And you know, well, well, well I'll go, I'll go into the dark woods. Yeah, they were, they ran, they ran Shallow Crosser. It's a vast majority, and we're playing man and man the whole pretty much the whole time. I mean it were too. Rocky Robert Alpher got to pick six off when they were in bunch call it cone, and they studied what they're gonna do. Rocky saw it took his op pick six to it. So I mean they were trusting them, like yo, playing man's been been going and they've been doing a great job. Just I believe they were out there for one hundred and fifteen plays. So yeah, that's and most of time those uh, it was a Mendola and Julian just running a bunch of shallow crossers, just picking and that's you know, asking dbs to cover numbers to the other numbers. Every plane they're running some kind of variation because as offensive players, we know if we're in it or not, and so it's like, yeah, come on, let's let's tack those hamstrings and quads. So I mean, credit to them. It was a tremendous experience. I mean, it's been so long people ask me about It's like I'm not salty. It's like it's unfortunate to be on the wrong side of a historical moment. But you know, overall, I mean, being a rookie, like what else you ask for? Man, it was awesome. I mean, it's just it's a lot though, right, It's like you think you're gonna win, you have the collapse, and then Kyle's gone, and now you've got new coordinator, right, you just bang bang bang. So it was it was definitely. It all happened so fast. I remember after the game at the after party, it was a little somber for a little bit, but it was also a bar and I'll you know how it goes, last time that team's ever going to be a lot of bets. I was there last year playing. You know, they're just hanging on for one last ride. So I mean, it was awesome to be around everyone. I remember downstairs there's like a kind of like an open area with stairs leading down, and I had a drink in my hand, walked down and it was McDaniel, Kyle Lafleur, Matt Ryan, and Matt shob all on a couch. So yeah, who grabbed a seat? Blah blah. I was talking and then I just remember Kyle dividally like, you know, I have to do this right. And I came in a little late to the combo, and I mean I'm young, so I mean it's more like, you know, I'm just gonna be quiet. They talked to me. I'll you know, but I'm not going to come there. What's up, guys, Well read the room has some feel after what just happened. I remember, Kyle, it's just like, yeah, you know, I got to do this right. And I'll just remember being like, oh, it's real. So we'll see what happens next. But yeah, you know, I wish you the best man, a great opportunity for you and your family, and you're gonna be great over there. And I just remember that was the last It's the last thing I remember about that Super Bowl at the after party because after that went up to my room, passed out, woke up, hopped on the team plane next day or a couple of days. Short time after Sark was announced, And yep, was it hard to just adjusting to a due scheme, a new offensive coach. It must have been a challenged. Yeah, Sark was task was kind of running a Shanahan style offense. He kept kind of learned his terminology and kind of learned like what we were doing and what we did well to keep it pretty similar for the guys. It was more him like onboarding than having all of us on board word in the song because at the end of the day, most people run similar things. So this kept our terminology. And then we roll with Sark for a couple for two years. Yeah, I learned a lot from Sark, good coach down there at Texas doing this thing. And then my fourth years when I got dark, and that's when we had changed the offense a little bit, and and his offense that's where I'll split out a bunch and in his offense, so why it gets to spend. So I was definitely a beneficiary of his offense for sure. So I know we've been talking a long time, so I don't want to go too long. I just wanted to hit one thing. You This is kind of the golden age of tight ends. I mean, and we have National tight Ends Day, tight End University. H do you get involved in all that? And you know those guys Kittle and Kelsey and greg Yeah, Gregors are so great? Do you do you soak all that up? How's how's that all been awesome? Like we put in work, but let let's be real. I mean, like it's getting all the tight ends around the league together to pretty much get like a brain trust going like hey, like Travis will get up there and talk about how you know, he runs option Rountes right and he's the best in league at George will get up there talking about how he runs you know this route. Greg will talk about when he was there and that's how I run this. And then we all get together and we all just get a talk shop with each other, go out on the field, work a couple of drills. But yeah, I mean I'm been lying. I said, like we don't all like run out a bar and have some beers and like talk with each other, because that's at the end of the day, that's what's really about. We put in our work and then like just get to know everyone around the league. So, I mean, it's it's been awesome with those three have created and it's definitely built to last. Apparently Jimmy is the one who came up with national tight ends a day. Really that's what I just still a little research, and you know, Kittle obviously was at the forefront, but apparently was Jimmy goofing on Kittle somehow, And then George just took it doubling down like no, yes, this is real. Now I'll show you. I'll make it a holiday. Something to that sounds like something George would do. It really does, And so yeah, that'll be you know next time you had Jimmy are chilling watching women compete for his affection in a very physical way. You guys, can you guys could break that down? Man? That was oh man, Yeah, Jimmy, don't get mad. Don't get mad about that story years ago. I don't. I don't think Jimmy, I'll get mad. I really don't. He was just sitting there being cool. He didn't do nothing, just look over. It's just like people people were fighting for his first conversations calmly got up, walked out a way so smooth. I mean, I wish I could inspire that much passion like I could for one woman. You know, we've been married for thirty one years. She would throw down. But like I don't think, I can't imagine, just you know, no on the coolest part of that story was you could tell that wasn't the first time that that has happened around Jimmy. Like he was just so cool about it, like it was just Haymakers going on. Just like it's like he was like an actor in Tarantino movie or something. Just calmly took a sip and just walked out of the saloon. I was just like, that's a quarterback right there. Yeah. And then the last thing I had for you is I didn't realize this because I'm a kind of a tennis nerd and I grew up with a lot of you know, friends who played naturally raked college players and your uncle, Chip Hooper was a legit tennis player, like top twenty of the world at one point at his peak. Yeah, McEnroe, all those guys. Yeah, I think I watched him play a major college tournament because one of my good one of my good friends growing up was raked. I think he was two with the NCA at one point and might have been playing Chip, which was a huge batch for And uh wow, so you know, did you Yeah, have you ever like nerd it out and like, you know, gone down that rabbit hole of how good he was and all that. My dad would always my dad would always tell me and told me some stories just like the matches and everything growing up, So I always was aware about his greatness, but like an end day, I went your uncle or just like yeah whatever. But definitely once I got older, I was definitely like, oh wow, yeah, people aren't supposed to be able to do that that easily, Like, that's that's super impressive. I was like, wow, you did that. Did they ever hit with you when you were little? Like did you try it at all? Now? I was I was straight straight to t ball, baby, I was playing baseball, soccer, uh cyo basketball, And then once I was twelve, put on the shoulder pads and helmet and that's I was like, this is this is what I want to do. Dude. I can't even imagine you and youth soccer. That must that must have been ridiculous. Yeah, there were a couple of yellow cards, but I was pretty skilled though. I was a skilled striker. But yeah, I mean if it was getting fiscal though, I wasn't afraid. I wasn't afraid to know yellow. Yeah. I love guy. I'll never I was with Bret Selleck, I'm Todd Harriman's and a couple other Eagles between practices in Bethlehem. I in trading camp, maybe having some whiskey, you know, it was it was too possibly. But my daughter, who was I think eleven or twelve, got red card. It was too yellows, but it was the first time she ever got tossed for a game, and I was getting the text for my wife and the second I was like, whoa, she just got red carded. They were so pumped. They were like yeah, and I was like, okay, cool, you know, and it was in like a happionship game. It was. It was. It was high drama. But yeah, sometimes I agree, but I like, I love the idea that you were. So you were really good at a sport where you can't use your hands, and then you end up obviously having some of the best hands of the world. All right, shout shout out t ball basic played all the way up to a high school. Then got a little little Tommy John action. I was like, all right, well I better get this football thing dialed in or I'm joining the military. Yeah, right, exactly. Well you're still You're still doing it, and you are now under the bright lights of Henderson near the Strip, and I'm excited to watch you do your thing on another high powered offense. Appreciate you, Mike, Thanks for having me, Thanks so much for joining us. Appreciate you, sir,