Raheem Morris Head Coach of Atlanta on 2024 NFL Schedule, why he believes Kirk Cousins will lead Falcons to Super Bowl, the decision to draft Michael Penix, the best defenses he's coached & importance of people-first mentality & forgiveness

"We cut players and we bring them back and we ask them to forgive, so what separates us [as coaches?]" Raheem Morris Head Coach of Atlanta Falcons The Pivot Training Camp tour is in full swing as we visit NFL cities sitting with players and coaches around the league bringing you exclusive interviews and sideline conversations to get you ready for the football season. Something for everyone in the episodes from the hardcore football fan who wants the inside scoop to the casual listener interested in the lives on and off the field of these athletes and coaches. In partnership with Fanatics, Ryan, Fred, and Channing reunite with one of our favorite past Pivot guests and good friend, Raheem Morris. When we last caught up with Morris, the “then” Defensive Coordinator was reveling in his Super Bowl win with the LA Rams…Fast forward to now, and Morris is back at the helm of the Atlanta Falcons as he prepares for what he considers the opportunity of a lifetime as their new Head Coach. Morris takes time to open up on his new role, his transparent insights on why the Falcons are "something to deal with" this 2024 season, and how his "people first" approach is shaping the team. Morris’ coaching journey has had its share of ups and downs, coaching some of the games’ best defensive players in Warren Sapp, Aaron Donald, winning Super Bowls, learning alongside some of the best in the business but also came with hard teaching moments in some painful losses and also, being fired by the team he is now back Coaching. Ryan, who once played for Morris, asks his long-time friend about his evolution from a young "uncle figure" coach to a confident "father figure" in the league and the trust he has with his coaching staff. Comparing himself to the likes of J. Cole in the song “Middle Child,” Raheem talks about going from being a brother alongside players in his early days as a coach to now becoming a father figure. The guys discuss how the football world was surprised with the Falcons first pick of the 2024 NFL Draft taking QB Michael Penix No. 8 after just acquiring Kirk Cousins from Minnesota…Coach says Penix is about building for the future while Kirk is the guy he believes can lead Atlanta to a Super Bowl. He and Ryan debate a little bit about the defensive side of the ball, but they agree there is no question guys like Bijan Robinson and Drake London will flourish with Cousins under center. He continues to talk about the roster full of talent and how he wholeheartedly believes this team has what it takes to not just be a competitor this season, but one of the elite. Filled with some fun moments, towards the end of the conversation, Morris jokingly teases while paying tribute to his coaching mentors, the NFL greats and the guys ask him to craft his dream defense using players he’s coached throughout his career. One of his choices literally leaves Channing on the floor in disbelief, any guesses? We’re just getting started with our tour, and bringing you sideline views and locker room conversations as we gear up for the return of the NFL season! Don’t miss out as we continue to visit teams and connect with players, coaches and meet fans on each of our Pivot stops! Make sure you subscribe to YouTube for hints on upcoming cities and follow along for more training camp content, only on The Pivot in partnership with Fanatics! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Speaker names marked ? are inferred from speaking time and the show’s known hosts — they are not voice-verified.

• 0:00Speaker 00

  The new LinkedIn Hiring Pro can't undo your last hire. The no-show. Who set you back because they didn't show up on day one? Or day two, or ever again? And now your product launch is delayed because you're talking to alien abduction podcasters to track them down. But LinkedIn Hiring Pro can help make sure your next hire sticks. In fact, businesses who use LinkedIn are 24% less likely to reopen a role in the next 12 months. Hire right the first time with LinkedIn Hiring Pro. Post a free job today at LinkedIn.com/quality.

• 0:35Channing Crowder?

  Boy, don't slide down here with all that lotion on your legs.

• 0:41Fred Taylor?

  They got you lubed up out here in that honor, huh?

• 0:43Speaker 03

  Hey, I'm gonna tell you one too, though. You don't have as much power around here as you thought.

• 0:47Speaker 04

  Don't tell him my legs look good.

• 0:48Speaker 03

  You don't have that much power around here as you thought. Because you said you was gonna give us the tour, then it was...

• 0:52Speaker 04

  Let's go.

• 0:53Speaker 03

  Thank you. Steven!

• 0:55Speaker 04

  I think he's working.

• 0:56Speaker 03

  Oh, I'm sorry.

• 0:57Speaker 04

  No, he's not working.

• 0:58Speaker 03

  He worked too hard. He worked too hard.

• 1:00Speaker 04

  He's not working.

• 1:00Fred Taylor?

  He's gonna definitely get something.

• 1:02Speaker 03

  Now, we got some real dogs in the building today, man. We might have a 907. You know what it is? I'm great.

• 1:10Speaker 04

  Hey, that's the first time he can say that about me.

• 1:13Speaker 03

  Hey, don't worry. When we get him on the show, man, I'm gonna tell you why we will always have beef. We will have beef forever.

• 1:19Speaker 04

  You got a good football story?

• 1:20Speaker 03

  He's a victim.

• 1:21Fred Taylor?

  Uh-oh, a victim.

• 1:22Speaker 03

  He wasn't even playing. You're a victim, bro.

• 1:25Channing Crowder?

  You set him down?

• 1:26Speaker 03

  No, I was just being antagonizing. Can you stand on this?

• 1:31Speaker 04

  So, we got a new policy. It used to have our birds where you couldn't step on them. But Greg Beadle's our president. If you were able to go in the locker room, he put them on the ceiling.

• 1:41Speaker 03

  Ah, smart.

• 1:41Speaker 04

  So we don't have wasted space. So I'm not sure now the policy with the ones with the birds in the ground.

• 1:45Speaker 03

  We're gonna walk around.

• 1:46Speaker 04

  You got the Deion on, though.

• 1:47Speaker 03

  Yeah, you see it?

• 1:48Speaker 04

  That's respectful enough.

• 1:50Speaker 03

  That means something.

• 1:51Speaker 04

  Look, Ryan, I'm getting... Oh, look, I got readers.

• 1:53Speaker 03

  You got two pair.

• 1:54Speaker 04

  No, that's because...

• 1:55Speaker 03

  You put them both on?

• 1:56Speaker 04

  No, that's for my chief of staff if he needs a little pair. And I got a little pair.

• 2:03Fred Taylor?

  This is the last time I seen these guys. Look, I got your sneakers.

• 2:06Ryan Clark?

  I had Janie's on though. He's leaving the parade, so we fired up too. It's like we won the Super Bowl. Channing's outside on the trampoline with the kids. Right, so he outside bouncing on the trampoline. He walked out with real bottles of wine. We were like, gee, we ain't gotta pay for this? Let's get it. Man, it wasn't our final moment, but man, we celebrated the Super Bowl.

• 2:26Channing Crowder?

  It was a hell of a podcast.

• 2:27Fred Taylor?

  Great podcast. How much difference is it than when you were here in, what, 2020, right?

• 2:32Speaker 04

  A lot. The weight room being built, the locker room being built, the new cafeteria. These cards, these play cards?

• 2:37Ryan Clark?

  Yeah.

• 2:38Speaker 04

  They're all like, they're official cards. Spencer, he went out and got all of their cards and made it this wallpaper and made this room kinda unique. And it's over here. Like, it's pretty cool. Like, I thought it was a, it was a great idea. Like, I don't know how they snuck me up on the wall.

• 2:51Channing Crowder?

  Okay, I see you rock.

• 2:53Speaker 04

  That's what I'm saying.

• 2:53Channing Crowder?

  Yo!

• 2:54Speaker 04

  That was an old one too. That's, that's from before. If you come in here, get some history, man. Like, you make the team, you get on the wall. Like, that's, that's dope.

• 3:01Speaker 03

  That's dope.

• 3:01Speaker 04

  I thought so.

• 3:03Ryan Clark?

  Where your people at?

• 3:04Speaker 04

  And they right over here.

• 3:05Ryan Clark?

  Ms. Coco was nice to me.

• 3:06Speaker 04

  Ms. Coco, so, look, look, look.

• 3:07Ryan Clark?

  That ain't how you talk, Ms. Coco.

• 3:08Speaker 04

  But now, they gotta act out. No, no, where you going?

• 3:12Ryan Clark?

  That ain't.

• 3:12Speaker 04

  Where you going, Shaq?

• 3:14Ryan Clark?

  Westside, look, Shaq, Shaq, Shaq.

• 3:16Speaker 04

  Look at the food though. Look how, look at the great job they do now. Like, look, they take care of everything. You come in, I get my little fruit, everything you want. No one trying to hide you. They all wanna hide. Everybody shy.

• 3:24Ryan Clark?

  Man, let's go start the pie.

• 3:24Speaker 04

  Let's go start the show.

• 3:26Ryan Clark?

  Cause you gotta work.

• 3:27Speaker 04

  I actually got work to do.

• 3:28Ryan Clark?

  You got a job.

• 3:29Channing Crowder?

  He was a scheme guy.

• 3:31Speaker 04

  Oh, you a hater now.

• 3:31Ryan Clark?

  Oh, so he pooping the cool in Cooper Cup.

• 3:33Channing Crowder?

  Oh, he did, man.

• 3:35Speaker 04

  What kinda guy?

• 3:36Ryan Clark?

  That's what people say. I mean, I think they both cold.

• 3:39Speaker 04

  Man, y'all crazy, man.

• 3:40Ryan Clark?

  That was people say.

• 3:40Fred Taylor?

  Say a scheme guy. That's what you say when, when they put it on you, hey.

• 3:45Channing Crowder?

  No, Sean McVay as a head coach is amazing. Sean, Sean McVay as a football player.

• 3:51Speaker 04

  What, he put it on you?

• 3:52Channing Crowder?

  Maris High School.

• 3:53Speaker 04

  He got the play of the year.

• 3:55Channing Crowder?

  I mean, I had nobody on my team, Cole.

• 3:57Ryan Clark?

  Oh, so you, you were supposed to get it?

• 3:59Channing Crowder?

  I had 19 tackles against Sean McVay. It was Maris. I played tight end, quarterback, running back. I was crazy.

• 4:05Ryan Clark?

  That said they padded your stats.

• 4:07Channing Crowder?

  Who padded my stats?

• 4:08Ryan Clark?

  Dude, uh.

• 4:08Channing Crowder?

  You know who padded my stats?

• 4:09Ryan Clark?

  Dude named Derrick Williams.

• 4:10Channing Crowder?

  These damn knees and hips.

• 4:13Speaker 04

  I'll tell you what right now, this is the definition, this is the anti Tony Dungy meeting, man. You making all kinds of excuses and explanations.

• 4:51Ryan Clark?

  Hey man, well, welcome to the show again. First off, congratulations, new head coach, not not so new anymore, of the Atlanta Falcons, Raheem Morris. This is The Pivot, a part of Fanatics, Fred Taylor, Channing Crowder, I'm RC. You had a whole offseason now, so how do we feel now about our first pick of the draft?

• 5:14Speaker 04

  You know, I'm really fired up with the decision we made based off of the current climate of what happens in the National Football League. You know, the quarterback position has been pushed up to such a high level now, and if you don't have one, you have no chance to win, right? So like, going to get Michael Pennis secured our future, and secured the way for us to go whenever that future happens, and whenever that starts, based on our current climate. You know, I'm so pleased that we got Kirk Cousins, and his leadership, and everything that he brings. And then you get a chance to go draft a young guy that can watch that, and watch a guy that's actually had, played at a high level in this league, made a lot of money in this league, at multiple teams, has done it on a different level, is

• 5:57Speaker 04

  a great family man, his wife is from Atlanta, and now Pennis has a chance to, kid from Tampa. Coming here, settling, pro-ready, get a chance to watch him, get a chance to sit behind him, get a chance to see him lead his team and do those things and like, really when it's his turn, you won't have any question whether he's ready or not. And like, that is the most important part for us, right? We wanted to be able to secure immediate future and want to be to secure our future that's gonna happen with this man.

• 6:23Channing Crowder?

  I'm currently watching the Hard Knocks with the Giants and all that stuff. So you see the whole offseason.

• 6:27Speaker 04

  For sure.

• 6:28Channing Crowder?

  With that, where you see him going through, you see him calling people, trying to jockey for position in the draft. With that, Rock, did you like, were y'all like, were y'all just jacked up like, they might, they might let us get the penix? Because it surprised the football world. It surprised me, I'm not gonna lie.

• 6:42Speaker 04

  So you know, you know what's crazy about it is like, when you go through the draft, right? Everybody's trying to be so secretive about their information. And we were really secretive about it, right? The only people we were talking about was those top, probably, three quarterbacks in the draft, which were like, on your shows and doing all the stuff that they do and all those other different venues. And they talked about those guys. And Caleb Waze was great, Drake May's great. All those guys, you know, were all dudes. Right? Then you look at the other people in the draft, and the six quarterbacks that all went before anybody really thought they were. And it's like, that's just how it happens, right? That's, that's the climate of what it was. It was a good quarterback draft. And when our guy was there, when we had the chance to pick,

• 7:20Channing Crowder?

  Yeah.

• 7:21Speaker 04

  we were excited. We were jacked up. And there's a bunch of different players you could have taken, you know? There's a bunch of players, there's good players in every single draft. But like, that quarterback position, if you got a chance to get it, go get it. Because hopefully, and I'm telling you, forget hopefully, we not gonna be in position to pick a quarterback at that level again, because I know what Kirk's gonna be able to do.

• 7:44Channing Crowder?

  Yep.

• 7:45Speaker 04

  That's just the bottom line.

• 7:46Fred Taylor?

  Right. And here we are, training camp show, football is back. And as, as much as you need a quarterback, you guys really need one. I looked at your first five weeks, I just wanna fast forward to your schedule. You opened up with your old running mate. Here at Pittsburgh, Mike T is here. And then you're at Philly. Then I think you got the Super Bowl defending champs.

• 8:06Speaker 04

  Yep.

• 8:07Fred Taylor?

  You guys got a, like, a tough schedule. You gotta be ready to go.

• 8:10Speaker 04

  The best thing about sitting here at, at this, this round table is I know like, You guys know that all of that stuff means nothing. When you get into the training camp, everybody is coming out and you don't know who's gonna be good. It's the best, most competitive parody league that in the world. And things change every single day. So no matter what that schedule says, like you better be ready to deal like it is the Super Bowl champs coming in, like it is somebody with great history like the Pittsburgh Steelers coming in. So like for it to be people that people really got a lot of credit involved in, like great, great for us. Great for my anticipation to enlighten the guys on our hype. To get ready to go out there and compete with the very best. I mean, I love that. And like Ryan,

• 8:53Speaker 04

  he's the only guy that's gotta work, but he gotta figure out who he's cheering for that first week.

• 8:57Fred Taylor?

  I wanted to go back there, because as players, we all look at the schedule. We're all guilty of looking at the schedule and say, boy, that Monday night game, that's the Philly game. But you're in Tomlin coaching down in Tampa together, the Steelers, the history, the whole thing. You got two black coaches, you know, black head coaches opening up. I'm sure you had to look at that and just smile.

• 9:20Speaker 04

  I didn't, but I know he did. I know he did. So I can speak for Mike on that note, but you know, he was on this show when he proclaimed me the best head coach that wasn't the head coach, right? And like, I know when he looked at it, he gets himself some little pride out of that because, you know, like that's my older brother, right? And I got two older brothers, because you know his brother Ed. But those are my brothers, right? That's part of my family. That's part of my makeup. Everything that I've done to this point when it comes to coaching. And when he, and I know when he looked at that, he has such a sense of pride. Because he knows he's gonna walk right into my locker room and we're gonna dap it up and we're gonna go out there. But I'm not gonna let him load me to sleep either. He's still Tom Brady.

• 10:03Speaker 04

  He's still Batman, you know, and Batman gonna shake your hand, man. Love you up. And then at the end of it, man, he had a little... You can put that utility belt on though. I got a reporter in our local media that's from Pittsburgh yesterday, so he asked me a stern question, you know, so I had to give him the Mike Tomlin voice. Good. Good. And I told him, I said, "I'm talking Mike Tomlin for you. The standard is the standard," you know. As much pride as I have about it being with him, for me, I better worry about it after the fact when we're all said and done. Right. Because big bros coming, man.

• 10:29Ryan Clark?

  Yeah. It's good that you mentioned family and Fred brought up family. The last time we had an opportunity to speak, you were defensive coordinator that had just won a Super Bowl, and I was asking about being a head coach. And at the time, we were talking about minority head coaches, African-American head coaches. In total minority, if you add Canales and Sala, it's gonna be nines to the most ever in the league. But you mentioned at the press conference, you said, you know, "It is about the coaches that have come before me to lay this path, and it's gonna be about the ones that come after me as well." And then you pointed to Jalen, and he was like, "But it's more important, it's about him." What was it like, man, to be looking at your son in that moment when you got another opportunity to be a head coach?

• 11:14Speaker 04

  That was surreal. Because you look out and I've never... First of all, you know Jalen, you jumped in the champion lane with him. And I've never seen this boy sit still ever in my life. And when I looked out, I happened to pan to my left, and you're looking at your son, it became a really special moment because he was actually paying attention to what I was doing. And it was like even deeper than that because it's like he's paying attention to what you're doing in life. And you know that, but as much as you know that, it still was a surreal moment when I got a chance to look out and see my son in the stands, my two daughters, and they were just... You could tell they had a sense of pride. And it was an unbelievable experience. And it was... It's crazy because the last time you guys saw my son, I just remember him saying, "Hey,

• 11:58Speaker 04

  Daddy, could we go back and get on the buses and wave to the people again?" And he was talking about the parade.

• 12:02Ryan Clark?

  Yeah.

• 12:04Speaker 04

  To see him sitting there paying attention to, in our house, what you guys did a beautiful setup with Alicia, what she was able to do and all you guys come in and the amount of work that you put into it, turning my house into a studio. And then to fast forward, when you guys talked about being a head coach and the problems and all the things that just go involved in putting your best foot forward to make that happen, and how confident we all sat there saying, "I knew it was gonna happen at one point", for it to happen a couple of years later, your son to be sitting there and us to be doing and recapping this again, I thought it was special. And I thought it was like, meaningful and I think it's something that you gotta have a healthy respect for when it comes to all of us.

• 12:38Channing Crowder?

  I don't wanna say the cheat code because you're good at what you do, but you brought up Tony Dungy already, you brought up Mike Tomlin already, yourself, Dennis Green, like I can go on for days about those head coaches, those minority or black head coaches. What are you saying these meetings? Cause you surprised me again with the pick and also, I'm not gonna lie, I ain't even gonna get this damn job, bro. Like, to young coaches, when you sit down with them, cause we know you as homeboy.

• 13:04Speaker 04

  That's right.

• 13:05Channing Crowder?

  I don't think you sitting to me is like you talk to us, but you correct me if I'm wrong.

• 13:09Speaker 04

  You know what's funny? It's like, your most authentic self is probably the best way for you to go about doing your business. And the more authentic I can get with my guys, which he would know how I am in those meetings. And it's gotta be a certain amount of real, it's gotta be a certain amount of detail, it's gotta be a certain amount of truth, some honesty, you know, some compassion. You know, you gotta have all those things mixed in because at the end of the day, man, we gotta be that person for everybody in that room. And then you gotta hire people around you that can be the person for other people that maybe you can't connect as well with. And I think that's like, the most important part. Like, all the connections, the people-first attitude, the "we not me" that Sean McVay preached out in LA.

• 13:53Speaker 04

  You know, being able to go out there and see how they did that thing out there and how they set it up was so special for me because I thought that was like, amazing, right? And I've been lucky. Right, you named some of the coaches, but people forget to mention like Herm Edwards. Right? When I was an intern with the Jets and I was with Herm Edwards and I got a chance to see him with his messaging. Right, it wasn't much, it was not a better person when it's come to delivering messages than Herm Edwards and talking about the shield and what it meant to him and how he was gonna relay that to his football team and he just felt a certain urgency about it, right? And then I got a chance to work with Mike T and be around Coach Dungy and all the greats in our past and like, it's not just the black coaches, it was Monty Kiffin, rest in peace, Rob Marinelli, you know, and like, that's the history of our game, right? And I'm a great thief.

• 14:40Speaker 04

  I'm gonna steal it all from them, man.

• 14:42Fred Taylor?

  It's a copycat league, you have to, but you said you were lucky. You know, I like to say you've been blessed.

• 14:48Speaker 04

  I like that.

• 14:48Fred Taylor?

  You've worked, you've earned it from being a quality control coach there, then a head coach, then an interim coach, assistant, now you're back at a head coach. Talking about preparation, you mentioned all of the guys that you've been able to steal from. With all of that, you're set up to succeed. I think this is a great opportunity for you. How do you feel, like, when you look back and say, "Man, I've gone through all of this, I've worked with all these amazing people, and here I am now, been able to steer and drive my ship and prepare another group of young men." Shannon and I, we talked about the guys that are on your coaching staff.

• 15:26Speaker 04

  Oh, yeah.

• 15:27Fred Taylor?

  One of my good friends, Ike Hill, you got Lance Shulte. Being able to extend that, being able to extend that back to them, like, how does that make you feel now that you're able to afford those guys those opportunities?

• 15:40Speaker 04

  It was awesome, because you started off by saying "your show," and I was gonna correct you and say "our show." Right? Because you're only as good as the people around you. And I've been so fortunate, man, to get Zach Robinson, somebody I've never been around in LA and won a championship with. I was able to go hook back up with Jimmy Lake, somebody that came out to LA, had an experience himself, that brings a wealth of knowledge from head coaching at Washington, that was with us in the pros. And then you just go down the list, right? Guys you coached, like a Barrett Rude, which you just mentioned, a Lance Shultes. And like, all of those people, they feel a certain responsibility to you. And I feel that same responsibility to them to give back, to make sure they can reach their highest potentials, no matter what their goals and their aspirations are. And like, that's what I think about every single day.

• 16:25Speaker 04

  And then even the people that I just met, Mike Petrie, Delane Leffert, right? Those guys, to me, like, working in the offseason with those guys, man, I had to find a way to find that special bond with those dudes. And like, Marquise Williams, like, I thought that was special, like... And we're working on that, right? And I can feel it growing every day. And I can feel like training camp happening. And I can feel like this authentic juice just coming out of our building. I can't wait to get to practice tonight to get more, right? And like, you find a way to like, not worry about what other people think. Is it the right decision for you? Is it the right decision for our organizations? And I gotta be honest, I gotta be really thankful to Arthur Blank for allowing us to do that. Right? Because not everybody do that, right? Some people medal, some people get in the way. Arthur is such a supporter. And like, that's what you need. Like, he's like a father figure to me.

• 17:09Speaker 04

  He always has been, even when he fired us. You know, like, hey, get out the building, but you know you're like my son.

• 17:18Speaker 04

  Right. You know, something happens in life, he call you, you know? And then like, I'll never forget the day when I got the call, the fax saying like, Brian Levy, my agent, called and said, hey, you know, Atlanta wants to interview you. I'm like, good.

• 17:33Speaker 04

  I was locked and loaded, man. Like, and you can't tell nobody, like, I want that job. You know, like, you can't, you know? Because like, at the time, you're interviewing for five different people, you know? It was like, but you know so much about the place. You know about the people you're going to be with. You know so much about how you can get that thing right? And how you can fix some of the issues that you had the first time you were there. You know some of the ins and the outs. And it was just, it was just a fun opportunity to go do.

• 17:55Speaker 00

  The new LinkedIn Hiring Pro can't undo your last hire. The no-show. Who set you back because they didn't show up on day one? Or day two? Or ever again? And now your product launch is delayed because you're talking to alien abduction podcasters to track them down. But LinkedIn Hiring Pro can help make sure your next hire sticks. In fact, businesses who use LinkedIn are 24% less likely to reopen a role in the next 12 months. Hire right the first time with LinkedIn Hiring Pro. Post a free job today at LinkedIn.com/quality.

• 18:25Speaker 04

  It's such a cool thing, right? You mentioned, you know, hey, get out the building, but I love you, but you're my son.

• 18:32Ryan Clark?

  You were the interim head coach here too on a team that felt like, and I don't want to say this about players, that felt like it just no longer was able to play the way they needed to for Dan Quinn. And with a roster that wasn't great, you guys go 4 and 7, but Arthur Smith gets the job.

• 18:49Speaker 04

  Yes.

• 18:50Ryan Clark?

  You get the call to have another chance to interview here. How was it so easy to put behind being kicked out of the door, to have the level of excitement you had to come back and be a head coach here in Atlanta?

• 19:05Speaker 04

  I just think, you know, you ask your players to do it all the time. You know, like, we cut players and we bring them back and we ask them to forgive. What separates us, right? What's the difference, right? Like, I can give you everybody cut, spill it ever cut you. Hey, man, go prove us wrong, go out there, do your deal, and then if something happens, we get a chance to bring you back, we'd love to meet back up with you. Right? There's no difference, right? So like, like, I had no, I got opportunities here, you know? I got a chance to coach on both sides of the ball in Atlanta. I got a chance to be the interim head coach. I got a chance to lead men. I got a chance to lead a team that I helped develop with Dan Quinn. I got a chance to try to turn some things around and provide some energy for the city, the city, right? And you gotta earn it in this city, right?

• 19:48Speaker 04

  There's a whole bunch of people from New York, Philadelphia, they all moved down here, right? And then like, you gotta ask them to be your fan. Nah, you better go earn it, right? And that's what we learned, right? That's what we learned in 2016. We went out there and lost that championship, right? You had to earn it that year. And as we earned it through the games, the stadium started to get more and more hype. The belief around us got more and more hype. The Migos dropped their track. And it just went crazy, right? It became our theme song.

• 20:16Ryan Clark?

  Yeah.

• 20:17Speaker 04

  And like, I know what it's like. I've seen it, I've felt it. And I want it in the worst way again, you know? Like, and I look at some of the history of the guys, like Julio, like a Matt Ryan, you know? And like, some of the guys that I was able to be here with, Mohamed Sanu, you know, Taylor Gabriel, some of those guys that we did it with at a high level. I want to do it for them too, you know? Roddy White.

• 20:37Ryan Clark?

  Yeah. People forget Roddy was...

• 20:39Speaker 04

  I want those guys, man. Harry Douglas.

• 20:41Ryan Clark?

  Yeah.

• 20:42Speaker 04

  Like, I want it for them, like, more than anybody, like McClure. Like, I mean, them dudes, man, they gave some sweat out here in Atlanta.

• 20:48Ryan Clark?

  When you look back at that time, you mentioned that championship. What did you take away from being a 28-3 in the Super Bowl? MVP quarterback, one of the best wide receivers of all time, playing against who we all consider, who many consider the greatest quarterback to ever play this game. What did you take away from that loss going forward?

• 21:15Speaker 04

  You know what's crazy is like, I'm on that Kobe theory. Everything's a learning lesson. And that was a great learning lesson for all of us, right? And it's like, that other guy on the other sideline, I looked at him and what he did, and that's what you gotta do. You gotta remain super focused, super locked in, and you gotta finish the deal. And he was able to do that. And that's the greatness of who he was. And like, how do you steal that moment and those thoughts and those teaching principles from him? Right? And, you know, like, I laugh, I giggle. You beat out Bill Belichick for the job. Man, get out of here, man. You know, like, this job was set. I got the job. It is what it is. Like, I got so much respect for the greatest head coach that's ever coached our game. You know, arguably, however you want to look at it, Shula. You know what I mean?

• 22:00Speaker 04

  I don't just respect Mr. Shula, but, uh, and one of the greatest quarterbacks to ever do our game. I don't just respect Joe. You know, it is what it is. Peyton, none of them guys, but, like, you had two all-time greats over there, and you got two great locked-in lessons on how you go about your business and win. And can you do it in your own authentic style? Yes. But like, that lesson for me, it's something that you never want to, like, forget. You want to finish those deals. And how do you do it? It's just remaining consistent about your process, believing in that process, and being able to deal with those results. And I was pretty comfortable in being able to deal with those results, knowing that we could fix our process.

• 22:34Channing Crowder?

  And with your past experience as a head coach, the interim, and before with Tampa, is, what did you learn from that? Positive and negative? Just something you never do again, or just like that 28-3 situation? Just something that having that experience now you're in Atlanta? Okay, yeah, that, I figured that out. I ain't gonna do that. Like, when you say, you say something crazy to your wife and she snaps, I ain't never gonna say that again. So, just something with, you know, saying now I'll be having the experience that you have.

• 23:01Speaker 04

  So, you know what it is? It's not that. Right? It's exactly the opposite of that. You know, like... You gotta empower the people around you. Like, no matter what they make you, who you are, there are always gonna be people around you that can give you some type of advices, particularly when you hire them, and that you can listen to to make you better. And I am around a lot of great people, and I'm around a lot of great people that was already here, some of the people that we brought in, some of the people that I'm able to listen to, some people that I gained advice from, and like, take those things, those lessons, and those moments, and use them. Right? When I was 32 years old and was a head coach, there is no man you put on your desk on what to do. I had one dude I can call and say, "Hey, man, Mike T. Hey, good. Hey, I got an issue."

• 23:44Speaker 04

  You know, "Let me go watch this on how you handle this problem." You know? You know, and you know, Mike, you know, "Hey, man, I don't try to take away distractions. I embrace them."

• 23:52Fred Taylor?

  Yeah.

• 23:53Speaker 04

  Right? So like, now, you gotta add those people into your building. Guys that have bigger-picture thoughts, high capacity, you do different things. You gotta empower people within your building and let their coaches come out of their room and move within to your team in the framework of what we're trying to do to get things done. And you gotta be able to do those things in a humbling way. You gotta be able to talk to your owner and tell him the absolute truth and be honest and upfront, and be able to do those things in a humbling way. Right? Because you don't know what answers you're gonna get, but all you know is you can tell them the truth and your thoughts. Right? You can gather those thoughts and you can slowly think about those things with people around you because you know you trust those people. And that's what's most important.

• 24:30Fred Taylor?

  Going back to stealing from the other coaches, I just love that, right? It's always a copycat league. Speak about tumbling. His thing is, the standard is the standard.

• 24:40Speaker 04

  That's right.

• 24:40Fred Taylor?

  Coach Coughlin was, "We must ascend. If you're not getting better, you're getting worse." Coach Belichick was, "Do business as business is being done." And that's what, as a player, that's what we take away.

• 24:51Speaker 04

  Down the rock. Keep going.

• 24:52Fred Taylor?

  Your philosophy as a head coach, if I'm a young guy in your locker room, what's one thing that's gonna follow me, maybe the rest of my life, that I can also use in life?

• 25:04Speaker 04

  And my idea, I'll do is put people first. Right? And if you put people first, that brings out a whole different attitude to you. Right? And then your culture... Just changes the game, right? It changes everything. Very similar to what it is in LA, right? The we not me mentality that Sean McVay preaches and it has become LA, right? And here, it is a part of our ethos, is a part of everything that Arthur Blank talks about. It is the reason why we match so well together because we put people first, right? And that's been a part of me since you've known me being a young DB coach coaching you and watching you handle your group and watching you have meals with the team and throw Thursday

• 25:46Speaker 04

  night meals and being able to come there and watch your team eat on your dime while we're watching tape that we shouldn't be watching on our own. Put people first, man. And you'll get the best results out of everybody. Like all the sayings that people still, people right, I tell people all the time, somebody just asked me at press conference yesterday, what is your mantra? I don't like to give the team their mantra. I want the team to let their mantra come out in the video. And I want you to be able to feel that mantra when it does come out, right? Some of the best things I've been around have come out mid-season, right? When we were, y'all don't even know if people know, but we were in, when Rob Manelli got up and did a team meeting, when we were in Tampa in 2002, we won the Super Bowl, he went up there and he talked about pounding the rock. And I got the visual of this old man slamming his fist and then we got this big ass rock and next thing you know it was called pounding the rock, right?

• 26:30Speaker 04

  And that was our deal. I don't know, somehow Carolina stole it a couple of years ago. Steve Smith, Steve Smith was upstairs and we just saw him, but I remember that happening organically. I remember that happened with how we were playing and what we were doing and what that moment was. Actually, y'all came in and beat our butts on a Monday night football game, like in Pittsburgh and like it was like embarrassing. And we just kept going. We just kept not, no blink, no blink mentality, right? More Mike Tomlin-isms. You can see that big horse right now with the eye, right? It is what it is, like that's what we want to do.

• 27:02Fred Taylor?

  I just wanted to say, let's stay away from chopping wood.

• 27:04Speaker 04

  Have you ever heard that story?

• 27:06Fred Taylor?

  That's what we did in Jacksonville under Del Rio. They brought this huge log.

• 27:12Fred Taylor?

  In a big ass ax in the middle of the locker room. And he was like, we gotta keep chopping wood, guys. Keep chopping wood till we, you know, knock it down.

• 27:20Speaker 04

  You know.

• 27:21Fred Taylor?

  They went in there with that ax.

• 27:23Speaker 04

  Again, again Fred, like I said, I want the team to form that mantra.

• 27:29Fred Taylor?

  But that guy, he went in there with that ax and missed? And damn, they cut his leg off.

• 27:34Speaker 04

  Jack?

• 27:35Fred Taylor?

  No, Chris Hansen.

• 27:36Speaker 04

  Kicker.

• 27:36Ryan Clark?

  Okay, let's stay away from the ax.

• 27:39Fred Taylor?

  No chopping wood.

• 27:40Ryan Clark?

  That's a lesson to learn.

• 27:42Speaker 04

  Yeah.

• 27:42Ryan Clark?

  That's a lesson to learn. You know, you are 32 years old when you became the head coach of the Tampa Bay.

• 27:48Speaker 04

  Same amount of facial hair.

• 27:49Ryan Clark?

  Same amount, exact same amount.

• 27:51Fred Taylor?

  Must have been good.

• 27:52Ryan Clark?

  You might have a little bit more on your chin.

• 27:54Speaker 04

  I got a little bit right here.

• 27:55Ryan Clark?

  You might have a little bit more on your chin.

• 27:57Speaker 04

  I get forced to cut that off, man.

• 27:58Ryan Clark?

  I was in year 11.

• 28:00Speaker 04

  I know.

• 28:01Ryan Clark?

  At that time, I couldn't imagine having to run an organization. And you've mentioned how some of what you are as a coach has changed and evolved. You were a different man then.

• 28:14Speaker 04

  Yes.

• 28:14Ryan Clark?

  To, how has the man evolved from that standpoint? And how will that help you in this opportunity as a head coach?

• 28:23Speaker 04

  I mean, you go from almost this brother mentality with the guys. You evolve into this guy that's able to give guys advice. To now I'm getting over, man, and I'm like this father figure. Like I was used to being the uncle, right? Cause I was like, I tell people all the time, I was like J. Cole, I was this middle child. Right, I was stuck between the older generation and the Monty Kiffens and the Mike Tomlin's. And then I was right above the Kyle Shanahan, the Sean McVay, the Matt LaFleur. So I had been J. Cole for so long, you know, I really didn't know what that was like. Right, then I had my own children and I started to realize like, how you want them to grow up? And then you look at them, you want to set this sense of pride for those guys. And it really becomes no different when you talk about the family first mentality that we want to have here with our guys.

• 29:07Speaker 04

  And bringing their families in and embracing that and being around them. And giving them this just example of light that they can look at and be proud of as their head coach. Along with our city. And like, I think those are the things that like, I've kind of grown on and just matured. Whereas before, man, like, you know. I went to dinner with my players all the time. And not that you can't go to dinner with them, but it's just a different feel when you do it now. Right? It's really an example of what you do, right? I remember taking Lance Shelton out when he was playing with you. And I said, "You want a salad?" He said, "I want a salad." I look like a rabbit.

• 29:46Speaker 04

  The man ate steak with ketchup.

• 29:49Speaker 04

  And it's like, you're showing coaches, you're showing players how to evolve. And really accept their roles and what they owe our guys and what they owe to this game. Because we all owe to this game. It's given us so much.

• 30:01Channing Crowder?

  I was gonna say, me and Lance. It was that first time I looked at a dude, I had about 50 pounds, and I was like, "Bruh, why did you just try me?" Because Lance would try anybody.

• 30:09Speaker 04

  It don't matter.

• 30:10Channing Crowder?

  He doesn't matter. And that's why when I saw him, I'm like, "Damn, Rod, I hired Lance Shelton. I hope he doesn't calm down or something back then."

• 30:18Channing Crowder?

  But Coach, it's funny that you just said it. Because you talked about the old guy, who's like the Belichick's. And we can go to Parcells, Lane Kiffin's, and all these guys. Dom Capers, I was with him down in Miami. Dom knows from that defense now.

• 30:31Speaker 04

  He knows some ball. You ever see Dom's notebook?

• 30:33Channing Crowder?

  What's that?

• 30:33Speaker 04

  Man, I got lucky enough, man, to catch a Dom notebook, man. It's the best handwriting you ever seen in your life.

• 30:38Channing Crowder?

  Dom can get down.

• 30:38Speaker 04

  He can draw a whole playbook. Off memory.

• 30:42Channing Crowder?

  Dom would never get mad, but he would very gracefully cuss you out with no cuss words.

• 30:46Speaker 04

  Is it?

• 30:47Channing Crowder?

  Well, he just, "I can't put you in if you can't make this play." And I just, "That's not gonna happen for you, so we're gonna be okay." Damn, you just hurt my feelings. But it's crazy you say that because we were in Orlando. And it was pretty cool because I was sitting down and we walked in a restaurant. My wife and myself and my kids. You were there with your wife and Sean McVay, Kevin O'Connell.

• 31:09Speaker 04

  Yep.

• 31:09Channing Crowder?

  And y'all are all boys.

• 31:10Speaker 04

  Yes.

• 31:12Channing Crowder?

  And it was cool just to see that. We were just sitting around, we turned around talking. But, I'm not trying to kiss your ass, Coach. But you're the, like, you're, people are gonna talk about you like that.

• 31:21Speaker 04

  I have a question though. Kevin still cool with him after he took his quarterback?

• 31:27Channing Crowder?

  They still tight?

• 31:30Channing Crowder?

  Will we tee up the initial question? Rod let him know that a number of times that night.

• 31:41Ryan Clark?

  That was, hey, that's a sensible conversation. You'd be like, man, she, tell me something about Kirk.

• 31:46Speaker 04

  Stan Kronke for Stan Kronke. There was a bottle of Screamin' Ego on the table.

• 31:52Channing Crowder?

  Ron, let him know what are you gonna do now? That I got your quarterback? And I'll leave it at that. But, e- even that, the brotherhood, y'all the next McDaniel, Shanahan, like, do you, do you ever think about that you're in that? Like, you're a part of that? You're the wave coming down. Bro, that, when my son is watching football, I tell you this, there's gonna be a Raheem Morris tree. The guys that you're raising up. Like, have you ever thought about that? That it's gonna be the people coming off of you that are gonna be the great head coach in the future?

• 32:25Speaker 04

  Honestly, every day. Because I want nothing more than the people that come through Atlanta, and has had the ability to work with us for them to go get their own opportunities and become great. Because, you know why? Because somebody wanted it for me. Mike Tomlin, Monty Kiffin, Ron Marinelli, Joe Barry, Rich Bisaccia. I mean, you, you can go through the list of guys that wanted it. Matt LaFleur was under me and still wanted it. You know, Mike McDaniel was under me and still wanted it. Sean McVay, Sean McVay's dad. You know, like, it's unimaginable, Bubba, the people that was in my corner for the right reasons about becoming a head coach and being able to form your own tree. And I want the same thing for those people. And like, it's a, that's something you think about. That's something you think about. You do.

• 33:11Speaker 04

  You know, you, you really do. Because like, those people become special. And like you said, we're all sitting there, and there's a reason we're all sitting there. Like, is, you know, we won a Super Bowl together.

• 33:20Ryan Clark?

  Yeah.

• 33:21Speaker 04

  Like, hey, that...

• 33:22Ryan Clark?

  They don't, just talk over here when you say that, Coach.

• 33:25Speaker 04

  I mean...

• 33:26Ryan Clark?

  Yeah, just about how that feels to win a Super Bowl with people and a connection.

• 33:30Speaker 04

  That's...

• 33:32Speaker 04

  That will never change.

• 33:33Channing Crowder?

  It's special. And then when Matt, I'll go a little further, though, you asked a question. He giving Kevin O'Connell hell, then Matt LaFleur walks in late. I'm sitting there just excited. I'm like, man, this is a, this is the face of football. I'm sitting at a table with these dudes, and Ron invited me. They just start giving Matt hell about the size of his collar.

• 33:53Speaker 04

  I mean, the man had a big collar.

• 33:56Speaker 04

  I mean, he's got the, okay, let's go on camera and say this. Where's the camera? Give me a camera. He has the best eyebrows in football. Hands down. Not even close. And this night, his collar exceeded his eyebrows.

• 34:13Channing Crowder?

  That's tough.

• 34:14Speaker 04

  And, you know, and we have fun together.

• 34:17Channing Crowder?

  Yeah.

• 34:18Speaker 04

  We're such a family. Like, I know his mom and dad, his wife, you know, I know, I know Mike, his brother. I know his brother's wife. I know his brother's kids. Our kids play together. Like, it's, uh, it's different, you know, like, it truly is.

• 34:33Channing Crowder?

  It was so beautiful to see that all those great minds sit around and they went right back to the locker room. Because they were giving each other, the same way we do in the locker room, giving each other hell. And it's just like, damn, these dudes, they're like us. And that's what I said, now I'm like, oh, they're just like us. But they're great at what they do, but still, I think you're the, you're the example of that where, okay, I can go be great, but yeah, I can sit down with you and BS if you want to.

• 35:00Speaker 04

  Yeah, man.

• 35:01Channing Crowder?

  But I still am great at, and Dan Quinn says something too, not to cut you off. He said, X's and O's are one thing, and your X's and O's, your scheme, your football acumen is amazing, but how you relate with people is something that people struggle with more than schematics of football.

• 35:17Speaker 04

  You know, Dan Quinn gives me credit for that, but he gets the credit for being the greatest connector that I've ever been around. Right? I watch this man connect with everybody. And like, you want to talk about a great listener? Like, Dan Quinn has the patience, like, I have never seen, man, and he can sit there and he can listen to it. And I don't know whether he believes you or not, but he made me believe he believed me. And that's all that really mattered. But like, you can't not talk about the people that you work with, like Dan Quinn, Mike Shanahan, John Gruden, Jay Gruden, like, all these guys, right? Got something to them, right? Whether you believe in them or not, whether they made mistakes or not, whatever the case may be, like... I remember the parts of my life that they all affected.

• 35:59Ryan Clark?

  Yeah.

• 35:59Speaker 04

  And like, that has built my character, that has helped me build everything that we talking about right now, where we are, you know, and it's like, that's special stuff.

• 36:09Fred Taylor?

  Coach, I've just been over here just visualizing the players on your team and the roster that you have. Sometimes coaches can get hired into situations.

• 36:19Speaker 04

  Yes.

• 36:20Fred Taylor?

  You can be like, they gonna be the same team, because they ain't really do nothing to their roster. They don't have the guys to get over that hump. But you guys, looking at your positions, definitely on offense with Pitts, you know, you got Bijan, you got veteran quarterback, you got, you know, the young guy coming in as well, Penix, also is capable, I believe, to get it done on his team.

• 36:40Speaker 04

  I'm gonna love you up even more, Fred.

• 36:42Fred Taylor?

  The defense is amazing, too.

• 36:44Ryan Clark?

  They're not.

• 36:45Speaker 04

  Okay.

• 36:46Ryan Clark?

  They're not.

• 36:46Speaker 04

  I'm gonna challenge you.

• 36:47Ryan Clark?

  Like, and this is.

• 36:48Speaker 04

  Name a better safety than Jesse Bates.

• 36:50Ryan Clark?

  This is all up.

• 36:50Speaker 04

  Don't you dare give me that look.

• 36:52Ryan Clark?

  The three, the three names, we know Jesse Bates, we know A.J. Terrell, we know Grady Jarrett. Everybody else.

• 37:00Speaker 04

  You don't know David?

• 37:00Ryan Clark?

  Everybody else, we trying to figure out they gonna be good in this shit.

• 37:02Speaker 04

  You don't know Anyamata?

• 37:03Ryan Clark?

  I do know him.

• 37:04Speaker 04

  Okay, you got a nasty attitude.

• 37:05Ryan Clark?

  I do have a nasty attitude, because those are the older.

• 37:07Speaker 04

  Now we gonna make this a sports episode, so.

• 37:09Ryan Clark?

  Nah, so.

• 37:10Speaker 04

  And I'm gonna win.

• 37:11Ryan Clark?

  So tell me, so.

• 37:12Speaker 04

  I'm gonna win.

• 37:13Ryan Clark?

  How y'all gonna get a stop?

• 37:14Speaker 04

  I'm gonna win, I'm gonna win this argument.

• 37:15Ryan Clark?

  How y'all gonna get a stop, Coach?

• 37:17Speaker 04

  Listen, Coach, you know what, we don't even have to have it, you know, but you know why? Because like, that is what I love, right? Because we got some dudes on our team and I got a lot of belief in, right? Because you know what it is? This thing that we play is like ultimate role clarity. And you know what it is? If you give a guy a role and he owns it and he takes that thing and he runs with it, then people start to know him, they become household names. And that's what we want, right? I'm gonna breathe this belief in my guys, I promise you, we gonna be alright.

• 37:42Fred Taylor?

  I was setting that up to say, how excited are you to show your shiny toys? Like, you know, guys get these, these like cars and this and that, and you.

• 37:50Ryan Clark?

  How do you rush to pass or?

• 37:52Fred Taylor?

  To want to get out there, like, you gotta be, you know, excited just to display all of that. Because you got something.

• 37:58Speaker 04

  We do, man, like, and it's not just the shiny toys, it's the guys and what it means to them. Like Bijan Robinson, you guys mentioned him, but you've been around him, want this guy to have it all, because he deserves it, and you know. That running back background and what he can do for the position. I mean, he could change the game.

• 38:17Fred Taylor?

  Yes, sir.

• 38:17Speaker 04

  You know, then you're talking about the toughness of like a Drake London. I mean, I know you guys probably don't know him as well. But this light-skinned dude is tough, man. This beige dude, he'll turn to that monster, man.

• 38:28Fred Taylor?

  You get big, big body.

• 38:29Speaker 04

  Right, then we went out and got Mooney. Right, got speed, got a little bit of confidence to himself. We got Rondell, we went out and got Ray Ray McLeod. You know, you add these pieces, you know, Tyler, you haven't even been mentioned yet. I'm not even gonna talk about the O-line.

• 38:42Ryan Clark?

  It's they know, you just went through all those names and never said Kyle Pitts, too.

• 38:45Speaker 04

  I didn't even say Kyle Pitts yet, you know, and like. I look forward to watching these guys all grow together, right? And like, they believe in each other and that locker room is all really that matters, as you guys know. Like, I don't gotta explain that to you, like, that is the thing, right? That's where we're at. And now we gotta go out there and do it, right? Like, forget the names on the paper. We gotta become that people-first mentality that we talked about and go out there and find out who's gonna be the guy.

• 39:10Fred Taylor?

  Is the Victory Monday destination, uh, Magic City Monday for some win?

• 39:15Speaker 04

  You know, I won't be there. You know, that's kinda, that's kinda, that's kinda going out of style now, man. Ever since Chandler retired, man, nobody, nobody does all that no more, man.

• 39:23Ryan Clark?

  He not gonna fund it.

• 39:26Fred Taylor?

  But he is not Monday.

• 39:28Speaker 04

  Monday's recovery day now.

• 39:31Ryan Clark?

  It has changed though, you talking about the cafeteria where guys really, they really care about that stuff now.

• 39:35Speaker 04

  The performance team, man, I can let you hang out at Magic City no more.

• 39:38Ryan Clark?

  Man, that pole, that pole was long back in the day.

• 39:41Speaker 04

  Arthur Blank does a great job.

• 39:42Fred Taylor?

  He does a great job. And making sure the facilities are made.

• 39:45Speaker 04

  That's right, I didn't say he was in Magic City Fred did.

• 39:48Fred Taylor?

  No, you don't wanna go anywhere else.

• 39:50Ryan Clark?

  Chad, what's your pockets like right now?

• 39:52Channing Crowder?

  It's a little light.

• 39:54Ryan Clark?

  Hey, you might need to get on that old Fanatics Free to Play app. Man, you see old boy hit him for 900K with the home run derby?

• 40:01Channing Crowder?

  I saw him. Bro, he about to have a ball.

• 40:03Ryan Clark?

  Shoot, Ruben hit him, he say he going to Hawaii with his old lady.

• 40:07Channing Crowder?

  That's what he need to do. And he need to have a good time. You out here enjoying 900K, man, what the hell you talking about? Enjoy yourself, good dinners, five-star restaurants. My man, Fanatics app, I'm telling you now, you can enjoy it.

• 40:19Fred Taylor?

  Look, before he do all that, he better put away the taxes.

• 40:22Channing Crowder?

  There he go.

• 40:23Fred Taylor?

  You get 900,000, he gonna get taxed on it.

• 40:26Ryan Clark?

  He just hit him in the head, you talking about tax implications?

• 40:29Fred Taylor?

  No, look, it's great, I'm glad he chose Fanatics app, Free to Play, right? Free to Play, I need to figure that out.

• 40:34Ryan Clark?

  I ain't never hit that.

• 40:35Fred Taylor?

  I was in Vegas and I ain't win nothing like that. But I do know about the taxes. Put your tax money away and have a great time with your wife in Hawaii.

• 40:43Ryan Clark?

  Well, I tell you what, man, download the Fanatics app, Free to Play, my man hit him for 900K. You might get lucky too, you never know. Kirk Cousins is my gatekeeper.

• 40:53Speaker 04

  Okay.

• 40:54Ryan Clark?

  In that, I play with Kirk. Kirk's a really good quarterback. Kirk has made a buttload of money.

• 41:00Speaker 04

  Yes.

• 41:00Ryan Clark?

  From a team-leading standpoint, he hasn't been able to get over that playoff hump.

• 41:05Speaker 04

  No doubt.

• 41:06Ryan Clark?

  Right? Hasn't been able to get those wins, but when we look at his statistics, it's the reason he's played so long, because he's played so well. What is it about Kirk that makes you believe, because you said, "We're never gonna draft early enough to get a quarterback, because I know how good that guy will play."

• 41:21Speaker 04

  No doubt.

• 41:22Ryan Clark?

  What is it about Kirk Cousins that when you had an opportunity to go get a quarterback, which everyone was speculating, "They gonna get this guy, they gonna get that guy," how did y'all know right away, Kirk's the one we want, and this is why it'll work?

• 41:34Speaker 04

  Our time in Washington with Kirk, we seen him perform as a backup. We seen when he went in, and the life that he just gave the team, when he did go in, and how much success he was able to have. And then I watched him go out to a different team and really do the same thing, and not be able to get over that hump, like you just mentioned, right? Then I also seen it live, another guy that came from Detroit, that came to LA, and he got a chance to be around some young guys, and he got a chance to be around his dynamic play caller. And the next thing you know, I'm sitting on the pivot with you guys as the defensive coordinator, Super Bowl champ.

• 42:09Ryan Clark?

  Right, Stafford.

• 42:12Speaker 04

  I believe in him like that, right? And like, people are gonna compare, "You think he's as good as Matt Stafford?" It don't matter. It don't matter if he is or not, right? Only thing that matters is, we believe he's good enough for us to win a championship. And if you're good enough for us to win this championship, which we both know he is, because we were teammates of him before at a different time...

• 42:34Speaker 04

  That's the important part. And that team and what he's gonna do for those other guys is gonna be important. And now, he's got all this history and these building blocks to go pull from, from going to different places and being able to build his legacy. And I wanna help him fulfill it.

• 42:51Fred Taylor?

  Since we're talking about building blocks, you've been a part of some legendary defenses. The championship Bucks, legendary players. That Rams team that won it, legendary player. We recently had AD Aaron Donald on the show.

• 43:04Speaker 04

  The greatest.

• 43:05Fred Taylor?

  When we went out to camp last year, he was like, "Don't F with me." That was his mentality, right? But just the most down-to-earth guy when we had him on the show. But that's besides the point. This is the point I'm trying to make. Building blocks, being a part of those defenses and seeing all those great players, from the Saps to the Derrick Brooks, the Jalen Ramses, the ADs. If you had to build a defense right now,

• 43:28Speaker 04

  Oh, man.

• 43:30Fred Taylor?

  With the guys that you've been around in your career, you've coached, from each level, which guys would you bring along with you to have on that legendary?

• 43:39Speaker 04

  You only get one of each level.

• 43:40Fred Taylor?

  Each level.

• 43:41Speaker 04

  A front guy, a back, a second. Warren will respect this. I'm taking AD up front.

• 43:47Fred Taylor?

  Ooh.

• 43:47Speaker 04

  Over Warren.

• 43:48Fred Taylor?

  He's so sad.

• 43:49Speaker 04

  Stop it, stop it. Warren was with y'all at Magic City. I'm taking AD.

• 43:56Fred Taylor?

  I just made the call with my big brother.

• 43:58Speaker 04

  He's my big brother. I mean, I'm taking AD because, you know, we talking about two.

• 44:03Fred Taylor?

  Sapp will be mad, though.

• 44:04Speaker 04

  He gonna be mad. He gonna call me.

• 44:06Fred Taylor?

  Yes, he is.

• 44:07Speaker 04

  AD, as you're talking about, the "Don't mess with me mentality, don't fuck with me" mentality, yes. And it went to a whole different level of off-the-field. And Warren was the smartest player that we can talk about in his detail and all that type of things. But like, the things that he did behind the scenes and all that stuff. AD was this natural leader. Like, Brooks was our leader, like AD, when it comes to those things. So, there you go, my second level, right? Derrick Brooks. You can't, like, exclude Warren. Like, he's next. He's the other D tackle playing with Aaron. But, like, you know, Brooks has gotta be at that second level. And then, from a mentality standpoint, I get two, because obviously, safety's the corner. So, you can't tell me that. So, Ronde Barber, I gotta take because he's not done, and I can't cheer for Jalen yet.

• 44:53Speaker 04

  And just the mentality that he had going to the Hall of Fame as

• 44:59Speaker 04

  as Rondé, right? He created a new position at the star and made it popular where now we talk about it and it's just It's a starter. It's a starter, right? It is. It's a high money value position. He changed that game and then like, you know, the safety position, you know, I gotta take him because he's sitting right in front of me, but like the mentality and what he brought to everybody around him was just different and like, it is like, you know, and he's going against a great player too and John Lynch, right? But Ryan, I got, when he was old. Very old.

• 45:32Channing Crowder?

  So what's going on?

• 45:33Speaker 04

  And he came in and still changed the game.

• 45:35Channing Crowder?

  You're picking Ryan?

• 45:36Speaker 04

  I'm taking Ryan.

• 45:37Channing Crowder?

  As the all-time safety on your team?

• 45:38Speaker 04

  Not all-time, just the ones he coached. The ones he said the ones I coached.

• 45:42Fred Taylor?

  Over John Lynch too.

• 45:44Speaker 04

  Over John, you know?

• 45:49Channing Crowder?

  See, but see, that's what Ryan did to a lot of people. He knocked a lot of people out to have him land silly.

• 45:55Speaker 04

  And he let you know.

• 45:55Fred Taylor?

  You gotta give him that credit, bro.

• 45:57Speaker 04

  But he would tell you, he would tell you about it before he did it.

• 45:59Channing Crowder?

  I love Ryan.

• 46:01Speaker 04

  I'm just telling you.

• 46:02Fred Taylor?

  Say it again.

• 46:03Channing Crowder?

  Ryan.

• 46:04Speaker 04

  Ryan.

• 46:05Fred Taylor?

  That's a whole nother story.

• 46:06Channing Crowder?

  So you sitting AD and Seth up front. D. Brooks sitting behind him.

• 46:11Speaker 04

  Hey, you know what Ryan gonna do?

• 46:12Channing Crowder?

  Rondé on the ass, Jalen over here.

• 46:14Speaker 04

  It's gonna cut back.

• 46:15Channing Crowder?

  And Ryan Clark back there.

• 46:17Speaker 04

  He gonna be in the backside A gap, he gonna hit everything smoking.

• 46:19Channing Crowder?

  He got sickle cell.

• 46:21Speaker 04

  He gonna hit everything smoking. Hey, I need a backup for Denver. Hey, hold on, hold on.

• 46:26Channing Crowder?

  Let's play to Denver.

• 46:27Speaker 04

  Hold on, man, we gotta. We got a special guest.

• 46:31Channing Crowder?

  What up, whole team, man? How you doing, bro?

• 46:34Speaker 03

  What's up, baby? Good to see you.

• 46:35Fred Taylor?

  Good to see you.

• 46:36Channing Crowder?

  Yes, sir.

• 46:37Fred Taylor?

  What's up, man? You good?

• 46:38Speaker 04

  We got a special guest.

• 46:40Channing Crowder?

  Good old Terry Fontenot.

• 46:43Speaker 04

  All right, man, doing well. Hey, by the way.

• 46:46Fred Taylor?

  Feel like we at home.

• 46:47Speaker 04

  By the way, speak, no, get back in here. Come on now.

• 46:50Speaker 03

  Come on now.

• 46:51Speaker 04

  Speaking of brothers.

• 46:52Ryan Clark?

  Yeah.

• 46:52Speaker 04

  Right, it's been a short time.

• 46:54Ryan Clark?

  Smart, bro.

• 46:55Speaker 04

  And I had a chance to be around them, right? And I remember, I didn't come out right away and I was on Zoom with him interviewing people and we're talking about plans and what we wanted to do. And it was this connection that we had on Zoom. And then when we got in person for a long time and we was able to do that press conference together, it almost felt seamless and it almost felt like we'd known each other a lot longer. And now we've been able to go through a draft. We've been able to go through some trials and tribulations of cutting people, of having people, of being there together, and how we want to move our stuff moving forward. And everything we do is a collaborative effort. And this is not even interview talk because like, that dude has quickly forced himself into all the people that we're going to talk about and how we want to go about our business and who you need and who you want and what you want it to look like. And like, West Bank or whatever, you know, he knows that, that's my guy.

• 47:37Speaker 06

  When I heard him say, and this is when he was in Tampa, I still remember, you know, you go through all the transcripts, you listen to press conferences. And the first time I heard him speak, and I hear everything he says, and when he said mentality before reality, I wrote it down. I still have it written down from when he said that in Tampa. And I remember, so you see a person like that and that's a real leader of man, that's a guy you really want to connect with. So before we even, we never knew each other really personally, but I always admired him from far and knew how he's special. So then you start talking to other people, other coaches, you've worked with other people, other players, and you see how much respect he really has. But it's been, it's been awesome.

• 48:12Ryan Clark?

  My question to you to be this then.

• 48:14Speaker 04

  Yeah.

• 48:15Ryan Clark?

  The difference between the collaborative experience of Mark Dominick.

• 48:19Speaker 04

  Yes.

• 48:20Ryan Clark?

  Who was the general manager at that time with the 32-year-old.

• 48:23Speaker 04

  No doubt.

• 48:23Ryan Clark?

  Raheem Morris in his first, and now with Terry here and going through an offseason.

• 48:27Speaker 04

  So the greatest part.

• 48:28Speaker 06

  I'm gonna tell you one difference first. I'm gonna tell you one quick difference. When we were with the owner this summer on his boat and we kind of stopped on the beach to kind of hang out a little bit and we started running routes and I put that thing on him.

• 48:40Ryan Clark?

  Oh!

• 48:43Ryan Clark?

  You still got it a little bit?

• 48:44Speaker 06

  Still got it, dawg. Tore him up.

• 48:45Speaker 04

  How many receptions you have?

• 48:46Speaker 06

  Mark Dominick couldn't do that.

• 48:47Speaker 04

  How many receptions you have on the beach?

• 48:49Speaker 06

  None. The quarterback. Quarterback was missing me, man. Quarterback couldn't hit me.

• 48:55Ryan Clark?

  What would you say is like the biggest difference between that? Because if you read things about Tampa, a lot of it goes roster, roster, roster. And part of that is the relationship with the general manager.

• 49:08Speaker 04

  I don't want to blame any of that, right? And I don't want to blame, it was a maturity level, probably of both of us, right? We're both fairly young. And it's like the collaborative effort of actually sharing all this stuff, right? Like, there was a certain amount of secrecy to what Terry does. And we kept those things separate. And it wasn't a relationship issue. It was a, you thought it was the right way of going about your business because what we had seen when we've grown up, right? You were Coughlin, and it was a more secretive, a more strict environment. You wore slacks, your coaches wore slacks every day they wanted to go on the grass, right? You, you had Mike Tomlin, and did you have Bill? Yeah. And you had Bill, right? Two different people, two different approaches. And just, it was a different way of working, right? And now, I went out to LA and I saw the collaborative of Sean and Les.

• 49:53Speaker 04

  And really, Kevin Demoff and Tony Pastore. And really, Stan Kronke. And then I got here, and I got, I got Fontenot, Kyle Smith, Ryan Pace, Arthur Blank, the boys. And it's like Greg Beatles and like coaching staff. And everybody's all involved, Jerry Gray, right? Assistant head coach. And you bring all those people together, you wanted to have a real collaborative effort of being able to share information because you're not worried about it getting out because you trust all the people in the room. Where, when I was 32, I just seen that you're supposed to hide stuff. You're not supposed to talk about it, you know? It was a little bit more secretive. And it's a learning lesson. And it was definitely a lesson that I'm certainly grateful to have. And I'm certainly grateful to have that ability with Mark Dominic to do what we would do. We had a plan, right?

• 50:38Speaker 04

  We wanted to build through the draft. We wanted to start young, right? We got young, we lost games. We were young, we found a way to win them. We couldn't maintain it, and we lost and we got fired. Right. Learning lesson.

• 50:51Fred Taylor?

  You know what's, you know what's unique and different for me? And I haven't been in a ton of buildings, but the teams that I've played for, the owner's office and the coach's office aren't side by side.

• 51:01Speaker 04

  Sure.

• 51:03Fred Taylor?

  I think that in itself.

• 51:04Ryan Clark?

  I ain't think about that.

• 51:05Fred Taylor?

  It speaks volume.

• 51:06Speaker 04

  I think Arthur Blank doesn't get enough credit for the amount of support he gives you, first of all. Yes, he's gonna have an opinion. He's gonna be an unbelievable listener before he gives that opinion. And his opinion is not gonna come from off the whim thoughts that he came up with alone. Right? He's gonna, he's gonna, he's gonna diligently research it and be able to present it to you in a way where he means it and he owns it. And then you gotta go make, he pays people to go make decisions. And then that's when Terry and I come into play. And I got so much respect for how he goes about his business that way.

• 51:44Ryan Clark?

  That's awesome.

• 51:44Speaker 04

  Right now, the building moves differently when Arthur Blank comes in the room. It would not, it would have been flowers on the ground. It's like Prince Akim came up in this mother.

• 51:53Speaker 04

  But.

• 51:53Channing Crowder?

  Who gonna clean up all these damn flowers?

• 51:55Speaker 04

  Exactly. But at the same time, like he, I don't think he even asked for that. I think it just happens because of how he treats people.

• 52:01Ryan Clark?

  You're gonna have to go in a second, but I wanted to do this, I wanted to give you this opportunity. And I wanted to know, when we were messaging about setting this up, he was like, hey, man, I gotta go to Monty's funeral. And I just, you know, type, rest in peace, legend. What are just some of your lasting memories and some of the things you take away from your relationship with one of the greatest coaches to ever be in this league?

• 52:24Speaker 04

  I'm so glad you asked because I had to miss it because of that Delta issue.

• 52:29Speaker 04

  And I felt not bad about missing it, but I just wanted to be there to show my respect in person. Because without Monty, put it this way, Monty Kiffin, as the defensive coordinator, probably one of the best to ever do it, along with LeBeau, Jim Johnson, some, you know, we can name some dudes that we could arguably be Buddy, whatever, any Ryan you want to go to, just ask them. Right? But one of the greatest defensive coordinator, he picked me up on the corner in front of my hotel at the Shula Restaurant right in Tampa as the DC when I was coming to interview for a quality control job.

• 53:03Speaker 03

  Wow.

• 53:04Speaker 04

  Picked me up, brought me in the office and interviewed me. Every year, he would give me his beach condo to go out and take my family out there and enjoy the luxuries of his life. Every year, he would give me different roles and responsibilities and things that I needed to do in order to make myself better and never hold me back once. And would he lose his mind at times, there's no doubt. But like, I took every lesson from Monty Kiffin in the detail, in the energy, in the thought process, and the love that he brought to the football game that like, will never ever leave me. And he was one of the best I ever do it. Not even close. Not even close. I'm almost getting emotional talking about it, I gotta go. You know, like this dude is, he was awesome.

• 53:47Ryan Clark?

  You know, that's cool, like to just to hear though, cause like I can see the reverence in the way that your emotion changed when you talked about him. But you once said that you like, one of the few black dudes to be raised by Italians along with your father.

• 54:02Speaker 04

  No doubt.

• 54:02Ryan Clark?

  Explain to me what that means, like you grew up in Jersey, you say you were raised by Italians. You don't seem Italian to me.

• 54:08Speaker 04

  So I grew up in Jersey and we had this basketball team, it was an All-Star team. And an Italian group ran it. And they took us to Puerto Rico, Chicago. They took us all these places and it was like one of those things where they made it happen for us. And it was like they showed us different visions that we would not have seen in the West Bank or Newark, New Jersey. Right? And then I went to play in high school and I played for Chet Parlevechio and Donnie Soma. And Donnie Soma taught us shock them and Chet Parlevechio was this maniac Italian showing up with a bloody nose every single day. And he showed me a different physical approach to everything you do.

• 54:48Speaker 04

  And like, Donnie showed me like this whole world of like, eliminating color, eliminating everything and just shock them.

• 54:57Speaker 04

  Right, and then I got lucky enough to go to Hofstra, rest in peace, and play for Joe Gardi. And that was like the experience that let me know what I was gonna do in my life. Because I wanted to be him. I wanted to go be a defensive coordinator for the Jets. I wanted to grow up and be able to retire and go to Hofstra and make them the winningest program in the history. And find a way to produce Dan Quinn, Lance Shulters, Raheem Morris, uh, keep going, Wayne Krabat. And all these guys out of Hofstra, like we were LSU, right?

• 55:24Ryan Clark?

  Yeah.

• 55:25Speaker 04

  So I was raised by Italians, man.

• 55:29Speaker 04

  I'm thinking about my defensive coordinator, like Greg Giugirino, like it is, it's not even close. Like, I was, like, and it was like something that was just, you know, that was, I was, I was blessed with, not lucky. And, uh, it was, it was, it was fortunate.

• 55:46Ryan Clark?

  Why do you believe that the Atlanta Falcons can be a competitor this year?

• 55:52Speaker 04

  It goes back to what I said about what the team is and what I wanted to look like. And it's all about the people, right? And like Terry Fontenot and some of the guys I named that's gonna be talking about uh, our personnel and, and, and acquiring people to come here and be a part of what we are. And not going against what our ethos is and bringing the right people in, right? My coaching staff, uh, all the way from my assistant head coach in Jerry Gray to Jimmy Lake, to Zach Robinson, and to Marquise Williams and that leadership committee that's leading the, the coaching staff and just building the blocks of people that you talked about, the Lance Shulters. And all the guys that you guys have seen, the Barrett Ruse, that are up and coming players that was able to do it at a high level. And being able to collaborate all of those people together and go formulate this team of the guys that we have here.

• 56:34Speaker 04

  Some of the guys that were here, some of the guys that we brought in, some of the guys that we're still yet to add. Like, not even to mention the support we get from ownership, which you got a chance to see a glimpse of walking around this building. We, we're gonna be something to deal with.

• 56:49Ryan Clark?

  And I just believe that.

• 56:50Fred Taylor?

  So will this show.

• 56:52Channing Crowder?

  You gotta see me.

• 56:53Speaker 03

  This show so fire.

• 56:53Channing Crowder?

  You gotta see me.

• 56:55Speaker 03

  I can't wait.

• 56:56Channing Crowder?

  My dog.

• 56:56Fred Taylor?

  Hello. It's gonna be tough to top this show right here. We got a few more stops.

• 57:04Speaker 03

  Hey, we might have did this one too early in the training camp tour though.

• 57:07Fred Taylor?

  We got a few more stops.

• 57:09Ryan Clark?

  I'm gonna be taking Alicia, hey, look, just put some of them right here. We didn't put this out today. Ain't nobody gonna know.

• 57:13Speaker 03

  Monday motivation.

• 57:14Channing Crowder?

  When is it motivation?

• 57:15Ryan Clark?

  Hold on. I gotta team in, I gotta go.

• 57:18Channing Crowder?

  Fellas, y'all know it's getting closer. August 16th through 18th, the Fanatics Fan Fest NYC, boy, I can't wait.

• 57:26Ryan Clark?

  Well, I'm gonna tell you what, I'm happy that we get an opportunity to sit down with Roger Goodell. I don't know if they can pay it retroactively or whatever, but I need to figure out where all my fine money went. So, I don't know how long we got with him, but that's gonna be part of my conversation. Hell, I'm so fired up now, Freddie T., I ain't know who else was gonna be there.

• 57:43Fred Taylor?

  Look, Tom Brady gonna be there, sitting down with Stephen A. You got Jeter sitting down with Big Papi. You got The Pivot, we sitting with Roger Goodell. You got Jay coming through with the 40-40 pop-up, the old throwback, bringing... 40-40 Club, you ever been?

• 57:58Ryan Clark?

  We can go to the 40-40 Club?

• 57:59Fred Taylor?

  We gonna go to the 40-40.

• 58:00Channing Crowder?

  Ooh, I'm gonna put on my slacks.

• 58:04Speaker 03

  When is it again, man?

• 58:06Channing Crowder?

  I'm gonna put on my slacks and my arm bottle.

• 58:08Fred Taylor?

  Light on the creases.

• 58:09Channing Crowder?

  August 16th through 18th, Fanatics Fan Fest NYC, man, y'all gotta come mess with us.