Drake London talks Falcons expectations, new contract, Bijan Robinson, QB carousel, Stefansky, pressure to win, his recent engagement, accountability, growth, and why he still has something to prove this season.

“I work twice as hard to never become complacent.”Drake London As our Pivot Training Camp tour continues, we hit the A to sit with Drake London as a new NFL season begins and camp ramps up with bigger expectations than ever. The Atlanta Falcons star wide receiver opens up about entering a pivotal year, adjusting to a new coaching staff, and embracing the pressure that comes with a major contract and becoming one of the league's top playmakers. Beyond football, Drake shares the personal milestones shaping this chapter of his life, including his recent engagement, the values instilled by his family, and how his upbringing continues to influence the way he leads on and off the field. He also reflects honestly on mistakes he's made along the way, the lessons they've taught him, and why accountability has become one of his greatest strengths. In a candid conversation with Ryan Clark, Channing Crowder, and Fred Taylor, Drake discusses what he still has to prove, the expectations surrounding the Falcons, and the mindset driving him toward the best season of his career. It's a conversation about growth, maturity, pressure, and purpose from one of the NFL's brightest young stars. 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.

• 0:01Speaker 00

  This episode is brought to you by Michelob Ultra. Good times mean competitions between you and your friends. Like seeing who can throw some pigskin the farthest or rush the field the fastest. Winner gets an Ultra. Because it's not just a superior like beer. It's also giving fans superior access to their favorite sporting events. Superior is worth playing for. Visit michelobultra.com/superioraccess to enter. Enjoy responsibly. Copyright 2026 Anheuser Busch InBev Michelob Ultra Beer, St. Louis, Missouri.

• 0:30Speaker 01

  You've probably never heard Drake London speak. The Atlanta Falcons star wide receiver just became the highest paid player at his position in this franchise's history. But he's nothing like what you'd expect from a wide receiver one. No bragging, no begging for the football, sideline theatrics, or diva moments. Just a dude who loves to play the game. Now, what's interesting is before football completely took over at USC, this dude was a big time hooper. And I think that basketball background helped shape the player and the person into who he is today. So on this episode, we talk about everything. His Taco Bell catered engagement, the role his dad played in pushing him to reach this level, and what it's been like adjusting to new head coach, Kevin Stefanski.

• 1:12Speaker 01

  He then dives into what he and Bijan Robinson, also Kyle Pitts, have to do moving forward to get this team over the hump. They've all experienced the immense pressure of being top 10 picks on a team that is seemingly underachieved. We also get into why he's never really been Hollywood or even going out in Atlanta and why being a diva has never fit who he is. And he tells us that this season feels different. For Drake, it's simple. Everything is about winning. He just wants an opportunity to play for a championship. And that means, for once, getting to the big dance. This is The Pivot with me, Freddie T and Chan. Pivot fam, thank you for always pivoting with us.

• 2:14Speaker 02

  Hello, hello, hello. What's up, you guys?

• 2:16Ryan Clark?

  Still walk like a hooper, by the way. You definitely got a hooper walk.

• 2:20Speaker 02

  Definitely after practice, for sure.

• 2:21Ryan Clark?

  Nah, you definitely got a hooper walk, man. And my dog said after practice, "You damn right, that's how I walk." Man, glad we getting to do this, man.

• 2:29Speaker 02

  Nah, this is sick. I be watching all this stuff, so I appreciate it, man.

• 2:33Ryan Clark?

  Really excited, man. Drake London, welcome to The Pivot. This is Channing Crowder. Fred Taylor. I'm Ryan Clark, Pivot fam. Thank y'all for pivoting with us. Man, this is such a big occasion for us, bro. I feel like we supposed to have like some crunch wraps or something, Supremes.

• 2:47Speaker 02

  Something, I'll get down with that right now.

• 2:49Ryan Clark?

  Well, clearly you will. Clearly you will. Bro, tell me how a second date conversation makes it its way all the way to your engagement?

• 3:00Speaker 02

  Shoot. So, I mean, she was just talking out loud during that date, you know? Like, we had In-N-Out in front of us. It was just chilling. And she was like, "Yeah, like, if somebody were to even have Taco Bell in front of me when they proposed to me, I would be so excited." So I was kind of like, "Okay." I just kind of took note of it, you know? If things go good, then maybe I'll do that. And so it got to the point where things were going good. And her sister was helping me out a little bit. She was like, "Drake, what about the Taco Bell?" And I was like, "Oh, you're so right." So then we ended up doing that, and it was an absolute hit. And it worked out good. And it was like 25 bucks, so I can't complain.

• 3:37Ryan Clark?

  Well, I saw your contract. You ain't tripping. How much the food costs? Nah, man, but that really is, that really is dope, man, to have a moment early on in a relationship that can come to fruition in that way. Like, that's a conversation for your kids and for your grandkids and for everybody to have. And it says a lot about both you and her, man, that that's enough because y'all love me that much, man. So that's really awesome.

• 4:07Channing Crowder?

  He love him.

• 4:08Ryan Clark?

  He was somebody.

• 4:09Channing Crowder?

  He don't want none of my no damn Taco Bell. Your old lady love you. He don't want no damn Taco Bell. Man, they ain't no way in there.

• 4:17Speaker 02

  But it shows it, though, so that's good. That's good.

• 4:21Ryan Clark?

  Nah, man, that's really dope. Man, I was just reading some things about you, man. I love, we always talk about parenting, right? Parenting is big for us. We're obviously all fathers. We have sons. You know, my son's in New York right now. He has a son that's playing ball. Freddie T's had a son that's been in the league. And so we always talk about that relationship and how it can grow. A young man, a young player. Tell me about when your pops came out the bathroom, though, and said, "The other team said number 27 ain't know nothing about football."

• 4:50Speaker 02

  Man, that was during flag football, so I didn't even have pads on during that time. And he kind of figured out how I was wired, in a sense, you know? Like, I didn't really take disrespect lightly. And so I was going to the bathroom, you know? And I was in there, and my pops came in, and he was like, "Hey." He whispered into my ear. He was like, "There's two kids on the other team. They say you're not a good running back. Like, you're not good." And I kind of looked at him like, "Huh? Like, what are you talking about?" And it just totally put me in this mode of like, I'm gonna show them, you know? I don't know what the rest of the story was or how it went, like, four touchdowns in the first half or something like that. But I obliterated them, and I was just like, ever since that moment, he knew how to like get me to change into that mode, you know?

• 5:34Speaker 02

  And as I got older and progressed, it wasn't necessarily him, you know, who was doing it. There's probably stories of him going to coaches and being like, "Hey, piss him off a little bit so he can get going and get into that mode." Because coming from basketball to football, I would kind of be a little bit, you know, try to be suave and stuff like that. And that's not what football is. Football is an aggressive game. But yeah, he would find his ways to put me in that mode and it helped me a lot, and I still use it to this day.

• 5:58Ryan Clark?

  I love that.

• 5:59Channing Crowder?

  Do you need, do you need other people still? Or you, you explained it perfectly, so you, do you need that anymore? Do coaches know you need it?

• 6:06Speaker 02

  No, but they, they know I work like that. So say if I'm kind of in a lull or something like that, they'll definitely pick at me and stuff. And that gets me going, but I know for sure now, like, it's, it's just business when I step on the field, and that's the mode that I should be in.

• 6:21Channing Crowder?

  Do you got, do you have to dislike the person you play? Because I used to have, I'd make up stories, like, you think my, you think my mom, what you call my momma? And you'd be like, "I said nothing about your momma." We do it, yeah. Do you, do you create something that gets you going?

• 6:36Speaker 02

  Yeah, necessarily, no. Actually, no, I take that back. I wouldn't say I would create stories, but if they do something in the game, I'm gonna make it over the top to make it feel like it's real disrespectful. So then now I get into that mode, and I can actually hate you while I'm on the field, and that makes you play a little bit better, as we all know. So, yeah.

• 6:54Fred Taylor?

  Talking about stepping on the field, so they have you listed at 6'4", 215. I don't know how accurate that is.

• 6:59Speaker 02

  Nah.

• 7:00Fred Taylor?

  What is it?

• 7:01Speaker 02

  I'm like, what, 6'4", 222 right now?

• 7:04Fred Taylor?

  That's crazy. Even, even more, when, when, when those, talking about the guys that got to get you excited to play, what happens when you stand across the field from a pipsqueak? Like, I mean, there are a lot of big, there are a lot of big, yeah, a lot of big DBs. Surtain, AJ, all the boys from Seattle, they're all big, but you, that's, they're, they're one of a kind. They're unique.

• 7:29Speaker 02

  Yeah, yeah.

• 7:30Fred Taylor?

  And a lot of DBs in the league, 5'10". What happens when you get those type of guys? Like, what does that do?

• 7:35Speaker 02

  I mean, obviously, there's a, just an advantage from birth right there, but at the same time, I mean, they're on the other side of the field for a reason, too. So usually when they're short, they're probably more of dogs in that regard, you know? But I do have a little smile on my face, for sure.

• 7:50Fred Taylor?

  Got to.

• 7:51Speaker 02

  Yeah, yeah.

• 7:52Fred Taylor?

  Got to. And five years can go by quick, right? I mean, obviously, you know, just a few years ago, you were trying to earn respect and become a leader on this team, but now it's right here. You played under multiple coaches, multiple systems. How do you prepare for this season? And what's been your, I guess, your mindset coming into this year with new coaching staff, to reset the whole thing?

• 8:15Speaker 02

  Terrence Mathis, or if I'm getting that wrong, but a GOAT here. We was actually just talking about it, and he was like, "You got to reinvent yourself every year." And I think that's what I've been trying to do. So I've been trying to reinvent myself and work on the stuff out there on the field to just progress in the right areas that I could be to be a better player. And I think, too, it's been a blessing in disguise having all these coaching changes, quarterback stuff, because there's a big thing in football where it's, say, it's more mental than anything, right? So being able to control my emotions when I hate a person so much or whatever it might be, I think those are the biggest things in my game that I need to learn is the mental aspect of it, so then I could grow more on the field physically and stuff. So that's the approach that I'm taking right now.

• 8:56Ryan Clark?

  You know, this is an emotional game, right? And you got to be, you got to be locked in. And sometimes, though, and you can't let that emotion get the best of you, right? If there's a, if there's a drop, if there's a missed block, or you misread a coverage, you got to find a way to come back and play that next play. Early on in your career, I think it was Khalil Mack. You playing the Chargers, you know, you could have stepped out of bounds. You're fighting, like, you're being the player you are, and I think he pokes the ball away from me.

• 9:29Speaker 02

  He ain't poking, he just took it from me. He just took it, I'm being real.

• 9:34Ryan Clark?

  You know, when, but when you are 6'4", 215 plus, that doesn't happen to you often, right? For you, what did a moment like that as a young player teach you about persevering through adversity? Because when that happens, it's very visible, the world sees it, and you're a first-round pick who people are expecting a lot from.

• 9:56Speaker 02

  Yeah, that moment, and then even the other fumbles that year, especially like the Saints one in the fourth down, where I converted it already and he poked it out. That one really like was a, was a shot in the knee, for sure. And something that will forever stay with me. But at the same time, you got to understand that there's, there's more football that's going to be played and that you could go out there and conquer the next day, regardless of what, what happened. And then, too, being the eye of the public and things like that. I mean, I was at USC, not in the Reggie Bush days, so it wasn't as popping as it usually would be. So that was new, and that was something that I had to deal with myself. So it was a little bit of a rough time, but I had a bunch of guys in the facility that

• 10:39Speaker 02

  I could lean on, coaches and things like that, to get through that time. But just understanding that there'll be another day that I can go out there and prove myself and show my worth.

• 10:48Channing Crowder?

  You talking about the coaching changes. You said it's a blessing in disguise, but having to prove yourself to another regime, you know what I'm saying? Like, how was that? Because first thing Stefanski said, we were like, "Yeah, we sitting down in London." He didn't say nothing about route running. He didn't say nothing about, he said, "Drake a dog." You know what I'm saying? But for y'all to be here for a couple of months together and to already have him say the first thing about you is you're a dog, to prove yourself again, we were cool with him, we was here last year. You know what I'm saying? We cool with him. We, I beat up Ryan at his house. Damn. Brian tried me and I had to tighten him up a little bit.

• 11:26Ryan Clark?

  Drake, you know that's a lie because the show's still going on. Trust me, he would have been bopped over the head during the show. That is not true.

• 11:34Channing Crowder?

  But those transitions, how was that too? Like you saying, you're a star. Falcons receiver, oh yeah, Drake London. You the star, like to have to go and prove that again to another coach.

• 11:45Speaker 02

  I say it's a blessing in disguise because it hasn't kept me like content, you know? Like some guys you get into a regime and it's just a coach who's been there forever. He knows you, you know? So you can get away with a certain type of stuff. But every time I come back into the building, more so here, it's just been a new coach. So I have to go prove myself, whether it's to them or to that new wide receiver coach, that hey, I am that dog, I am that person that you can lean on too. And if you want to play, I'm gonna be here, you know? So I think it's just, hasn't, hasn't kept me content. And it just keeps striving for more and how to reinvent myself and get better.

• 12:20Fred Taylor?

  Most times when you look at the makeup of a team, usually everyone defers to the quarterback to step up as the leader. But obviously like you have a younger quarterback here. Kirk Cousins, no longer here. Like who's gonna be that one guy to step up and be the face of the Falcons when you talk about leadership? I'm sure, I know you can have multiple guys, but are you willing to?

• 12:45Speaker 02

  For surely, and I think that's also the mental aspect, that, that next step that I gotta, that I gotta take and I'm willing to take, you know? And you gotta wear that with, with honor and stuff like that. And you gotta understand that you, you can't do some things that some other people can do in certain situations. But for surely, like I, I definitely want to take that step up. And until we have other guys on the, on the field, Bijan, KP, Chris Lindstrom is a huge one who like we all look at, he's always talking and making sure that, that we're on our Ps and Qs. So just learning from guys like that and then taking that step forward.

• 13:18Ryan Clark?

  There's a quote from early on in this offseason. Somebody asked you the difference in this offseason from the last two. And I want to read it, you said, I would say we're working. It's a huge difference. We're working right now, we're getting after it. Everybody's here at the moment and we all have the same goal in mind. The biggest difference right now is genuinely the same goals are in place. When you say something like that, what does that point to that Kevin Stefanski is implementing right now that makes you feel like from a goal oriented standpoint, this team is all pointed in the right direction?

• 13:53Speaker 02

  We're just laying down that concrete right now. Like we just started off with dirt and OTAs. And we're laying down that concrete. So like all of the minute details that, that, you know, that we gotta hone in on as an offense, we're all taking accountability for, for those little things if we mess it up. Because we know later down the road, if we want to make it to the big, the big show, we have to be on those, those types of Ps and Qs. So I think it's that and then everybody's mindset, the leaders, like I just said, KP, Bijan, Chris Lindstrom, Jake Matthews, they all are about the same thing. And then that just rallies everybody up to, to be about the same thing as well.

• 14:31Ryan Clark?

  What about? Because you mentioned USC wasn't popping as much, right?

• 14:36Speaker 02

  As much, I would say.

• 14:37Ryan Clark?

  As much, that was a different time.

• 14:39Speaker 02

  Yeah.

• 14:39Ryan Clark?

  Right, like that, that was a time in history that will never be repeated. You know, to have Matt Liner, Reggie Bush, Lindell White, like that whole squad. But you were in the same room as the Michael Pittman juniors and the Amon Ra St. Browns. As a guy who was so talented as you were to be able to go play basketball and football in school, what did you learn from them as a young player? That helped you become the guy at USC once they left?

• 15:08Speaker 02

  I love this question because I had three dudes too, like I really like looked up to in that room and it was Amon Ra, Michael Pittman and Tyler Vons. And they all gave me like three different aspects of how to go about your business in football. And I was just being a sponge and soaking up everything that I possibly could. So like Amon Ra, just straight worker, Kobe mentality. Pittman is a little crazy, so I took that from him. You know, you have to be a little crazy to play this game. And then Tyler Vons was like smoothness and, and little, little details that you wouldn't know about pushing the hip, so he, he's not able to jump as high, you know what I'm saying? And you go get the, the high ball. But just little things like that, I was just in that room soaking up everything. And I think I, I used it to my advantage and I was blessed enough to be on the field with them and just learn stuff.

• 15:53Speaker 02

  But yeah, all those guys are amazing, bro. Love them.

• 15:57Speaker 00

  This episode is brought to you by Michelob Ultra. Good times mean competitions between you and your friends. Like seeing who can throw some pigskin the farthest or rush the field the fastest. Winner gets an ultra. Because it's not just a superior light beer, it's also giving fans superior access to their favorite sporting events. Superior is worth playing for. Visit michelobultra.com/superioraccess to enter. Enjoy responsibly. Copyright 2026 Anheuser Busch InBev Michelob Ultra Beer, St. Louis, Missouri.

• 16:26Channing Crowder?

  Were you wasting time playing basketball? Because this, this what buttered the bread now, bro. Like you, if you, you don't think if you just locked in on receiver, it would be different if you ain't worried about the basketball stuff? Because that ain't paying no bills.

• 16:38Speaker 02

  It helped me, it helped me a lot. It helped me a lot, but I mean, I was averaging 30, so.

• 16:44Ryan Clark?

  Yeah, it's not like my basketball career that I always brag about.

• 16:48Channing Crowder?

  I know you could ball, but. Bro, you ain't with, you ain't with the Sixers.

• 16:52Speaker 02

  That is true. That is true, that is true. But COVID hit though, so COVID hit. And then it was like kinda, do you want to go practice with basketball? Or would you rather go practice with football? I'm starting in football, so it's like I'd rather go over there. And I, and too, when I came back to basketball, I was low key getting cooked, you know? So I ain't gonna lie.

• 17:11Ryan Clark?

  Wait, you talking about defensively?

• 17:12Speaker 02

  Hell yeah, like I go back and like, you know, conditioning is different. Everybody else on their break, all that. I go back to practice and it's like you're technically scouting because I'm technically a walk-on, you know? So I'm guarding Jonah Matthews and he's just walking me down the court. There's a couple of times like it's just shit for me. So I had that, yeah. I had that, yeah. Trust me, I ain't gonna lie.

• 17:33Channing Crowder?

  That revelation, man. Let me go out here and run some routes.

• 17:38Ryan Clark?

  Hey, like out there, I'm actually a unicorn. They don't have a lot of them look like me out there that play this position. And here, I'm struggling. Hey, that's real talk.

• 17:48Fred Taylor?

  But what, what's the question that was viral a year ago? Football players versus basketball players? What, what do you think? You, you, you did both on a high level. Are football players better than basketball?

• 18:01Speaker 02

  The question was that. What can you go to?

• 18:03Ryan Clark?

  Can a basketball, can basketball players go on the football field?

• 18:08Fred Taylor?

  Right.

• 18:08Ryan Clark?

  More so than football players being able to go play in the NBA?

• 18:12Fred Taylor?

  What's your take on that?

• 18:14Speaker 02

  Uh, just basketball is so much finesse. Like you, you can't be strong out there and do stuff in order to create your own basket and, and do that type of stuff. So I would say it's harder from going to the NFL to the NBA. But at the same time, it, it's a toss-up. Because I don't think a lot of them cats will be able to run through the middle at all. You know? They would do any of that stuff. They get hit in the leg and they'll be out for I don't know how long. It's a little bit harder, but I would say athletic wise, athleticism? Because I mean, you have different positions, the O-line, stuff like that where you have to take accountability of that. I mean, there's Jokic on the other side who's kind of sloppy and stuff. But he has a, a skill set with passing. His hand-eye coordination is crazy.

• 18:56Speaker 02

  I don't think we really have O-linemen who are just doing that type of stuff. So I would say probably NFL to NBA is harder than vice versa.

• 19:05Ryan Clark?

  I would say, I would say that's a, it's a skill question, not an athleticism question.

• 19:09Speaker 02

  Yes, yes.

• 19:09Ryan Clark?

  Right, because you look at a guy like, what is it, Tristan Wirfs? His vertical's higher than Cameron Boozer's running vertical or vertical with a step, right? Just from an athleticism standpoint. But Cameron Boozer's 6'10" and he's played basketball his whole life. And so I think all those things are, are sort of part of it.

• 19:29Channing Crowder?

  Did you play Antonio Gates?

• 19:31Ryan Clark?

  I did play Antonio Gates.

• 19:33Channing Crowder?

  He was basketball all day. He cooked me.

• 19:36Speaker 02

  Cross you up.

• 19:38Channing Crowder?

  And you can't, you can't, because it's that tight end position where you know how to, you can body, so that, that thing. So I would say Antonio Gates is, and Julius Peppers.

• 19:46Speaker 02

  Yeah.

• 19:46Channing Crowder?

  Pepper played too, yeah, so.

• 19:47Speaker 02

  But he was strong on the court too. I saw them highlights.

• 19:50Ryan Clark?

  Yeah, he was big old shoulders and just like.

• 19:52Channing Crowder?

  He was strong in life.

• 19:54Speaker 02

  That is true.

• 19:55Ryan Clark?

  I think, I think that's all part of it. For, for you, man, like you. Start to come into your own, you know, there's the game, I think it was Carolina in January of 25, like toward the end of the season. Great game. I think this year, you know, the Bills played extremely well. And you're starting to show people the reason you were drafted so high in front of Garrett Wilson, Chris Alave, in front of JMo Williams. For you, what's that next step, Drake? That next step, so it's not, I'm in the 60s in the top 100. Cause the thing I've learned about you, even in preparing for this, is it's not about accolades as much as it's about respect.

• 20:36Speaker 02

  Yeah.

• 20:37Ryan Clark?

  Right? What's that next step for you so you are mentioned with some of those wide receivers that garner the respect of being that true wide receiver one?

• 20:47Speaker 02

  I think just taking advantage of all my ops and being that person where the team can lean on, if you, if you need a ball, you need 10 yards, whatever it is, 20, 50, whatever, you need a touchdown, I, I need to be that one to, to go out there and do it. And I think that, that comes with that respect. So, yeah, definitely got some plans, for sure.

• 21:07Ryan Clark?

  You are self-proclaimed boring.

• 21:10Speaker 02

  Yeah.

• 21:11Ryan Clark?

  Like you said it, you was like, "Yeah, I'm boring, man. Like, I don't, I don't really, I don't really do a lot. I, I don't, I don't say too much." I've never heard, I was looking for it.

• 21:20Speaker 02

  Yeah.

• 21:20Ryan Clark?

  The, the Drake London interview where you asked for the ball, you at least never say it out loud. You seem to be very almost anti, at least wide receiver perception personality.

• 21:34Speaker 02

  Yeah.

• 21:34Ryan Clark?

  Where do you think that comes from for you?

• 21:37Speaker 02

  I think just understanding that this game is a team sport and that shit not gonna go your way all the time. And then like if I beg for it, and it's happened to me before in high school, "Why I'm not getting the ball? Why I'm not getting the ball?" And then you go out there, first two games, and you're dropping passes. And that feels like, that feels terrible. You know what I'm saying? So I'd rather just, when you guys give me my ops, I'm gonna make the best of it. Now, but I'm gonna make it known that you guys should get me the ball, you know? And that's through my play. And everything should be through my play, how I speak, everything. Very, very anti like that diva stuff because it don't help nobody. It doesn't help anything. And then two, I, I view myself as a football player, not a wide receiver. I like to block people. I like to do stuff. I like to clear out stuff for people and just play a team

• 22:20Speaker 02

  sport, cause that's what it is. Now, if the accolades and stuff come with it, that's cool. But other than that, like I, I play football.

• 22:27Ryan Clark?

  That's a phenomenal answer. Godly.

• 22:29Speaker 02

  Yeah.

• 22:30Ryan Clark?

  But do you tell Bijan to get tired sometimes?

• 22:34Speaker 02

  He don't get tired.

• 22:35Ryan Clark?

  He get oldy off.

• 22:38Speaker 02

  Yeah, yeah. I mean, there'd be a couple times, I'd be like, "God damn," but it's Bijan though. You can never get mad at Bijan. You can't, you can't. Not at all. But yeah, man, I mean, just being on this court with KP, Bijan, other guys, it's just like, it's so fun because it's like, I explained it, when I was playing high school basketball, we weren't too good at basketball, right? So it was like, I kinda had to do everything. And when I went over to AAU, it was like, "Oh, I could pass the ball and be like, 'Oh yeah, he gonna do his thing. I don't even have to rebound.'" So that's how it feels over here, you know? Like you go look at the other side and feel like, "Yep, that's taken care of. Backfield is taken care of." Like, so it's really, really dope.

• 23:13Ryan Clark?

  You know, you mentioned those three names. I think the thing that stands out to me is Kyle Pitts, Drake London, Bijan Robinson, all elite talent and also all drafted in the top 10, right? And, and that's been the thing around here for a while. Look how talented Drake is. Look how talented KP is. Look how talented Bijan is. For you, how frustrating is it when you know what's in this locker room and it doesn't come together as far as team success and getting those opportunities in the playoffs?

• 23:48Speaker 02

  Frustrating. I've been wanting to go to the dance forever. I mean, that's everybody's goal. Yeah, it's, it's a lot to deal with at, at the time, but like, I know what we do have now and we are both mature enough now to understand like what we need to do to, to keep on going and progressing in that direction. Because at the same time, we're young. KP came in at 20, I came in at 20, Bijan came in at 20, 21, something like that. So it's like, we were young and to try to go out there and police older men was kinda weird and different, you know? Never was like that. I'm a quieter, reserved dude when it comes to leadership. So it was just in spots where it's kinda like, it was different. So we're handling that now and,

• 24:32Speaker 02

  and I think that's the next step for, for all of us to take and, and so we can progress.

• 24:36Fred Taylor?

  We mentioned briefly the coaching change. We can hear Ra, our homie from a mile away.

• 24:41Ryan Clark?

  Yeah. Ra would've busted here already.

• 24:43Fred Taylor?

  Yeah, he would've knocked it there already. Kevin's more laid back, chill, reserved, like straight to business. What has been one of the biggest differences you've noticed since he's arrived? And what has been his, I guess, most consistent point of emphasis since he pulled up?

• 24:59Speaker 02

  Again, it just goes back to the little details. Like, he's worried about today, you know? Not, not anything else. He's worried about the meeting that we're about to have and then going out to practice. Like, there's nothing that he's looking ahead to, cause he's trying to lay that first brick down, know it's perfectly in place, and then we keep on going. Yeah, man. There's, there's times I miss Ra, but there's, there's times where I understand too. Like, it's just part of the business. It is what it is.

• 25:25Fred Taylor?

  A hundred percent, for sure.

• 25:27Ryan Clark?

  Tell me this, Mike Evans or Calvin Johnson?

• 25:32Speaker 02

  I got to do it to my light-skinned brother, but Calvin Johnson, for sure.

• 25:36Ryan Clark?

  How did you become a Detroit, a Detroit fan, man? As a youngster, growing up, what is it, Moore Park?

• 25:41Speaker 02

  Yeah, Moore Park, California.

• 25:43Ryan Clark?

  How did you become a Detroit fan?

• 25:44Speaker 02

  My dad, so he used to watch Barry Sanders like crazy. Wanted to be a running back. I was a little chubbier kid at the time. I was like 5'6" in 8th grade, so like, yeah, I hit a growth spurt like crazy. But he used to watch Barry Sanders a bunch. And then during that time, it's obviously Megatron show. So it was like cool to see him just head topping people, getting the ball. And then, and he's like, he's really, really cool reserved dude as well. And I think that's why I just wanted to emulate everything like...

• 26:11Ryan Clark?

  Yeah, he was a, he was a different type of problem, Drake.

• 26:14Speaker 02

  For sure.

• 26:15Ryan Clark?

  Like that was, you'd be sitting in the meetings and coach would be drawing up the coverages and I used to be like, "Coach, uh, so in this one, like, I know we gonna blitz the corner. When I go to cover in the fire zone, Troy gonna come with me?"

• 26:30Fred Taylor?

  Help!

• 26:32Ryan Clark?

  So me and Troy go rotate, right? I'm like, "I know y'all not finna leave me over here by myself."

• 26:38Speaker 02

  Oh, that's crazy.

• 26:39Ryan Clark?

  Oh, now, he was a, it was a, it was a different time too, though, right? Like, obviously, first ballot Hall of Famers are great at any era, right? Those guys could play, but they didn't have, since he was one of the first of that kind, guys like you weren't trying to go play receiver.

• 26:58Speaker 02

  Yeah.

• 26:58Ryan Clark?

  All y'all was hooping.

• 26:59Speaker 02

  True.

• 26:59Ryan Clark?

  Right? He was kinda that first one to bring in that bigger receiver body. In a way, even Randy didn't do it. You know what I mean? And so just to, to watch him play and to be a part of that era was something different. In your mind, what does or how does a kid from Moore Park, California, I've never even heard of it, to be honest with you?

• 27:23Fred Taylor?

  Great golf course.

• 27:24Ryan Clark?

  You know, you golf, yeah.

• 27:25Speaker 02

  Really? You know about the golf course over there?

• 27:27Fred Taylor?

  Oh, for sure.

• 27:29Ryan Clark?

  Rich people play golf a lot. How, how difficult or how much did you have to acclimate to being in the spotlight, but also being in Atlanta from a lifestyle standpoint as a young player?

• 27:44Speaker 02

  It's not bad. I mean, I grew, I grew up very, very well. And how we kinda are like set up, I'm probably like, from Moore Park, it's probably like an hour away, 40 minutes from LA, right? And that's how I live right now. I'm like 15 minutes down the road, but I'm like an hour from, from the city. So I'm in like suburbia, I'm around high schools, I'm around middle schools, elementary schools, and that's kinda how I grew up. Like, it was a small town. So I didn't really have to change nothing. And then two, like, when I'm in the house, I'm in the house. I ain't going nowhere.

• 28:17Ryan Clark?

  So he ain't like, you ain't like him then?

• 28:18Speaker 02

  Nah.

• 28:19Ryan Clark?

  So you don't never ride to the city and hit the spots?

• 28:22Speaker 02

  I mean, yeah, with my, with my girl, we'll go eat something, but then it's just, that's it. Like, I ain't doing nothing else. I mean, what is there to do?

• 28:30Ryan Clark?

  Lots of doing in Atlanta.

• 28:31Speaker 02

  Yeah, that's what I'm saying.

• 28:32Ryan Clark?

  I'm fun in Atlanta.

• 28:33Speaker 02

  Yeah.

• 28:33Ryan Clark?

  You got the shake spots, you got the clubs, you got the, the world.

• 28:37Speaker 02

  I don't think I've been out since I've been here.

• 28:39Ryan Clark?

  Wait, in years?

• 28:40Speaker 02

  Yeah, I don't, nah, I'm good.

• 28:43Ryan Clark?

  When you were at SC, were you a guy that...

• 28:46Speaker 02

  I mean, yeah, a little bit here and there. That's more comfortable, it's at home, but nah, I'm, I'm usually in the dorm room, playing games, chilling, chilling with the homies, stuff like that. I'm not really, yeah.

• 28:57Ryan Clark?

  You gotta hit Jeezy.

• 28:59Speaker 02

  To do what?

• 29:00Ryan Clark?

  Well, you take him out. The man just got engaged, Chan. He not trying to go out now.

• 29:04Speaker 02

  Man, he gotta see the world before he's locked up.

• 29:07Ryan Clark?

  That's backward. He's already locked up. He made the decision.

• 29:10Speaker 02

  Yeah, he backpedaling.

• 29:13Ryan Clark?

  She gonna think, "Oh, you did change now." Nah, you can't have that.

• 29:17Fred Taylor?

  And he got the weight off his back. I think it's in his pockets now.

• 29:22Ryan Clark?

  Ooh. Who's that?

• 29:25Ryan Clark?

  What, that sack?

• 29:26Fred Taylor?

  Yeah.

• 29:27Ryan Clark?

  Oh, yeah. Man, rich over there. I don't even know what kinda goddamn shoes those are. Rich people's shoes.

• 29:33Speaker 02

  They're just barefoot shoes. They look good though, on plan.

• 29:37Fred Taylor?

  But no, some, some people, some guys can tend to get complacent when they, when they make the big one. They hit the big one. Talking to your agent, finally getting the deal done, sorta, kinda take us through that, the offseason, talk to your agent, talking with ownership, and when things finally got done, what did that?

• 29:55Speaker 02

  Crazy. I mean, there's that moments where I feel like, "Do I even deserve something like this?" You know? "Why does God bless me in, in, in this way?" You know? And then there's times where I just think like, "Have you done enough to get that stuff?" And that's why I have the mentality of, of, "I gotta prove it again. Like, yeah, I am worth this. That, that is my worth." You know what I'm saying? Shoot, like, if you're deserving or not, that's how I feel about it. Like, and, and that's how I'm gonna keep on thinking about it. So I don't get complacent. I don't get content. Because you get content and that's when the game will humble you.

• 30:31Ryan Clark?

  How does the pressure, how does the pressure of the money differ from the pressure of the draft pick?

• 30:37Speaker 02

  It's the same to me. It's the same feeling. Like, you gotta prove why you was pick number 8. You gotta prove why they gave you that sack. Like, in all reality, I mean, I could be a person who's like, "Oh, they gave me the sack and then I don't have to do nothing." Like, they already gave it to me. Cool. But I gotta go out and prove to the fans, the city, this coaching staff of, of why they did, you know?

• 30:58Ryan Clark?

  Nah, I respect them.

• 31:01Speaker 00

  This episode is brought to you by Michelob Ultra. Good times mean competitions between you and your friends. Like seeing who can throw some pigskin the farthest or rush the field the fastest. Winner gets an ultra because it's not just a superior like beer. It's also giving fans superior access to their favorite sporting events. Superior is worth playing for. Visit michelobultra.com/superioraccess to enter. Enjoy responsibly. Copyright 2026 Anheuser Busch InBev Michelob Ultra Beer, St. Louis, Missouri.

• 31:30Channing Crowder?

  And what you hit a thousand one time? You got like 908, 951, two seasons. You hit that 1,000 yard year.

• 31:40Channing Crowder?

  Do you ever look at the Jamar Chases? And them guys, you know what I'm saying? Do you ever look at them dudes as just they getting 1,400 and all this? You like, you know?

• 31:51Ryan Clark?

  They got games with 20, 20 targets.

• 31:53Channing Crowder?

  That's what I was gonna say. 20 targets or even offenses set up around them.

• 31:57Ryan Clark?

  Yeah.

• 31:58Channing Crowder?

  Jamar's getting 20 targets a game. You ever look at it like, man, shit, give me 20 ops? I'm gonna hit you for 250. Like, you know what I'm saying? Like, do you ever, do you, because I know, I know receiver. Because like you said, you're not a, a lot of receivers are like arrogant.

• 32:13Ryan Clark?

  Yeah.

• 32:13Channing Crowder?

  Like, you know, we know a lot of them. Ocho, shit, give me the ball. I need the ball every play here. Why we running the ball? We wasting time, you know what I'm saying? So like, you don't have a receiver mentality, but you got to look around at your, you know, your contemporaries and say, what could I do in that offense? What could I have done here?

• 32:29Speaker 02

  No, for surely. I definitely think about that, but at the same time, it's like at SC, I was getting fed 20, 20 footballs a game, 25 footballs a game. I mean, it was like insane at one point. And that's how I ended up getting hurt because I was getting too much, too much football, you know? Like, and that's literally what it was. And then in this league, when it's more violent, is people know their stuff and they're gonna be there. Yeah, it takes a special person to, to get 20 targets a game and then come out healthy every year. Like, that's tough. So again, that's another blessing in disguise. But yeah, I need that 12. I need something, you know what I'm saying? Like, I'm definitely still thinking that, but I do have the mentality of it's a team sport.

• 33:13Speaker 02

  If we win, it doesn't really matter? No.

• 33:16Ryan Clark?

  But that's the, that's the thing too, though. Like, it's about winning, right? And it's about, about finding a way to do that. It goes by fast, right? Like, you already know, man, like, four years went by quick like that. You know what I'm saying? The next four go by like that. And eventually, you're looking back on your career and you're saying to yourself, I did accomplish my goals or I didn't. For you, it seems to be winning. It seems to be getting to the dance. How does, because you were excited last year, right? Going into the season, you felt good about that team. Obviously, injuries happen and things take away from that. How does this team take that next step, though? Like, what needs to happen in this training camp?

• 34:01Ryan Clark?

  So in Kevin Stefanski's first year, you can compete to win the NFC South?

• 34:07Speaker 02

  I think the biggest thing that I've heard, especially like new guys coming in, is just camaraderie, just hanging out with the guys, going down to the city, whatever it might be now, and I may pop out now, you know what I'm saying? Building those relationships with offense, defense, not having it be segregated in the, in the, in the locker room with offense and defense. You know what I'm saying? So just being a real close knit group and understanding what our main goal is right now, and I think that we're doing that. And Stefanski has done a great job of, of kind of pushing that forward, you know? He brings some of us up in team meetings and we, and we share about our lives, our history, like, you know, who really impacts us in our life. And we're just learning about everybody and it's not just players, it's coaches, it's it's other staff members.

• 34:50Speaker 02

  So really becoming a tight knit group, and I think that's our next step. And that's what we're doing right now to, to accomplish that.

• 34:56Ryan Clark?

  Iron sharpens iron. One of my favorite things when I played in Pittsburgh used to be to watch Antonio Brown and Ike Taylor, right? Ike was our one. He followed Ocho if we played them. He followed Derrick Mason if we played them. And he wanted every rep he could get against AB. And AB also wanted to win every rep that he had. And there was this competition that almost bordered on too much that made them both amazing on game day. You've been here with AJ, right? And getting opportunities to practice against him. How has that relationship helped you? And does that competition ever get heightened sometimes to where y'all got to remember, hey,

• 35:41Ryan Clark?

  man, we are teammates?

• 35:42Speaker 02

  Yeah. I wouldn't say necessarily that much because AJ is a reserved dude. He cool, chill. He's just vibing, like, that's AJ, you know? But there's definitely moments where we're, we're going head to head and it's if we're doing one on ones or anything of that, it's bring AJ over or he asking for me, come, come to my side. So it's constant battles and he helps me every day. That whole DB group, they know. I go over there, dap them up every day and say, let's get better because that's what it, that's what it is. And if you win a rep against me, that's good. But no, I'm gonna come back with full fire and I'm gonna try to, try to do everything in my, my will to, to win that rep.

• 36:19Fred Taylor?

  Aside from AJ, who's one of the top five in the NFL, in my opinion, who are the other four guys you would put on your list of top five DBs?

• 36:28Speaker 02

  See, I don't even be paying attention like that to know people's names.

• 36:31Ryan Clark?

  He like, I know who I play my week.

• 36:33Speaker 02

  Yeah. I'll put Sauce in there, obviously, like, big, bigger dude. Pat Surtain, he's crazy. He's really, really good.

• 36:43Ryan Clark?

  Derrick Stingley, J.C. Horn.

• 36:46Speaker 02

  J.C., yeah. J.C., I love going against J.C. because that's, that's one of those ones where it's like, we know we competing and we getting after it, but we show love after game. But like, that whole Carolina defense in general.

• 36:57Ryan Clark?

  That's twice a year, too.

• 36:58Speaker 02

  Yeah, that, they, they get down. And I love playing against them because that's one of the ones where you can kind of like, okay, and you start hating them, you know? You can start hating person.

• 37:06Ryan Clark?

  And they got, Mike Jackson played well last year too, though. So both of their corners, both of their corners played really good. Witherspoon in Seattle.

• 37:15Speaker 02

  Witherspoon is a, is a jitterbug who loves to hit.

• 37:18Ryan Clark?

  Oh, he's a monster.

• 37:19Speaker 02

  Like, he's just one of those people who kind of like vibrate off of you. Like, he just has that sense of energy and urgency.

• 37:28Ryan Clark?

  They have a type. Like, they, they have a type.

• 37:31Fred Taylor?

  What's your young boy name? Was at the camp with us, USC receiver. Booby?

• 37:37Ryan Clark?

  Oh, he's crazy. Booby Feaster? He at UFC right now? So.

• 37:42Speaker 02

  What, what number does he wear?

• 37:44Ryan Clark?

  He wears one now. He just got there. He reclassified up, but we got duped, let me tell you about this. We got duped into a flag football tournament, Drake. Our producer said we were supposed to go to this flag football tournament because our friends were a part of it, right?

• 37:58Fred Taylor?

  Shout out symbiotica.

• 38:00Ryan Clark?

  I think we coaching, right? So I pull up in long sleeve shirt, Lulu pants on and these shoes. I'm like, oh, show a coach or whatever. They give me a bag, he got a jersey in it, Drake. So I said, okay, cool, cool, cool, cool, cool, cool. We got a team. We got influencers, real players, right? Michael Vick, our quarterback, Aaron Rodgers, quarterback, dog, Carson Palmer, Marcus Mariota. So we get out there, the first game, he get hurt, snapped too.

• 38:27Channing Crowder?

  Man, this big Samoan smacked me side of my head. I said, what are we doing out here? I came to hang and chill.

• 38:36Speaker 02

  You didn't know you was playing either?

• 38:37Channing Crowder?

  Man, I think, I think we're, you know, we're jogging a little bit. We, I'm gonna just jam you, you gonna run a little outride, we gonna laugh and smile. Say hit. I said, what is we doing out here, man?

• 38:50Speaker 02

  Freddie T. You said a Samoan too, them hands heavy.

• 38:52Ryan Clark?

  Man, big tight end. Freddie T pull it, pull both hammies game two.

• 38:58Fred Taylor?

  Kneecaps and hips, that's all I got. Hamstrings don't even work no more. Nah.

• 39:03Ryan Clark?

  So he pulled both hammies. So now, I got to represent for the whole squad. So I'm out there playing. We play seven games, Drake. Seven games. We win one game, I'm pressed up with Marcus Jones from New England. His team is like Marcus Joe, I'm and Rob was on one team. So we really playing. Like, we are really out there. The only reason we made it to the championship is because of this kid, man. I don't know who he knew out there, but thank God we had it. We threw it to him every play.

• 39:33Fred Taylor?

  He wanted to play on team with Vic.

• 39:35Ryan Clark?

  Yeah.

• 39:35Fred Taylor?

  And he was cold.

• 39:36Ryan Clark?

  So we drafted Vic, but he's, he's a freshman there now and his videos are, are going everywhere, man.

• 39:42Speaker 02

  I gotta look out for him.

• 39:43Ryan Clark?

  That's the kid you gotta look out for. So we always ask our guests, and this is Fred's question, I'm gonna steal it, right? We ask our guests, like, what's their biggest pivot? You know, a moment you could point to and say that because of this thing, I'm sitting where I'm sitting today.

• 39:59Speaker 02

  Freshman year, Washington, playing Washington. Every football that was thrown to me was either a pick or a deflection and I dropped a game winner, that one. I remember that game and that was a game that like, Michael Pittman, he just tapped me on my shoulder and said, you gonna be good. But I'm in the bus crying my ass off, like, it really, really got to me. And that was one of those moments, that, that pivot moment where it was either you, you gonna, you gonna sit here and soak or you gonna get up and do something about it? And so that's when I, you know, went to work even harder and then it just grew into something different. And so I knew like at that moment, that was, that was my pivot.

• 40:36Ryan Clark?

  Wow, that's amazing.

• 40:39Channing Crowder?

  Where you gonna put little Gordita Crunch London in the belly?

• 40:43Ryan Clark?

  Damn, Jay. The man just got engaged.

• 40:47Speaker 02

  She, she won't get married first, so then, you know, she look good for the marriage stuff and we could go ahead and, yeah.

• 40:54Ryan Clark?

  Bro, he asks people these questions.

• 40:56Speaker 02

  Nah, it's cool.

• 40:57Ryan Clark?

  All the time, man.

• 40:58Channing Crowder?

  I think that's a good name, Gordita Crunch London.

• 41:03Ryan Clark?

  That's a terrible name for a baby, by the way. No jugs machines, right?

• 41:07Speaker 02

  No, no.

• 41:09Ryan Clark?

  Did you ever hear that, Freddie T?

• 41:10Fred Taylor?

  Never.

• 41:10Ryan Clark?

  He says the jugs machines make it worse.

• 41:13Speaker 02

  Perception.

• 41:15Speaker 02

  Having the ball come out going what 60 miles an hour, whatever it is and just boom. Does the quarterback do that? No. There's a whole wind up. There's everything that comes with it. Yeah, you may see the ball out in the air, but that's up to you and your eye hand, hand eye coordination to catch that, right? So I remember going up because I'm gonna catch 200 something balls every day. So it was like I'm trying to be a sponge and soak up everything. So I go out there and try it. And I go over there and run like a cross route. And it was just the way I was viewing the ball. I had like a slump of just not catching the ball well. So I cut that out. I cut that out completely. And it's been fine ever since.

• 41:54Channing Crowder?

  Talk about perception. I gotta ask this too. Just listen to you talk. Penix is right-handed. Tua is left-handed.

• 42:00Speaker 02

  They're both left-handed.

• 42:01Channing Crowder?

  Oh, they're both left-handed?

• 42:02Speaker 02

  They're both left-handed.

• 42:02Channing Crowder?

  Is it different catching right-handed, left-handed quarterbacks? Because people talk about that. The spin is the other way, whatever.

• 42:08Speaker 02

  I mean, for some people, but I'm lefty too. So I've been seeing that spin my whole life. So it's like I under kind of understand how that ball was thrown. And like freshman year, I tried to play quarterback. Don't ask me, it wasn't the best. And like just seeing it, how the ball tails off this way and certain nuances and stuff. I know how to position my hands and change it up. Like if Jack Strand comes in and he righty, right? I know I gotta catch it in a certain way so that it doesn't like mess with me. Yeah.

• 42:35Channing Crowder?

  Cool. Because they talk about that. I didn't know it is a difference. Left-handed, right-handed quarterback.

• 42:39Speaker 02

  For surely, there's a difference. Yeah.

• 42:41Fred Taylor?

  Are we gonna see you and Devonte on Taco Bell commercial? Like Open Twice is late?

• 42:45Speaker 02

  I hope so.

• 42:46Fred Taylor?

  He said Devonte is an awful actor, though.

• 42:49Channing Crowder?

  Oh, he can tell he reading the card. I would like a taco, sir. Get your big ass over here.

• 42:58Speaker 02

  Man, I'll take the acting part, then. We'll get it down. We'll get it down.

• 43:02Ryan Clark?

  He was out there, man. He in Hollywood. You know what I mean? He went to school out there. So they'll take care of him. But nah, bro, man, I appreciate you, man. I think the thing I enjoyed in studying for this was like learning about the person. And because you don't share a ton, like I'm really grateful you gave us this much time, man. Answered our questions. Was open as you were, man. And like people like you, players like you, I root for. Like I want to see good things happen for people who say team is overall number one. So, man, best of luck, man. Best of blessings, man. Can't wait to see you do it again.

• 43:36Speaker 02

  Yeah, appreciate y'all for real. Thank you. Thank you.

• 43:38Channing Crowder?

  Yeah, he is anti-receiver all the way, dawg.

• 43:41Fred Taylor?

  Oh, no.

• 43:42Channing Crowder?

  And what make it crazy, though, is he hoop. You know what I'm saying? Like when hoops, like you gotta get buckets, you gotta get shots.

• 43:49Speaker 02

  I was getting them, yeah, for sure.