Brandon Lloyd, former Illinois/NFL WR || When Effort Meets Opportunity

Brandon Lloyd's hard work and commitment paid off in 2010, as he became the NFL's leading receiver that season - the pinnacle of his professional football career. In this episode, Brandon discusses his upbringing in Blue Springs, Missouri, where both his parents worked in education, his incredible season with the Denver Broncos, reconciling relationships with loved ones, the significance of education, the difficulties of transitioning away from professional football, and more.

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Transcript

Brandon Lloyd: 0:00

It's been 11 years in N nfl. I intentionally isolated myself so that I could focus on that and give that all of my attention and effort. Host N F L was like, I just needed to repair all those relationships, figure out what I'm gonna do so I can be in a healthy place to where I can be present for my children, present for my family and friends, and then move forward in this world in a fulfilling way. I have to look in the mirror and say, Belo, thank you for that. That was awesome, but I no longer need you anymore. I need to find another identity. And I love the journey. And all the individuals and all those lessons are still with me. I am just not that anymore.

Collin Kushner: 1:05

Welcome to another episode of the Hayward Gigo podcast. I'm your host, Colin Kushner, and it's season two. We have an awesome guest. We have former N F L, wide receiver Brandon Lloyd. Brandon, how are you my friend?

Brandon Lloyd: 1:18

I'm doing well. Thanks for having me on, Colin.

Collin Kushner: 1:19

Yeah, absolutely. Brandon. I always like to start from the very beginning. Um, I guess I'm a chronological guy. This is actually kind of a cool thing about you. What was it like growing up with two teachers in the household,

Brandon Lloyd: 1:30

Growing up with two teachers there? There was a lot of discipline for sure. Uh, I know that, you know, as I reflected back on my childhood, there was a, there's a lot of structure. There was a lot of, uh, accountability and responsibility and, you know, I think that was all part of being, not only just being teachers, but my parents just raising as, you know, black in America. By the time I was going through the elementary school system, uh, my parents had made wise financial decisions. And so I was able to go to school in blue ribbon schools and suburbs of Kansas City, Missouri, and Blue Springs, Missouri. And, uh, being the last of seven, I'd seen and heard a lot of stories of what my family had been through. My parents were, uh, married at 18 years old in Kansas City, Missouri. They moved to California and, um, because my father heard that he could get his education paid for if he became a resident in the state of California, so he could, he could go to the state school system. So that was their dream. They, they got married, they started their family. The first four kids of the seven were born in California, and then the last three of us were born in, in Kansas City.

Collin Kushner: 2:49

Growing up with that kind of a foundation that your parents set, you know, with the accountability and, and all the other things that really helped, how, how important was it to have that foundation for your football career and just life in general?

Brandon Lloyd: 3:01

It was incredibly important because the, you know, when I was, when I was younger, I devoured the sports illustrators and, you know, I, I knew I wanted to be a professional athlete, you know, I got sent to the principal's office in kindergarten cuz I wouldn't pick a different profession.<laugh>, all the other kids were picking fireman doctors, a lawyer teacher. I was like, I'm gonna be a professional athlete. My kindergarten teacher said, that's unrealistic. If you pick it again, you're going to the principal's office. I picked it again,<laugh>. So, you know, sitting in that principal's office, um, Mr. Barnhardt, what he said to me was, you know, you can be a professional athlete and you will, you know, he proceeded to tell me the story about keeping my nose clean and, uh, getting good grades and staying out of trouble. And, you know, so a a lot of where my foundation came from came from individuals outside of the, the, my, my family unit. And I think that's what's the importance of teachers and the importance of coaches and, um, and, and positive role models outside of the, the family unit because it gets to a certain age. You remember when you got to that age where you didn't want to hear anything from your parents anymore. You know, probably 12, 13, 14 years old. The, um, my parents are saying the exact same thing the coach is saying, but it don't resonate. I wanna hear it from the coach, right,<laugh>. And so once I was devouring these, uh, stories of professional athletes, I knew that was the path I wanted to go on. But I'm looking at my parents and I'm like, they can't teach me how to be a professional athlete. So I needed to find those, uh, positive influences outside of the family, but I still need to carry those foundational values that I learned in the household. And so that was always the balance, you know, keeping one hand on my, uh, foundation, how I was raised, my ethics, my values, and then kind of waiting through the waters of, of, uh, being a division one college athlete, uh, being a professional athlete and trying to have a good time while I'm doing it. So tho those values were, are very important.

Collin Kushner: 5:03

How'd you get introduced to football? Like when, when did that that begin? Was it natural? Was it just like, oh, that looks cool?

Brandon Lloyd: 5:11

Yeah, pretty much. That looks cool. And, and my dad made me do it.<laugh>, you know, I was a, I was a very rambunctious elementary school kid. I was, you know, I was in trouble. I was in the principal's office a lot. And so my dad gave me an ultimatum. Uh, my dad's a golden glove boxer, and so he's like, all right, you got one or two options. You either gonna be a boxer, you are gonna play football, but you gotta get this energy out some way.<laugh><laugh>,

Collin Kushner: 5:37

That's a good, that's a good ultimatum, man.

Brandon Lloyd: 5:41

So, you know, his knuckles are all calloused over. I'm like, man, I think I'm gonna play football<laugh>. So I was, so he put me in a little league, uh, pop Warner, um, football league, flag football league. And, and that's how I started.

Collin Kushner: 5:56

Once you got involved in football, the wheels started turning, you start kind of understanding the game, you know, more and more as you got older. What was the one part of it that you just, you really loved and it really just dialed you in?

Brandon Lloyd: 6:08

I was gravitated towards the entertainment aspect of it. I, I, I caught my first kickoff and, and football scored a touchdown. I caught the first punt, the next series scored a touchdown<laugh>. And so I was sitting on the sideline and I was looking at all the reactions, you know, and just like during the time period, it's like, this is Missouri, so it's like the cowbells are ringing on the side,<laugh> and the parents are going, are cheering. And then just the attention afterwards, I was like, man, I really like this. And so it's just the entertainment aspect of it. And as I started studying the athletes, I gravitated towards Dion Sanders and, and, and that was the way that I needed to market myself and separate myself as an athlete, uh, from the other players, so many other players, so much talent. How am I gonna separate myself? And I did that with, um, I followed the Deion Sanders model where, you know, I was in choir, uh, so I had a music component to myself. I played multiple sports just like Deion Sanders. I, I said, all right, I'm gonna play multiple sports. I play basketball track, and I played baseball up until my, uh, freshman year and, and high school. And then I, that's when I pivoted into track and I played basketball and football. So I was a multi-sport athlete. And then, um, I, I was really, uh, attracted to those entertainment aspects and, and that's how I built myself as an athlete.

Collin Kushner: 7:43

I'm just curious, you brought up choir and being involved in other activities outside of football. From your perspective, how important is it to have range and, and not to be just so singularly focused, but to have range and to, to gain perspective and values from other parts of life?

Brandon Lloyd: 7:56

Look, uh, you know, I just, I was naturally drawn to it. I was just naturally inquisitive individual, and, and I, and I needed to be busy. If, if I'm, if I'm, if I'm not busy, I'll, uh, become destructive. You know, I'm like a, a little chihuahua<laugh>. You leave a chihuahua alone, the corners of your house are gonna get chewed up,<laugh>, keep it entertained,<laugh>. So I, I have to keep myself entertained or I will choose corners of the house. I'll ruin it. So, um, so that, that, that's just something that I knew about myself from a young age, and my parents encouraged that in me. And, um, as far as, you know, playing multiple sports, I thought it was beneficial just for, you know, athleticism. I was, you know, wickedly athletic as a kid, you know, just freakishly athletic. And, and so I just needed to, um, put that out there and, and, and, and display that, you know, just for my own ego,<laugh>, you know, for the most part. But, you know, I just loved the competition aspect of it. I loved training, I loved exercise, and, and, and so I just, I just love to, uh, be in multiple sports. And I think that's healthy for, for those who are, you know, looking for alternative ways to train for the main sport. You know, it's like active rest where, um, even when I was in the National Football League and the, and the off seasons, I would play tennis, um, to, to make sure that I keep my cardio up and I'm chasing a ball and I'm being coached by the, the head pro at the country club. So it was like, I'm, I'm getting all those aspects that are important to me as a football player, but I'm not playing football because I need a break from that. And, and tennis was, was something that I, that I, I, I leaned into to keep me active.

Collin Kushner: 9:57

Just so you know, this is the first time I've ever heard a professional athlete call themselves a, a chihuahua<laugh>. But, but I, I, I underst I totally understand what you're saying. Like, there, there, there's so many synchronicities between the sport that you dial in that you focus in on, and the other ones around. So that's super fascinating how you picked tennis and you found the different parts of the sport that would kind of equate over to football. At what point did you start getting attention from colleges?

Brandon Lloyd: 10:27

I started getting attention from colleges. My, my sophomore year, the, uh, going into my junior year. I was a, I was a quarterback. I was following in the footsteps of my brother. My brother Mark was four years older than me. Uh, his, uh, junior and senior year. He was the varsity quarterback at Blue Springs High School. And I admired him. I looked up to him, you know, he was, he was polar opposite of me, you know, he was straight laced, you know, uh, fantastic leader, incredible communicator. Um, the homecoming king, just incredibly popular man, young man in high school. And I'm like, I'm gonna fall in his footsteps where I wanted to be quarterback. But I was definitely not a straight lace as him. I was<laugh> a rebel<laugh>. But, um, uh, I went to be quarterback. I entered as a freshman in quarterback. Uh, I was freshman CTE quarterback. And, uh, my sophomore year, I, uh, began, I, I was the varsity starting quarterback. So, um, after my sophomore year, uh, at quarterback, the head coach, uh, calls me over to practice in the summertime. He calls my dad over from the parking lot. My dad was sat in the parking lot in his lawn chair, calls him over, Mr. Lloyd, whistles him over. He comes over and he says, look, he says, Brandon, the superintendent's son's moving in town. He's a quarterback, and Mr. Lloyd, I'm sure you can understand this. I want to keep my job, so I'm gonna start him at quarterback. He says, Brandon, now here's what you can do. You can back him up, or you can pick a different position. So my dad's looking at me like, what you going to do? And I said, all right, you know, I really like Deion Sanders, so I'll play cornerback. Head coach says, you got it? I said, well, you know, Deion Sanders played both ways. So, uh, I wanna be, I wanna be the receiver. And this is at Blue Springs, and we had a full platoon. We had so many students, athletes, we had a platoon, full offense, full defense. And so I was gonna be the first two, two-way athlete. You got it. And I said, all right. And I'm, you know, I really enjoyed kicking and punting. Can I still be the kicker and punter? You got it. Is that anything else,

Collin Kushner: 13:02

<laugh>, you're like, I wanna be the head coach,<laugh>,

Brandon Lloyd: 13:07

You know? So I was like, that was the negotiation. And so, you know, that was it. We all shook hands. And, and I, and I began, uh, that summer of going into my junior year as a, a cornerback and wide receiver. And as we toured around, uh, Kansas and Missouri, we went through Illinois. We played in Nebraska in these seven on seven tournaments on college campuses. That's when I started, uh, getting a bunch of attention. I think my, my first scholarship, um, came in from, uh, Kansas State, then the University of Illinois, and then they really just started rolling in. Back then, the publications were, were really big and pub, um, they were, uh, that was the way to, to promote. And so that's when all that came in to, uh, when I was able to put that all on display, I was able to be more flashy in a skilled position than I would've been if I was only a quarterback. So that's when I started rolling my socks over my shoes and have, so I had a spat. I put on multiple wrist bands, right? And so I was like, I had, you know, I had different socks, and I really started separating myself and started to really become, uh, an entertainer, uh, and, and high school sports.

Collin Kushner: 14:18

That's really interesting. I love how your coach was like superintendent sons moving into town,<laugh>, but, but it seemed like that you, you made the decision. You decided to pretty much play every position.<laugh> you went, you went both ways. When the University of Illinois offered you, I guess, why'd you pick the University of Illinois? What was it that stuck out, that stood out to you about the university and the football program?

Brandon Lloyd: 14:41

When I was visiting colleges in, this was 98, 99, I was going through the unofficial recruiting trips as a junior in 98. And, and I mean, this was just glorious, glorious, big, you know, it was big eight, big 12 football and go Michael Bishop in Kansas State, Nebraska, I mean, Texas a and m, the University of Missouri. It was awesome football, Texas. It was just great football. And I, you know, going through that process, my, my my brother who was four years older than me, he was actually the first one to, in our family to get a football scholarship. So he went division two, he went to Missouri Southern State College in Joplin, Missouri. And so I was sitting there watching him, you know, as an eighth grader. I was like, dang, it's like, if he can do that, I'm like, dude, I can go, I can go D one. So that was like the first time where I, I actually saw someone that close to me enter into the NCAA clearinghouse, you know, taking the, a ac ncaa, taking the, um, a c t, uh, I was going on all the recruiting trips with him, with mom and dad and him, and I was just, I was just sitting back there, a fly on the wall listening and watching the whole process and, and imagining what it would be like for me, uh, going through that. So when it finally happened to me, what I realized is that, um, what I, when I took trips to the, the schools, the, the three official schools that I, I went to, I went on four official trips, but the three, other than the University of Illinois, I was really focused on the, uh, team dynamic and how the players got along with one another. I, uh, when I was going through the recruiting process, the, the, uh, athletic director called me in the office. He was like, university of Illinois called us. They talked about three of you teachers. They talked to Mr. Barnhart, your principal from elementary school. They talked to me. He was like, I'm just letting you know, um, this school is real, is really interested in you. So I was like, wow, this school is doing all this re uh, background on me. They must really care. So that was the first step. The, uh, the second one was the, the coach, Greg McMahon, who was recruiting me from the University of Illinois. He would come down and watch my track practices. He would sit in the stands way, way, way up at the top and watch me high jump. And as I was preparing for the state championships, and he, as now as I was walking off, he'd stand at the top, he whistled down, hello. He's like, and, and NCAA following NCAA rules. He wasn't gonna, uh, uh, interact with me, but he'd wave and let me know he was there. I was like, wow, they really care. So Illinois was just going above and beyond for me, staying within regulations and, um, making me feel like I was wanted. So that, that was that team dynamic. The third thing was, um, a as a person, I knew I didn't want to go below the Mason Dixon line. I didn't want anything to do with southern schools. Um, I, um, it was important for me to remain focused on the education aspect. Um, Illinois had a broadcast journalism program that, uh, that was, you know, top five in the nation. And all the schools that I was considering all had journal broadcast journalism programs. When it came down to, uh, I was, uh, considering Northwestern, uh, Syracuse, c l a, university of Illinois. But when it came down to it, university of Illinois, um, was a, the selection I made for, uh, that team dynamic for the, uh, the education process, the, and then on the, on the official visits, those other three schools I went to, and some form or another, uh, the players, um, made racial comments. Now, um, on the, in, on the official recruiting trips, they intentionally pair the black athletes with the black hosts, the black stu, the black recruits with the black host, and the white recruits with the white host. Now, just on, on the surface, it's like, Hey, just to reduce any conflict or possible conflict, that makes a lot of sense. And so, uh, going on these trips, the, and, and some form or another, uh, my host would say to me, man, we don't deal with them racial slurs in reference to white people. We don't deal with them blanks like that. We don't f with them blanks like that. That's not what we do here. And so I'm sitting here like, Hmm, why would I come to this school,<laugh>, if this is the team dynamic? I don't want anything to do with it. And, uh, Illinois was the only trip that I went on where, again, same pairings, but when they went to take us out, we hung out with offensive linemen who were predominantly white. We hung out at the fraternity parties. Then they took me to a black fraternity party, uh, on campus. And it was, you know, Illinois has had the largest Greek system in, in America at the time. They had every single, uh, black fraternity and sorority and, you know, Jewish and other soor, uh, fraternities and sororities in America. So it's like I was able to do everything that, uh, related to me as an individual and g and interact with all the players, regardless of race at the University of Illinois. So those are, you know, all the dynamics that came into play, why I selected the University of Illinois.

Collin Kushner: 20:47

I love all the intel that you took throughout the recruiting process and, and really figured out what you like and what's, what's negotiable and what's non-negotiable for you at, at such a young age. Your parents are both teachers. You leave early. Was there any pushback?

Brandon Lloyd: 21:02

There was, there was tears,<laugh>, there is anger. Yeah. You know, it was, you know, there's, there's six college degrees in my family. Uh, when I was in college, that was my, uh, father's wish was that all of his kid children graduate high school. Uh, we only had, we had three options. Either get a job after high school, you can stay home for a little bit, but you gotta pay rent. You go to college or you enter into the military. One of my, one of my brothers, uh, entered into the military, uh, into the Air Force. The rest of the rest of us went to college. There's a PhD<laugh> in our family, so in, in our sibling group. So the, the goal for my father was, you know, you, you go, you get this higher education. This is what the, they can't take away from you. And it's not just the piece of paper, it's the, it's the discipline. It's the, um, the, the skills that you build along the way, uh, of getting that piece of paper that make you fully equipped to enter into the world as a black man or a black woman and, and, and make something of yourself. So it was, it was, that was the, the thinking of that. And so for me, you know, if you can imagine, uh, you know, this young kid from Blue Springs, Missouri, you know, getting a division one scholarship, you know, that's a, that was an, an anomaly and it's own right. But then to take it a step further and say, all right, now I'm gonna go to the N F L, it's like, all right, dude, come on, you, you've pressed your luck. You know, now this much, you've got this far, now you think you're gonna go to the N F L. You know, it just, I can imagine it just didn't seem realistic. And, and, but I had already, you know, like I was saying before, like, my parents weren't gonna teach me how to be a professional athlete. And so I had already found those outside resources to put me on that path so that they just didn't know, I didn't share that information with them. So by the time I came to them and shared with them, Hey, this is my decision, they were like, you're never gonna go back. You're never gonna finish. And I said, I'm gonna go back. I promised. They're like, yeah, right. Not, you're not gonna do it. And but the point was, my decision was made up. I was, I had already made the decision that I was going to, uh, turn pro and I was just informing them of what I was doing. And I, you know, already had my agent, David Dunn, and, uh, he talked to them, uh, during the process. Um, they, you know, they had already, they had met with a couple other agents, you know, as I was weighing my options on. And if I, if I was gonna do that, and, you know, it ultimately was my decision, just like all my other decisions. So it was just more the way that my parents, that was their parenting style, was, you know, when I was selecting my college, this is your decision. You make the decision. So I had to do all this research and, and make sure I knew what my boundaries were, what I wanted out of this experience. Uh, because I, I wasn't gonna be able to say, this is anybody else's fault. This is all me.<laugh>.

Collin Kushner: 24:36

You know, it's so interesting, Brandon. I had a mentor of mine telling me, cuz I, I studied broadcast journalism as well back in college at a S u. And he told me, he said, buddy, he's from Texas. He's like, buddy, you know, one thing you need to learn how to do in your life is make your own decisions. And he said that to me, I think I was maybe like 21 or 22. And it really resonated because as you move through your adult life, you, you, you call the shots and you make the decisions. And if you don't learn how to do it yourself, I don't really know where you end up. You kind of end up in the, in this, in this limbo area. So I, I think that's really great that your parents are like, it's, you need to learn how to make your own decisions, even if it goes against what they wanted for you. You leave, you go to the nfl, you tell your parents, Hey, mom and dad, I'm definitely gonna go back and get my degree. You do that in 2018. You graduated from the University of Illinois years later. And in an article that the university wrote, I found this to be so fascinating. They quoted you saying, when I retired from the N F L, people would say, you don't need a degree. You are, you, you don't need that. When you hear that now, like what does that bring up for you? And what advice would you give to other, you know, student athletes in that position?

Brandon Lloyd: 25:52

Hmm. The, um, you know, it brings a tear in my eye, you know, just because of the, You know, the accountability aspect. That's what I promised my parents when I was 18 years old, was that I was gonna get that degree and, and, and my dad was right. All of those, all of the skills that I built along the way of holding myself accountable and getting that degree, it was so rewarding. It was rewarding. One, going back with all this like life experience as a 34 year old student going back, you know, and I had to take some one-on-one classes. Again, I had to take anthropology one-on-one. I had to retake Spanish. I had took three levels of Spanish and I had to, you know, I had to take, uh, biology one-on one, right? And so just going in there with a mature mindset, and it just made me such a better student and I was so much more equipped, uh, to, uh, critically think to, uh, comprehend the concepts. I I was a way better reader. Um, I was, I was able to communicate and write and, and formulate my thoughts. And it was just, it's a, it's such a, uh, a fantastic experience and rewarding experience to go back into academia. Um, and so, you know, I, I think that, you know, as a, as a young person, if, if, if anybody is in this situation where they can go regardless if they're an athlete or not, if someone's putting a million dollars in your face and saying, come, earn it, go do that<laugh>, right? You know, if someone's, you know, if there's a, a, a job opportunity or a, a a a situation where someone's offering you an opportunity to go make money in the real world, leave school and go do that. Why? Because you can always go back later. You can always go back. And when you go back, you're gonna be so much more valuable to the education system in the classroom. And, and, and the information is gonna be so much more, um, uh, pertinent to you. It, it was so much more usable when I was taking political science, you know, and, and, uh, 2016 during the elections and understand the difference between the parliamentary system and, um, and the presidential system and just applying this information in real time. It was just such a great experience. So much so that, uh, at the onset of the pandemic, I enrolled into an M B A program,<laugh>, and it just like took it to a whole nother next level. And I just feel like everyone should go get an M B A.

Collin Kushner: 28:42

The best part about this, Brandon, is just seeing the excitement, you know, in, in your eyes and your face from, you know, kind of this, this journey that you've taken so far. And it's, and you know, you're so right. I always joked around with friends, I'm like, I'd love to go back to school because of all the knowledge now. I feel like I'd be a much better student, I'd be more focused, I'd be more dialed in. Because back when you're 19, 20 years old, I don't, why am I taking philosophy 1 0 1? I don't need this. And you may be just, and I'm not saying this is a blanket statement for all, but you kind of just, you get by. Like, that was my mentality in classes that had nothing to do with being a television anchor. And looking back, I'm like, you know what? It would be cool to go back to school. You get to learn more, and you get to take all that knowledge. Brandon, you're drafted by the San Francisco 49ers in the fourth round, back in 2003. You spent 11 seasons in the National Football League. When you got the call from the 49ers, what was that moment like for you, given the fact that this was your dream that goes all the way back to childhood when you were getting sent to the principal's office for not picking something else?

Brandon Lloyd: 29:47

Yes, it, it was, um, it was definitely fulfilling in the sense that op the opportunity was materializing, but in reality it was very upsetting because I was projected to go a lot higher. So I was projected to go in the, the first three rounds, second or third round. And, and I ended up dropping into the second day, into the fourth round. And in reality, the only person happy in the N F L draft is the first overall pick. Everyone else thinks they should have been drafted higher. And I'm no exception wasn't saying, I was thinking I was gonna be number one, but I was hoping that I was gonna be a lot higher. And that's just more for, you know, that initial financial reward that comes with being drafted higher. But in reality, once I, once I got to the team, it didn't matter. I, I had a chip on my shoulder and, and I tend to lean more towards the later round draft picks because of that. You know, I had to earn it. I got on that team. I needed to earn it. I needed to earn my place, I needed to prove that I belong, I needed to play special teams. I needed to play in the pre-season. I really, it really put all that I was building from little leagues to high school, to the test, like all that, separating myself. That didn't mean anything when it came to getting on that roster for that, for that first time. It was just all about, uh, the effort and what I can put into it.

Collin Kushner: 31:21

In 2010, you're with the Denver Broncos, uh, you led the entire N F L in receiving yards with nearly 1500 yards, 11 receiving touchdowns. And Brandon, you're on a team that was four and 12 finished last in the AFC West, and your two quarterbacks were Kyle Orton and, and Tim Tebow. You know, given the, the years that you had before, like, why was that season like so successful? Like, what was it like mind, body and soul that just elevated your game to that level?

Brandon Lloyd: 31:49

Yeah, that, that 2010 season was what I call the point where effort and opportunity meet. You know, I've always considered myself a, a high effort individual, and all I really needed was an opportunity to be put on that platform, given that platform to showcase my talent. And, uh, playing with Kyle Orton in Chicago in the, in, uh, 2008, uh, when he was transferred to, to the Broncos in the J Cutler swap. Um, you know, that year I actually thought I was done playing in the n uh, I had tore my P C L with the Chicago Bears. I was gathering my, uh, transcripts from the University of Illinois. I was going to, you know, I was already in Illinois, so I was just gonna stay in Lake Forest and, uh, finish my undergraduate. I was lining up a role at the Big 10 Network, and the Big 10 Network was like, hold on, hold on, hold on. I, I, we don't know, like, how about give us a call in August and, uh, we'll circle around in August and we'll see if this really is gonna materialize. We don't wanna start, um, creating, uh, material around you, and then you turn around and go into, go back to the fellow. I'm like, I'm promised I'm done. I'm done. They're like, no. And you know, it was the off-season Dr. Drug and drug on, and my sports agent actually called me. I was like, Hey, I think this is it for you, you know, no teams are calling. And I was like, all right. So I was actually moving on in 2008, and, uh, Kyle Orton called me in July and was like, Hey man, I'm not really that happy with what's going on with the receivers out here. Uh, can Josh Mc, are you, what kind of shape you in? And I'm like, you know, I'm, uh, I'm doing some Olympic lifting with my dentist, you know, he's a big Russian Jewish guy. He's a amateur triathlete, big old legs, big old trunk. And this huge guy. I'm like, so I'm power lifting with him. Um, I'm playing basketball with the hip hop community on the south side and the country club out there. I'm rock climbing with my neighbors in Lake Forest here in, you know, indoor rock climbing puzzle, you know, and these are people, we're all chefs, so we're like eating charcuterie plates and drinking wine while we're doing these rock climbing puzzles. So I'm in this like, I'm like, man, I'm in, I'm all right. I'm in good shape,<laugh>. So Josh McDaniels calls and is like, Hey, man, do you remember I ran your pro day at Illinois, uh, with, from the, with the New England Patriots? I was like, I was like, I don't, I don't remember. He's like, yeah. He's like, um, I wanted to draft you, but Bill just didn't wanna draft you. He's like, you just didn't fit. And he says, man, if you can come out here and play anything remotely like you were playing at that time, point is like, you'll be all pro. And so I flew out for a workout, lit it up, they brought me on. I didn't play at all in that 2009 season, uh, when I was with the Broncos the first year. And, uh, the players stayed remarkably healthy. None of the receivers got injured. And it wasn't until the end of the season when, when, uh, two of the receivers faked injuries to where I got put in, uh, for the last two games of the 2009 season. Um, I played really well in those last two games. Uh, Brandon Marshall was, uh, traded away. Uh, they didn't bring brack, uh, Stokley. And then I was put into the starting receiver role in 2010. And um, and that was the first time where I had an offensive coordinator say to me, Hey man, I'm gonna feature you. We're gonna throw you the ball. And then they turn around and do it. And it was just the, it was the cerebral type of offense that I've always wanted to play. You know, three, four passing options per play, uh, hand signals. I was incorporated into the game planning. There was routes specifically for double, triple moves. Uh, it, you know, big posts and go routes and fades. And Kyle Orton can throw all the different types of balls. He was a pure just gun slinger. He, he wanted to throw the ball. He'd be on the side. He was on the sideline one time. He was like, man, I don't feel comfortable. Don't throw three or four interceptions in the game. It's like, I'm not even trying, right? It's like he just wanted to throw the ball. So we got in these games, we're throwing 50 times a game,<laugh>. And yeah, you know, being on the team with only four wins, it was tough to celebrate. You know, it was tough to really be excited for what was happening because I, I saw it happening, you know, the entire season because the media would come up to me and was kinda like, Hey man, it's the fourth game of the season. You know, you've already got half as many yards as your biggest season in the nfl. And it's kinda like, I<laugh>, you know,<laugh>, uh, you know, six games into the season, man, you got more yards than you've ever had in your entire career,<laugh> and, you know, in one season. So it's like, you know, these things were happening, but the team wasn't performing so well. So it just made it tough to celebrate. But, you know, just in my circles with the, with the sports agent, with my family and my friends who were really celebrating the, the opportunity to, uh, to really, uh, put my talent on that platform and then be up there with the elite receiver. So it was just, um, it was rewarding. It was humbling, um, to be able to, to compete up there and, and show that, you know, statistically I'm the best and you know, I've, I, that hey, you know, I've always been this good. I just needed an opportunity. So it was good. It was just, um, it was, uh, really thankful for Kyle for choosing to throw the ball to me and Josh McDaniels for, you know, running plays and calling my number.

Collin Kushner: 37:50

I love the, the mantra that, that you had, uh, for that effort and opportunity, because you gotta give your max effort. But it does come down to opportunity. I mean, they're, they're probably thousands of athletes. Were the efforts there, the skills there, everything's there, but the opportunity never comes to showcase it. And that, that, that's the key piece. Cuz I think g, at least for me growing up as a hockey player, there's a lot of frustration because the effort was always there, but the opportunity mostly never really arrived. And I remember, you know, it's kind of powerful, but what you're saying right now, because that's kind of what my dad would tell me and, and my, my coach, he'd be like, Hey, you know, you gotta get the opportunity and if the opportunity doesn't come, just remember that it's not a reflection, um, o on who you are and, and the work that you've put in. But that's a tough pill to swallow. And it takes, takes a long time to separate the two.

Brandon Lloyd: 38:41

Yeah, but you, you have to remember, um, you know, George, Carl, Josh McDaniels brought George Carl in to speak to us, um, and in the 2008, in the 2009 season, and that was one of his big frustrations was, uh, the players that he had on the team at the time, uh, Carlo, Anthony and JR Smith. And, um, and what he was dealing with, with Alan Iverson prior to that was that, um, they, they u they hit effort was a switch for them. They would turn it on and off. And it's not, it's, it's not a switch. Effort is like an athletic ability. It's always on and always on display. And I remember hearing that. I was like, wow, like that really resonated with me. That exactly was what my coaches when I was in high school, that's what they said to me. Like, Brandon, you gotta redirect your energy. You gotta redirect your energy. I had all this pent up energy and I, I didn't know the plays and I couldn't remember the plays, and I was getting mad and I was getting frustrated and like, redirect your energy. Once you learn your plays, you start studying X's and o's then that's when the fun happens. And so it was just like, um, you know, that effort was a switch for me when I was in high school. It was like, all right, now effort never turns off. All I'm waiting for is opportunities. And that's just a valuable lesson.

Collin Kushner: 40:02

That's powerful, man. That that, that the effort switch always stays on and then all you're doing is just hunting down that opportunity. I love that. I guess to kind of wrap things up, dude, um, a couple years later you, you retired from the National Football League, and I kind of wanna understand the, the, the psyche behind that. Cause I know sometimes it, it just happens, sometimes it's maybe a little bit forced. Why did you retire from the N F L?

Brandon Lloyd: 40:27

Yeah, I always tell people old age<laugh>, they laugh, love that,

Collin Kushner: 40:31

Right? They're like, 32 is old, however old you are,

Brandon Lloyd: 40:34

It's old and that industry, right? And, um, you know, it just kind of, it just reached a point for me where I didn't have the energy to go into another organization and pretend like there's a competition. I know I'm better, I know I'm the best. I don't, I don't want to pretend to new, I don't want to go into an organization and pretend like I shouldn't be getting more targets. Um, uh, when in reality what it is is that I'd be making too much money and they'd pr prefer to have two or three rookies doing, you know, playing for the value of my contract. When they would play special teams, they'd run through a brick wall, they'd do anything for the organization. When, when I wouldn't, I'm just a specialty outside, wide receiver, right? That's just difficult, um, to, uh, to quantify that on the balance sheet of a football organization. And so, um, uh, you know, the old age factors in, you know, I think I was also just ready to move on. You know, it, it, it, it happened. There's always just this balance where it's like, I still have a lot left in the tank. You know, that's what we all feel like when we're retiring. It's like, ah, I still got a lot left in the tank. But at the same time, a large part of me was like, man, it is time to move on. I need to, um, you know, my last five years in the N F L I had been working in aerospace sales. So I, I already had foresight that the end was near and I'd been preparing myself to enter into the corporate world, uh, by accepting a role in aerospace sales. And so, you know, I was, I already had, uh, an account, I was working the accounts with SpaceX and Boeing that I was working F 35 project, um, with subcontractors in southern California. I was studying under a metallurgist in the off season. And so I had this like, incredible opportunity where I was really, uh, developing myself as a businessman. And, and so the, the decision wasn't as hard for me ego wise. It was very hard. It was, uh, a loss of life. It was loss of identity. And, and like Marcellas Wallace says in Pulp Fiction, that's just your ego with you, right? That's not reality. So I need, I needed to detach myself from that identity as a football player. And that was just with a lot of self-help books, you know, Eckhart Tole, um, um, uh, talk therapy that was, um, hypnotherapy. Uh, I sit with the shaman<laugh>, you know, it's just like, uh, a lot of work, uh, with my advisors, my mentors, um, with my, um, sponsors. So it's just like really figuring out what I want to do with myself, putting that plan together on what it looks like for me, uh, repairing my relationships with my children, with my siblings. You know, I've spent 11 years in N F l I isolated myself. I intentionally isolated myself so that I could focus on that and give that, uh, all of my attention and effort. And so just like post N F L was like, I just needed to repair all those relationships, figure out what I'm gonna do so I'm not chewing up the<laugh>, the, the corners of the wall<laugh> and uh, and, and so I can be in a healthy place to where I can be present for my children, present for my family and friends, and then move forward in this world in a fulfilling way that, uh, that's fulfilling for me.

Collin Kushner: 44:20

I love how you move through that. I mean, you're mourning, you're mourning a, a part of yourself. It it, it takes, I mean, it's, it's a part of you has, has moved on and you need to take the time and attention to mourn it, because I think that's the space for, for many athletes where it becomes that area where you either, you either sink or swim and it becomes this, you know, kind of gray area. But I think that's, that's so wise and and smart of you to take the opportunity to dive into books, dive into therapy, dive into some spirituality to kind of get that all dialed in. That's powerful, man.

Brandon Lloyd: 44:51

Yeah, it was like, you know, I have to look in the mirror and say, be Lloyd. Thank you for that. That was awesome. That was a hell of a ride. Thank you for all that came along with that. But I no longer need you anymore. I need to find another identity. I need to be Brandon Lloyd moving forward. And so all that was great. And I love the journey. And all the individuals and all those lessons are still with me. They're just not, I am just not that anymore.

Collin Kushner: 45:25

Brandon Lloyd, I appreciate the time, man. I feel like I could talk to you for another hour.

Brandon Lloyd: 45:30

Well, you have to come on again. I'll, I'll totally come on again. We can talk, we can talk, uh, corporate life and, and, and navigating that. That would be fun.