%20(3).png)
Sports & Suits
Sports & Suits: Where Athletics Meets Ambition
Welcome to the official Sports & Suits playlist, your ultimate destination for conversations that bridge the world of athletics with the drive and discipline of the corporate arena. Each episode features candid interviews and thought-provoking discussions with top athletes, business leaders, and influencers who share how they harness the competitive spirit of sports to excel in their professional lives. Dive into real-life stories of resilience, leadership, and adaptability—traits that power championship teams on the field and high-performing organizations off it.
Tune in to discover the mindset shifts, training regimens, and success strategies used by champions in sports and business alike. Whether you’re an aspiring entrepreneur, a seasoned CEO, or simply a curious listener hungry for fresh perspectives, Sports & Suits delivers insights and inspiration that go beyond the scoreboard. Subscribe, hit play, and join us on this journey—where athletics truly meets ambition.
Sports & Suits
The Comeback: Diontae Johnson's Fresh Start
In this raw and revealing conversation with Diontae Johnson, we dive deep into the peaks and valleys of an NFL career that's been defined by both remarkable talent and challenging transitions.
Diontae takes us back to his early days in Ruskin, Florida, where baseball was actually his first sporting love before football captured his heart. His journey from Leonard High School to Toledo University showcases the resilience required when recruitment doesn't come knocking until senior year. The vulnerability Diontae displays when discussing his collegiate struggles—from breaking his foot to academic challenges that left him "depressed" and considering quitting—offers listeners rare insight into the mental fortitude required before ever reaching the professional level.
The NFL conversation pulls no punches as Diontae candidly discusses his path through Pittsburgh, Carolina, Baltimore, and Houston. His startling admission about "checking out mentally" with the Ravens and refusing to enter a game represents one of the most honest discussions you'll hear from an active player about the psychological toll of feeling underutilized. This conversation brilliantly illuminates the business side of football that fans rarely glimpse—where political decisions, coaching preferences, and mental resilience often determine a player's trajectory more than raw talent.
Now with a fresh start in Cleveland, Diontae's perspective on taking things "one day at a time" rather than making bold predictions demonstrates the wisdom gained through his journey. His thoughts on life after football—fishing and potentially opening a hibachi restaurant—reveal the person behind the jersey. Whether you're a Browns fan excited about their newest receiver or simply someone interested in the unvarnished truth about professional sports careers, this conversation delivers powerful insights about perseverance, mental health, and finding your way back after challenging setbacks.
Check out our sponsor Nectr at Nectr.energy and use promo code Garcia5
All right. Well, cheers, brother, cheers, you made it. Yes, sir, here we go. All right, we got Deontay Johnson here. Folks Just signed with the Cleveland Browns. Tell us about it, man. Are you pumped? You ready to get back into it, or what?
Speaker 2:Yeah, I'm excited, you know, new opportunity.
Speaker 1:Yeah.
Speaker 2:Fresh start for me. So just go in there and be myself and do what I got to do, yeah for me.
Speaker 1:So just go in there and be myself and do what I got to do. Yeah, well, uh, with the next guest we're going to have, uh, he told me. Uh, he said they, uh, they're treating you kind of like a rookie almost. He said they asked you for gloves and you're, and are you asked for gloves? And they were like nah, man, you got no gloves, or something like that.
Speaker 2:It was like they gave me like the orange and I'm like like no, I don't want to make it a big deal, so I'm just appreciate it. You know, I'll make it work yeah, yeah, yeah, I can imagine.
Speaker 1:But uh, local guy here, um, I ask you this every freaking time played high school, leonard right Leonard High School, which is in Ruskin, ruskin, ruskin. So yeah, just you know, we're just going to kind of talk about you know, growing up. I mean, do you play other sports? You know what?
Speaker 2:baseball is my first sport no, yeah, your first sport, yeah, baseball. So, um, I started when I was like seven. Okay, got hit in the eye. I thought I was gonna quit after that, and then, you know, I stuck with it, uh, and then I just gradually got better. Yeah, what position, what position did you play? Center field.
Speaker 1:That makes sense.
Speaker 2:Shortstop. I pitched a little bit. I played catcher too.
Speaker 1:Everything.
Speaker 2:I was just interested in like different positions, so I was just trying and I was just natural when did you start playing football Around about the same year, same seven?
Speaker 1:Seven, seven, eight years? Yeah, I mean shit, I remember playing. So is that seven years old? Is that player pitch? Yeah, I remember doing that. I played, you know, little League and hitting the tee ball and played player pitch Striking out left and right. Dude, I got smoked. I got smoked to the ball. I said fuck this. Like this is, I'm done with this shit. I'd rather play tackle football and at least have a chance to avoid these damn guys, my dad, my dad, he wanted me to play baseball.
Speaker 2:Yeah, because that's where the money was at. Well, it still is. Until I got out of high school, I lost the love of it.
Speaker 1:Yeah, it's a little more boring than what you're doing now.
Speaker 2:It is boring, when you're a good pitcher, striking everybody else yeah.
Speaker 1:Well, I'll tell you what a lot of people don't know. Well, maybe they do. This son of a bitch can throw the fucking piss out of the ball Like they just absolutely ripped it. So you played, did you play? You played quarterback in like.
Speaker 2:Little League.
Speaker 1:Yeah, little League All throughout high school. I remember you saying that.
Speaker 2:Yeah, all the way up said rookie freshman, come in, devin Black. Then I was able to move back to receiver. I played receiver in Little League too, okay, but I just wanted to try quarterback.
Speaker 1:Devin Black. Why does that name sound familiar?
Speaker 2:He played for the Longhorns. For a little bit Did he play college anywhere? He went to Bethune.
Speaker 1:That name sounds so familiar.
Speaker 2:He went to Armwood too.
Speaker 1:That's okay, that's what I think he was number seven there at the time. I know that name sounds familiar Shit, I probably follow him. But yeah, that's pretty wild. Did you guys ever play Armwood?
Speaker 2:Oh yeah, we got blown out.
Speaker 3:They did that to a lot of people, it was like 49.
Speaker 2:We scored, we got like six points. Did you play quarterback then? Yeah? It sucks back then I had two high ankle sprains. That game I couldn't run, so I'm just getting demolished we didn't have a line, bro.
Speaker 1:Oh my God, yeah, armwood tended to do that to a lot of people. I remember we played them in an ESPN game. I think it was my junior year, so we went to state my sophomore year so I think it was the first or second game of the year we played at Armwood. We're both nationally ranked teams. They went back to the opening kickoff and just never stopped scoring, so I think it was like 58 to 14 at one point. That was all y'all could do oh, it was ugly.
Speaker 2:It was ugly as shit.
Speaker 1:I mean. Mean they were always stacked, though I remember they had tory davis who played that sounds so familiar, played d-line, then went to florida. Okay, okay this motherfucker had arms, I mean he could touch. He could touch sean from like right here, his arms are so damn long. I remember I was running. I mean in high school I was running, you know four, six, like I was running, 4'6". I was moving. This old bitch I'm running, he freaking grabs my hair, he just yanks me down.
Speaker 2:I had the long hair. This is short.
Speaker 1:Compared to what I had in high school, it was longer than that. Oh yeah, I had it all throughout high school. Then I get to South Carolina and Coach Spears is like oh, oh, yeah, you can keep your hair First day. He's like, all right, cut that shit, cut that hair, shave your beard. You got to be a quarterback. Now I'm like you just spent like three years telling me I didn't have to cut or shave, and that's a whole different bag of worms.
Speaker 3:No, he brings up Spurrier, at least once an episode.
Speaker 1:You have to, you have to. It's just you know when you talk about football.
Speaker 3:I seem a little upset.
Speaker 1:Yeah, it sticks with you. I mean, I'm sure you've had stuff that, like coaches, kind of chewed your ass and you're like God damn it, this guy's a pain in the ass. Slipping on the field like every time. Jesus man, it's a pain in the ass. I'll tell you this much. We just got done working out and we for two years now, yeah, watching this guy come out of his break, sean, when he hits that like so you know, a speed cut, dig, you know you think that he's gonna kind of just roll it in. This guy is five yards before you even throw the ball. That's why I threw that dagger to you and it was behind you. Today I'm like God damn this guy gets-.
Speaker 1:No man, this guy gets out of his break so freaking fast. But that's the difference between throwing to a high college level guy, to an NFL receiver. It's pretty wild. It's awesome to see man. I'm pumped for you, I'm excited for you for this new journey in Cleveland and I know you are man what?
Speaker 2:Just based off, like what I've been through last year and I get a fresh start, I just feel like it's going to be a big year for me.
Speaker 1:We're pulling for you, that's for damn sure, and I think so too. I don't want to put you on the spot, but who do you think is going to be the starter? I know we talked about it off camera, but I think they're going to roll with Kenny for right now. So you just had rookie minicamp, right, you went with them and did all that stuff.
Speaker 2:I've been seeing Kenny going on right now with the ones and then Joe will come in. I think they're probably going to roll with him, just like the seed just coming off the season he was with Philly and having the Super Bowl. So I think they're going to stick with him through preseason and then they can live with Joe coming bringing to the table.
Speaker 1:Yeah, yeah Is Kenny still wearing gloves, you know it.
Speaker 2:He's not going to take them off, are his hands?
Speaker 1:that small?
Speaker 2:Yeah, they're not that big. That's crazy as shit. He wears gloves every practice. Does he rip the ball though? Yeah, he can spin it.
Speaker 1:He can spin it. I mean, I wore a glove today, but on my left hand I don't know how he does it. I can't wear a glove on the right hand. That's a no-go.
Speaker 2:I think it's just like it helps him grip the ball. I mean, if you have small hands, then I guess yeah.
Speaker 1:You know, I know he wanted to ask. What did you want to ask?
Speaker 3:Has Shador thrown to you yet?
Speaker 2:No, I haven't even been out there. Like our lockers are like right across. Have you been up to Cleveland? Yeah, I got family of. Cleveland yeah that's like three hours. Oh shit, I didn't know that. Columbus Ohio, yeah yeah, that's a little place.
Speaker 3:I'm not a big geography guy either, so I don't know. It's cold out there, right For sure.
Speaker 1:Did you just say it was 40 degrees Bro?
Speaker 2:up there. We was outside Bro. The indoor is only 40 yards 40 to 50 yards.
Speaker 1:That's crazy, no.
Speaker 2:Cleveland is only our indoor. That's crazy. And then we just got what? Five, six grass fields out there, jesus, so we're going to be outside. I mean it'll warm up eventually. I mean, yeah, now it's like 70-something up there now.
Speaker 3:And then it's going to start snowing again in like August man I'm not even trying to think about it?
Speaker 1:Yeah Well, let's talk about that. So you're, are you from Tampa area? Yeah, Okay, so you're from Tampa area. Hot as shit. Go to Leonard, hot as shit. Then you go to Toledo. So you're familiar with a little bit of a cold.
Speaker 2:Yeah yeah, yeah, Right, it was, bro. We played in the negatives 30s and all that. It's cold, bro. Pittsburgh, same. Yeah, Baltimore, like it's cold.
Speaker 1:Yeah, what's the difference? I mean, I know I never played in anything like that. The coldest game we played in was the Papa John's Bowl in Birmingham, alabama, and that was cold as shit.
Speaker 2:Bro, it was 10 degrees. One game man when I was at Pittsburgh Raiders 10 degrees at warm-ups.
Speaker 1:I mean, how do you, how do you does the? The ball's got to feel like a freaking cannonball. Oh yeah, like hard as a brick yeah.
Speaker 2:Even if you wear them weather gloves, the shit still don't hurt.
Speaker 1:That's bro. I mean, that's, that's kind of what happened with brady right with the whole deflate gate, kind of. So you can get better. Yeah, well, you can grip the shit out of it but yeah, that's. I remember that game and that's not cold. My brother's played up in boston at harvard and I remember sitting in the stands and that was freezing. I mean you, it's a little bit warmer when you're playing and you're not just sitting there.
Speaker 2:But it's more mental though, rob Markman. That's all. It is more mental.
Speaker 1:Rob Markman, I'm glad you brought that up. How much is that part of the NFL game Is just the mentality of this is my job, I got to do this.
Speaker 2:Rob Markman. That's a big part, bro. It plays in a lot of factors on the field, off the field, in the game, just decision making sometimes or stuff not going your way. You know what I'm saying. All that stuff plays in how you go about stuff.
Speaker 1:What was the? I know I'm kind of bouncing all over the place right now, but I'm just thinking off the top of my head. What was the draft process like with the meetings and meeting with the GMs and the coaches, was it?
Speaker 2:Bro at the combine. Bro, it's like they testing you on every little thing, oh yeah. All these tests on the computer got all these doctors pulling on you left and right and they feel like you need an MRI. You're going to have to get an MRI from this team or the other team won't win. So you can be there. I was there from. We started at like six. I didn't leave until like five in the afternoon.
Speaker 1:And you had to do multiple MRIs.
Speaker 2:Yes, lead at like five in the afternoon and you had to do multiple MRIs. Yes, then if you move an, MRI, you got to start all over and then you got to go. You, after that you got to find time to get your stance, your starts, and all that. Then you still got the meetings and you, you up all day.
Speaker 1:I mean, that's, that's mental.
Speaker 3:Yeah, you have to do that when uh teams are trading, you also like during the draft process? No, no, like once you're already in the NFL no, no, no.
Speaker 2:You don't have to go through that process Because they give you a physical though, right, yeah, you get the physical. You go through all that again.
Speaker 3:But they don't give you an MRI and all that shit Depends on like if they feel like you need one Like.
Speaker 2:They probably not going to sign you if you're not healthy for real. Until you're healthy.
Speaker 3:I didn't know that.
Speaker 1:Well shit, I mean you're investing a lot of money.
Speaker 3:You might as well right.
Speaker 1:You might, yeah, but I mean that's crazy as hell. So it's like an all-day event, and then you got to run routes the following day.
Speaker 2:I mean how long is it? Like a three-day, four days, something like that.
Speaker 1:That's a long damn time.
Speaker 2:Yeah, just meeting after meeting, after meeting.
Speaker 1:I mean, that's kind of what you know. Have you met Shador yet?
Speaker 2:No, you haven't even met him.
Speaker 1:I'm looking forward to it though I'm interested Once you meet him and you come back. I'm interested to hear what your thought process is or what you thought of him, because I know looking at the media.
Speaker 3:I mean Well, also Dylan. Let's not forget about Dylan.
Speaker 2:Dylan's been in the ball too. They both can throw.
Speaker 1:I mean I would hope they got drafted right. Yeah, we're going to see.
Speaker 2:Pre-season we're going to see everything.
Speaker 3:Yeah, I'm thinking they're going to start Flacco.
Speaker 2:You never know. Super Bowl champ, they probably could, yeah, they also have Deshaun Watson. Well, I mean, he's injured, right, so he's going to be on IR. He want to come back.
Speaker 1:He want to come back the. It's crazy. I don't think a lot of people understand. I mean, I know I should. I don't understand the intricacies of the NFL and the political side of it, you know. I mean try to kind of expand on that, Like how is it that political? Yeah, oh, like as far as where, as far as, like you know, coaching decisions, players and just pretty much everything Like yeah, like I'm trying to think of an example, like you're saying, like you got to play nice with teammates, right?
Speaker 3:Yeah, that's what I'm saying, like for Shador, it's like you know they're like a few anonymous GMs are like.
Speaker 1:We hated the interview. It was one of the worst interviews.
Speaker 3:We took him off the board, yeah.
Speaker 1:He's undraftable, he's not humble, whatever. And then other people are like I don't know where the hell this guy's talking about. He's a stand-up guy.
Speaker 2:Yeah, yeah, yeah, you know what I'm saying.
Speaker 1:I feel like it's based off. Just Obviously, it's a massive business, yeah yeah, he say she say thing Right.
Speaker 2:I feel like they try to put you under the light sometimes and want you to be a certain way already before you come in there. Right, because they already got a certain standard that they've been living by you know what I'm saying all these years. And then you get a new guy that comes in and he's been a certain way all his life leading up to this and now you're trying to change it yeah. So it's like they don't.
Speaker 1:Especially like him, you see that, that you ain't really. But you're not changing All these unknowns start popping up. I mean, that's a damn good point, man it's like you've had arguably one of the best athletes to ever play the NFL. Deion Sanders. I mean, he's your dad, you've been training with him, you've been playing for him as a quarterback in his system. Then you expect him to change his attitude, change his persona, like that's a tough thing to do To me.
Speaker 2:I feel like he was just being himself. Yeah, that's how he is, I bet.
Speaker 3:Dion molded him a little bit. A little bit, a lot of bit.
Speaker 1:I mean because Dion oh shit, that's your kid. I mean, he's humble.
Speaker 2:To me, he humble, he humble. That's just how he was raised. He got more, he stand for something, so he just, I don't know if. I'd go say that he's humble. I mean he could be humble. He probably they took the. How can I say it? He probably didn't mean it that way though.
Speaker 1:Yeah, I know I don't think he's meaning to be or coming off, as I feel like he's sitting to say that first part when he first got up there, something like if you don't want to win, or whatever.
Speaker 2:Something about if you don't want to change your culture, I'm going to win, I would have just went up there and answered the questions and went on about my business.
Speaker 1:But to your point at least, he's not changing and he's standing on what he's saying. So I mean that is respectable, so you can't knock him for that yeah.
Speaker 2:Yeah, but a lot of times people are scared to be themselves too, I mean you have to have a level of confidence.
Speaker 1:They're trying to toe that line, you know.
Speaker 3:You have to have a level of confidence in yourself to be a pro athlete.
Speaker 2:You can't just say, oh, I'm not legendary.
Speaker 1:Brought that up, did your? Because I know, when I went through the shit with South Carolina, my confidence was fucking rock bottom. You know, with Coach Spurr constantly poking me and shit, and I'm like God man and I say this all the time I'm like I didn't want to drink. I fucking needed to drink to get rid of this guy's ear like just buzzing in my ear the whole time, but I mean just the constant poking.
Speaker 1:It's like dude. I played 47 games in the SEC Like I know what the fuck I'm doing, but you got somebody that's constantly taking it on your knees and it's just. You know, it's crippling to your confidence. Have you experienced that? Yeah, through your NFL career Plenty of times.
Speaker 2:It's more so, like just sometimes I'd be forgetting stuff on the field. Sometimes I'd be forgetting stuff on the field like the plays or just little stuff like that. And now I just, coaches, jump on you like, hey, man, you got to know this, you got to know that, and I go, I got you, I got you. But, it's every day, but I'm still getting open. Rob Markman.
Speaker 1:Yeah, that's Rob Markman. You know what I'm saying. I'm getting open. Rob Markman, I'm fucking dart man Like who gives a shit what it looks like, and I took like now, these guys want it their way.
Speaker 2:You know no for real, but now, like when, I just focus on the little details.
Speaker 1:Now, yeah, I mean it's clear as day. You're seeing it out there when you're running around at your house.
Speaker 2:I mean it's if you mess up you ones. That's real about that game, bro. You see it Like Minka, when I was on Pittsburgh, minka, tj, cam Hayward, just how they come in every day. Tj eat the same stuff every morning Oatmeal, strawberries. No sugar in there, just straight. It's like they're in there dry. You know what I'm saying he eating that every morning.
Speaker 1:Rob Markman. God, my mouth got dry just thinking about that.
Speaker 2:Rob Markman and then how he just see the work shows on the field. They always in the right spot, they always around the ball and I just took from them and put certain stuff in my game. I feel like that's been helping me out a lot.
Speaker 1:Yeah, well, shit, let's talk about it. Man the elephant in the room, so you go, you play damn well, your rookie year, our rookie contract through Pittsburgh. Yeah, you signed the big contract with Carolina. Kind of go through it and you don't have to talk about it. If you don't want to, we can, all we can edit this shit out.
Speaker 2:No, they just took over.
Speaker 1:You re-signed with Pittsburgh and then Carolina took over.
Speaker 2:Yeah, yeah, oh shit, I didn't know that, yeah, yeah, because I had one more year left on my deal.
Speaker 1:Oh shit Okay.
Speaker 2:So last year I lost a contract.
Speaker 1:Okay, this year is two. So so you signed a one-year contract with Cleveland, right? Yeah, one year, okay. Is it a team option? On the Nothing guaranteed Nothing Nothing, let's fucking go. Man. Sounds good. Hey, let's fucking rock and roll, man. It's money season. But yeah, I just wanted to ask you, like you know, when you go to Carolina, kind of go through that. I know we got a lot of Carolina Panthers fans that are going to be watching this shit.
Speaker 2:It was just I love Carolina, like the coaches Coach Canales there like just how he bringing that energy every day makes you want to practice for him and stuff like we wasn't obviously winning and I came from an environment where I was used to winning, so I wasn't kind of used to it and stuff kind of went left and then it was always one thing after the next. Rob Markman.
Speaker 1:That's what happens, man. When it rains it pours.
Speaker 2:But I've still got good, got a good relationship with Coach Canales, so whenever he called me, I'd make sure I pick up, yeah, so yeah, so then.
Speaker 1:So, carolina, and then I went to Baltimore, baltimore.
Speaker 2:Baltimore. That was a that was a tough situation for me. Like I, I checked out mentally, rob Markman.
Speaker 1:And that's yeah, like you said, it's a mental game.
Speaker 2:I just felt like I wasn't getting used. You know what I'm saying. I wouldn't say used as being selfish, like just feeling a part of the team. I just checked out. And then that one game I told them I wasn't going in. Rob Markman Jr, Do you want?
Speaker 1:to talk about that. We can. Rob Markman Jr. That's a pretty wild story. It's kind of funny.
Speaker 2:I wasn't getting into no run plays no passing plays.
Speaker 1:no, nothing, Wasn't it cold as shit, you said yeah it was cold.
Speaker 2:So I'm on the sideline just standing there, just going to the heater, back and forth, just waiting to hear my name called. Fourth, end of third, going into the fourth or whatever. They're like Tay, we need you. I'm like nah, I don't think it's a good idea for me, because I was thinking about my legs.
Speaker 2:I don't want to go out there and put bad stuff on film, right right, and it's not like I didn't want to go in the game, but you got to think leading up to this point. I done been through so much.
Speaker 1:And like you said, man, you were kind of checked out.
Speaker 2:Yeah, I checked out mentally I was like, whatever happens, happens. I was just rolling with the punches at that time so I told him I wasn't going in. I was like, I understand what you're saying, but I'm not going to go in. So I just sat on the bench and then that's when they suspended me. And then I came after the suspension, they excused me from team activities. So then I was like, if I'm not going, because I already knew if I went back I was going to be in a doghouse even more. So I was just asked to get released and then I got picked up by Houston and then I went to Houston. Things was going smooth. I thought I was going to be the way they made it seem like I was going to be playing a lot. Just, oh, we want you to learn this, learn this. So I learned the playbook so fast. And then come game time. I'm getting like they putting the younger guys in, but I understand it's the guys they drafted. So I got to wait my turn.
Speaker 1:But it's like dang, but y'all was telling me I'm finna get this dude.
Speaker 2:You know what I'm saying so I checked out mentally, I just went it was bad timing checked out mentally, talked to head coach right after the game, like I wasn't trying to wait, had a drug test. I'm like bro, I'm trying to talk to the head coach and after that they said I was a distraction and they released me, yeah yeah. So I've been home ever since and I was just hoping that I got something. There's something, and Cleveland called and I was thankful that was the only team that called really the whole off season.
Speaker 1:So that's kind of like an eye opener, kind of like I gotta. If I want to keep doing this, I gotta rock and roll.
Speaker 2:Yup, I really gotta be on my. It humbled me, though.
Speaker 1:Yeah, well, talk about your relationship with Juice, and you know Route God and you know how he's kind of helped you kind of get out of the funk with the mentality of it of kind of being at not necessarily the doghouse or rock bottom, but just kind of like going through like the shit of the NFL.
Speaker 2:Bro, like we go way back, like to when I was in college, like Little League as well too. We really started training when I was. Where was I? Freshman year of college, rob Markman. Oh shit, rob Markman, because I was just doing everything off athleticism in high school, rob Markman. No technique type stuff, rob Markman Jr. Oh shit, because I was just doing everything off athleticism in high school, rob Markman.
Speaker 1:Jr. No technique type stuff.
Speaker 2:Yeah, none. So I started training with him sophomore year and then just being with him it helped me work on my technique better. Just the little stuff that I can you know what I'm saying I know I can be more efficient at. And just being with him every year, like you see, like the progress, and that's why I try to tell like every young guy that comes around or that's out there with us to like really just stick with him. Yeah. You know, what I'm saying.
Speaker 1:He gonna help you elevate your game and I'll tell you what man I'm glad at your house the big dude, the young quarterback that is dead. He texted me. He's like that was one of the coolest experiences that we've ever been around For real, because they're big Steelers fans. He's like we're going to Deontay Johnson's house. Are you shitting me?
Speaker 2:I was like yeah, man, it's going to be cool as shit. He would be getting twisted, though they think I'm an asshole or something, but no. I did it for them.
Speaker 1:Yeah, yeah, I'm telling you, man, they literally called me afterwards Like as soon as they left. They were like that was elite. So, man, that's awesome, because these young kids, man, they look up to you, you know, you know, whether you like to know that or not, they look up to you and shit, man, I look up to you, that's for real bro.
Speaker 2:That's for real bro. Appreciate that Hell. Yeah, I like that because I know in this game you can't play forever, forever, right? I just like to bring kids around and give back what I was taught.
Speaker 1:Yeah, absolutely. Well, we're going to take a quick little break and then we'll come back and wrap it up.
Speaker 3:Like, comment and subscribe and follow Sports and Suits on every single platform.
Speaker 2:Oh, I thought he was.
Speaker 1:Oh, I thought he was just saying that but yeah, we're back with uh, dionte and um, you know, we're just kind of bouncing all over the field right now with uh, you know just kind of early life, college life, now pro life, um, you know, is there is there anything in particular that you remember, specifically in, I don't know, in at the youth level, high school level, even college level, that you're like this is what I want to do, I want to play in the NFL, I want to play receiver, I want to. You know what I'm saying. Like, was there like that kind of like?
Speaker 2:moment when I was playing receiver. It was for the Dover Patriots in 2006. I was catching the ball from. My quarterback was Scarlett Clark. At the time.
Speaker 1:Hold on. What grade were you in 2006?
Speaker 2:Something like fifth.
Speaker 1:Jesus Christ, I'm old as fuck.
Speaker 2:Yeah, fourth, fifth, something like that.
Speaker 1:I graduated high school in 2007.
Speaker 3:Damn. How old are you? 37. No, I'm 28.
Speaker 2:Oh damn, bro, we're the oldest.
Speaker 3:I graduated at 07 too shit, that's crazy well alright.
Speaker 1:So yeah, man, so you, you had that moment. You were like holy shit, I'm pretty good at this.
Speaker 2:I had like 15 touchdowns that year straight. Deep balls, yeah and just. And I over the shoulder and my dad my dad and the coach used to tell me, oh, you got ability to play on Sundays and I was just stuck with it. I said bump baseball and stay with football.
Speaker 1:I'll be damned. So then you, you know you go to, but that was that. Was you playing receiver, though you weren't playing quarterback, or were you playing quarterback as well?
Speaker 2:I was playing receiver in the beginning, yeah, and then I transitioned to quarterback.
Speaker 1:Yeah.
Speaker 2:Like I was playing, I was going to camps and shit for quarterback, like trying to go yeah, yeah and just wanted none Shaking Like I don't want to get none.
Speaker 1:Which is kind of crazy. Like I said earlier, man, you can throw the shit out of the ball. So I just went right back to receiving. Yeah, so then you know at Leonard, you know what? I guess, when did you start getting recruited? That's something I wanted to ask you about, Not until my senior year.
Speaker 2:Really, like I had like US Sub would come to the game my junior year. Watch me play court. We ain't.
Speaker 1:I was about to say because I mean, is there any? You've got to be the only guy that's come out of Leonard, yeah that's in the league right now.
Speaker 2:Yeah, you know what I'm saying.
Speaker 1:That's.
Speaker 2:Ruskin man.
Speaker 1:That's not a whole lot of shit to do out there, bro.
Speaker 2:now they got like a lot of people getting offers and stuff they winning.
Speaker 1:Yeah. What's their mascot? Are they purple? Yeah.
Speaker 2:They got sued. I think I'm going to sue by the Texas Longh Rob Markman Jr.
Speaker 1:I got my glasses on orange for that Rob.
Speaker 2:Markman Jr For the look. Yeah, so that's why they had to change colors. Rob Markman Jr, oh shit.
Speaker 1:But yeah man. So like you know, you get. When did you? You did not start getting recruited till your senior year, rob Markman Jr, yeah my senior year.
Speaker 2:Like that's when Because we played Jefferson, what is it Prompt for home? I had two touchdowns in the first half. Rob Markman.
Speaker 1:Jr Damn Jefferson, what?
Speaker 2:the fuck, Rob Markman Jr Right, almost 200 yards receiving, and then that following week Toledo came. I'm like fuck is Toledo. Rob Markman.
Speaker 1:Jr. Yeah, where is that at?
Speaker 2:Rob Markman Jr. I'm like Jason Candle was the officer coordinator at the time. Rob Markman Jr. Yep, they offered me for corner and receiver and then I think I got Alcorn State. Usf came towards the end but they was trying to gray serve me, rob Markman. Oh okay, so I was like nah. And then I had Eastern. Was it Eastern Michigan, not Eastern Michigan? It's a blue school, blue and white school. Was it Eastern Michigan, not Eastern Michigan? It's a blue school, blue and white school.
Speaker 1:I don't know Eastern something Eastern who gives a shit, I don't know. Yeah, but that was about it.
Speaker 2:I didn't really have none.
Speaker 1:Yeah, but shit, I mean you made the most of it. Did you redshirt at Toledo?
Speaker 2:Yeah, when I got hurt, I broke my foot my sophomore year, okay, so I had the red shirt. Then I had to sit. A lot of people don't know. I had to sit out because they flagged my ACT like my freshman year but they let me play, so I had to finish. I could finish that year, but I had to sit out the following year, yeah, so I retook it the sophomore year and I missed it by one.
Speaker 1:Dude, you know that these guys now they don't have to. I don't even know if they have to take a test. Do you know that they don't have to take? One, I don't know, I don't think the SAT or ACT, I think they just literally just got to take it and whatever score they get, fuck it Bro that year was crazy for me.
Speaker 2:I wanted to quit.
Speaker 1:Really yeah.
Speaker 2:I was so low during that time. I was injured. I couldn't be around the team because of that suspension Right. So I couldn't be around the team, couldn't do nothing with the team, so I was just depressed up there and it was cold and stuff.
Speaker 1:Well, yeah, being cold definitely adds to the, but when I came back, bro With a vengeance? Yeah, well, shit. That's what you're about to do now, man. Yeah, come back with a goddamn vengeance, so I'll snap. Well, shit, we got a lot more in common than you think then, with all the suspensions and shit going on, shit.
Speaker 2:Bro, I was so blown I'm like how y'all year out and then suspend me the rest of the next year.
Speaker 1:Yeah, that's perplexing, that's weird, bro, shit, man, shit. So then, all right, so we're going through your Toledo process. After the suspension, you come back with an absolute vengeance. Yeah, my breakout year, yeah.
Speaker 2:First game back. I had a kickoff return. First play of the game. First play of the game I finished with 12, 78, 15 touchdowns and like 78 catches that year.
Speaker 1:That'll do. That was your junior year, your red shirt junior. Okay, then is that you.
Speaker 2:I came back one more year For your senior year. Yeah, cause they projected me like six, fifth, sixth round on my breakout year. So I was like nah, Came back, had like 708 touchdowns or whatever Ran a. We didn't get to the combine. Training in Boca Raton for the most of the time.
Speaker 1:With Bomarino Pete. Yeah, yeah, no, no, no, no, no, no. Tony, tony Mal. Rob Markman, the guy who was in the 40s. Rob Markman, the guy who was in the 40s. Rob Markman, the guy who was in the 40s. Rob Markman, the guy who was in the 40s.
Speaker 2:Rob Markman, the guy who was in the 40s. Rob Markman, the guy who was in the 40s. Rob Markman, the guy who was in the 40s. Rob Markman, the guy who was in the 40s. I wasn't running the 40 ever again. I just did the routes at the pro day.
Speaker 1:Hold on. You ran a 4-5-3 and said I'm not running this anymore, no, and still got drafted Third round.
Speaker 2:That's crazy as shit. All you need is one coach that like you.
Speaker 1:Daryl.
Speaker 2:Drake from the Pittsburgh Steelers. Bro, rest in peace. That was my guy. He saw me at a pro day. He knew what it was. We sat down until like 12 o'clock the day before my pro day, the night before. I mean Just talking chopping it up Me, him and his special team coach Danny Smith, were you the first receiver they took that year yeah. Third round man. Holy shit, I felt like once I met them, I knew, I felt like I was going to go there. Yeah, yeah.
Speaker 1:That's pretty freaking badass man and, like you said, it just takes one person. It's kind of what I'm going through with my son right now. He's bitching and complaining about how does this kid have offers? Why does he have offers? This kid is? He comes out to the workouts and he doesn't throw anywhere near as good I was in the same position. I'm like dude who gives a shit what they're doing. You gotta do what you're doing. Keep working, yeah, Worry about what's on your plate.
Speaker 2:Everything else gonna come to you A hundred percent, a hundred percent.
Speaker 3:I mean, do you want to talk about NIL deals?
Speaker 2:Man, I was a poet, I don't know what to call it boy Poe. We was getting a little $1,600 scholarship check every month. For like you could spend however you wanted. I spent it all on my kids $1,600 a month $1,600 a month bro.
Speaker 1:That's rich, that ain't shit, they're millionaires, bro.
Speaker 2:They were fake.
Speaker 3:What Fake? So you couldn't even cash them.
Speaker 2:No fake.
Speaker 1:Fake shoes. Fake shoes.
Speaker 2:Them Christian Lou's. I had Fake Bro, like I had to work in the summer, bro.
Speaker 1:That's crazy we was getting $600 in the summer.
Speaker 2:Our rent was like $1,600.
Speaker 1:But I'm telling you, man, that's significantly more than what we got. We got $48 a weekend and that's if we went to every single team meal, every single class, like all the stuff. If you miss it, it's minus $10, minus $15. We had one of our backup quarterbacks, reed McCollum I hope you watch this shit, I'm going to tag you in it. He fucking owed like $300 a week because he said yeah, I'm not going to anything.
Speaker 1:You want to talk about somebody that checked completely out. We called him Weed McCollum. His name is Reed McCollum and he doesn't give a shit. I mean, he's an excellent dad and husband right now and just living the dream, but dude and kid can throw the shit out of the ball, but he did not give a fuck about anything. You know, you got to have a certain kind of skin to be able to handle Coach Spurrier constantly poking you. He did not. He did not have that kind of skin. Spurrier would say something to him and he would just fucking crumble. Meanwhile he would say something to me and I'm like fuck you, I'm going to do it my way, like Frank Sinatra. But yeah, man, NIL like with these kids now. It's insane.
Speaker 1:You got guys that are getting paid. Shador is taking a 80% pay cut from what? He was making in Colorado.
Speaker 2:I'm sure Dylan Gabriel is the same way. They'd rather stay in college long enough.
Speaker 1:I know what was it. Quinn Ewers was on a scale between like six and eight million is what his NIL valuation was If he were to go. I think it was. It was like projected to go to Notre Dame and he decided he wanted to be in the NFL and then he went like six round, he went a little round.
Speaker 1:So he's, you go from making six or eight million dollars to In college. Bro, in college I could. I wouldn't be here today if they paid me that much. In college I would have been long gone, a long time ago.
Speaker 2:You can enroll.
Speaker 3:You know, that's what I tell him. I'm like yo enroll one more. You got one eligible year, just go back.
Speaker 1:No man.
Speaker 3:I'm not going back to college.
Speaker 1:But I told Deontay, I said shit man, tell the Browns if they need another camp arm, I'll come out there and whip that son of a bitch around.
Speaker 2:They see that arm on that camera.
Speaker 1:We'll post some video. Yeah if I ever get tagged in that shit freaking. I don't know why he don't want to shout you out, man. Does his shit on purpose. Oh, I'm going to bring it up on you too. I commented last time and you're like I see what you're talking about Every time.
Speaker 1:Every time and I make sure I comment some bullshit too. It's awesome. But, dude, it's been like such a cool ass friendship that I've got to you know, hang out with you guys and shoot the shit and get out, you know to work out and especially, like we talked about on the previous you know segment of like these kids even myself like included like they look up to you, they want, they want to go where you're at right. That's what everybody's, everybody's ambition is to be. There's nothing higher than the nfl.
Speaker 1:And for you to like take time of your day out of your you know schedule to like let guys not only like to work out with them, come to your fucking house yeah, I mean, I do that. I don't have, I don't have a house like you, so it's it's significantly different. But like for you to allow that those kids to come out there, I mean it's it speaks, it speaks volumes, for you know your character and you know you're you're just being humble and just like giving back to you know, because you were a kid once, you know. So I mean it's pretty, it's pretty awesome. I know what I was feeling you know what I'm saying?
Speaker 2:there you go right, it's just being able to show them that you can get this by putting in the work, bro, yeah yeah. Anything is possible 100%.
Speaker 1:What's that, Kevin Garnett?
Speaker 3:Anything is possible.
Speaker 1:But yeah, man, I wanted to ask you not to change complete subjects, but has there any been? Like actually hold on. I'm going to preface this thing because I heard some crazy shit from like other buddies of mine, like Melvin Ingram and Alshon Ace Sanders, like some of these guys that I played with at South Carolina when we had them on our other podcast, asked them like hey, what was the flights like, bro? I don't know, can you?
Speaker 2:Me, I sit in the back. I'm sitting like I call it the projects. You Me, I sit in the back. I'm sitting like I call it the projects, rob Markman. You're staying out of all the shit, rob Markman. It's like the paid people be up front. Hey, mind you, I got paid too, rob.
Speaker 1:Markman yeah, yeah, I was about to say hold on now, don't-.
Speaker 2:Rob Markman. So I'm like. But you know, I'm still got my same seat I had. I moved up a little bit. I moved up a little bit. I still didn't make it to the front yet. It's cool. Like bro, we can stand up and play in them. They're taking off landing, like we used to be doing whatever. Oh yeah, playing cards.
Speaker 1:All you can eat?
Speaker 2:Yeah, some of the stories that those guys were saying.
Speaker 1:I'm like Jesus man Hmm.
Speaker 2:Yeah we'll leave it at that.
Speaker 3:It's like the Wolf of Wall Street fight. Basically, we be chilling, though, because of the coaches and stuff.
Speaker 2:Then you got other family, they family and stuff. We be chilling.
Speaker 1:There's a section that's not chilling, from what I know of.
Speaker 2:You know, everybody got their little cliques.
Speaker 1:So that's what I was going to ask you that. And then, like is there any sort of teammate of yours on any professional level? That was just an absolute savage.
Speaker 2:Like just.
Speaker 1:On the field. No no no, off the field.
Speaker 3:You don't have to answer.
Speaker 2:I'm not trying to put you on the spot. I'm trying to think.
Speaker 1:I'm not. I'm telling you, Don't ask me. I'm asking you. Hey, you better start thinking. I'm trying to think bro.
Speaker 2:Savage, savage, savage.
Speaker 3:Damn.
Speaker 2:There's probably a couple of them. Yeah, yeah, yeah, I would hope there is.
Speaker 3:For sure there's a couple of them, anybody that's retired that you could talk about, because I mean you probably don't want to call out people that are still in the league, but retired Troy Paul Malu, I don't know, he doesn't want to say what about Joe Hayden.
Speaker 1:Joe, be chilling. You see what he's doing on Instagram Bro that's at his house. I know, you know what I played with him in an All-American game.
Speaker 2:For real, bro, that's at his house. I know, you know what I played with him in an All-American game For real, yeah, in a high school All-American game. That's my brother, man, really, that's my brother.
Speaker 1:But that's what I was trying to tell you about at your barn in the back, where you guys were when I went there.
Speaker 2:I seen it in person.
Speaker 1:I'm like what the fuck? Where's it at?
Speaker 2:Topgolf. It's in DC, Rob Markman. He lives up there in.
Speaker 1:DC. Yeah, man, that was freaking sick, but you could easily do that man.
Speaker 2:Bro, that shit was like a little Topgolf. He got little sections in there. It's like five down there. Then he got upstairs with all the others. Now he's working on the football field. Now how far out of DC is it? For me when I was in Baltimore it was probably 50 minutes. Oh shit, okay, that ain't bad.
Speaker 1:I mean, I feel like everything up there is kind of like Philly, New York, I mean I feel like everything's kind of within a train ride type deal.
Speaker 2:Yeah, it's not too far.
Speaker 1:Oh, within a train ride type deal. Yeah, it's not too far. I thought he was about to take a picture, but I know he's not going to tag me in the shit Fucking, kidding, all right, so let's move on to Cleveland. What's your expectations? What is Deontay Johnson going to do?
Speaker 2:I'll see it, what do you want to? Do I don't want to put all that out there. You don't have to, that's fine.
Speaker 1:Rob Markman.
Speaker 2:I just want to attack every day, one at a time, not try to think too much about what's ahead, and just be, where my feet are, because if I do that. I feel like I'm going to be pressing.
Speaker 1:That's kind of what I wanted to ask you, because I had a couple of the kids today. They're like, hey, what do I need to work on? I'm like you're trying to aim the ball too much. You're trying to throw at these guys. It's like, just be a like you guys play college football, like you know 14-year-old dipshit. But it's like you're out there like let's, we're working man, you don't have to, you don't need. These guys aren't going to be impressed by how hard you throw the ball. They want the damn ball right here. Spiral catchable ball, that's what they want. So, like you just said and I'm not looking too far ahead just one day at a time and everything else is going to come.
Speaker 2:Yeah, the work I put in every day is going to show on Sunday. And who's the what's the receiver corps like up there in Cleveland right now? It's solid. It's solid right now. It's me, judy Cedric Tillman, and I don't know the rest. They're young guys, but no disrespect to them. No, no, no.
Speaker 1:They're younger guys. This guy's 28 years old he's talking about. They're younger.
Speaker 3:I'm thinking to myself I'm fucking old as shit.
Speaker 2:Second, third, fourth year.
Speaker 3:So they're like 24.
Speaker 2:I mean I feel like I'm older now. Oh yeah, you Like vet.
Speaker 3:Oh yeah, you're a vet dude, wait until you hit 30, bro, I'll be 29 in July.
Speaker 2:Shit's going to hurt. They're coming around the corner, baby.
Speaker 1:Shit. All right, so you might be receiver one or two, just God willing. Yeah, just go out there and come train at camp and do what you do.
Speaker 2:Ball.
Speaker 1:What number are you?
Speaker 2:I'm 16.
Speaker 3:That's funny, huh.
Speaker 1:Hey Andrew.
Speaker 2:Hawkins wore that number man.
Speaker 1:And Josh Cruz what?
Speaker 2:And Josh Cruz. I'm going to make it look good.
Speaker 1:Yeah, hey, you know what, let me ask you, is numbers that big of a factor?
Speaker 2:But if I get a chance to change it, I'm going to change that shit. To what? If I got a single digit, I'll get it.
Speaker 3:If they got like Is it really that big?
Speaker 2:of a deal. Yeah, yeah, like why I? Don't know, you can't just play any, Like I had on 82 last year. Okay, Big-ass number, that shit didn't fit me. I never wore 80s numbers my whole career. So like just the numbers be too wide. What about zero?
Speaker 3:Nobody wears zero, bro. Yeah, they do, do they who?
Speaker 2:Yeah, we got a DB on that, greg Newsome.
Speaker 3:I've never seen zero. Yeah, brian.
Speaker 2:Burns, brian Burns, the End.
Speaker 3:Shit.
Speaker 2:Yeah shit. But if I get a chance to get a new number, I'm going to take it Fucking double zero, but I'm going to make 16.
Speaker 1:Look good right now. Might as well. Man, and that's at the end of it. Who gives a shit? Yeah, it's what's under and beneath the number. So, all right, let me ask this We'll move on. Yeah, we got three minutes, We'll rock and roll. What do you foresee yourself doing future after NFL? Probably fishing, fishing.
Speaker 2:I want to start at 7 on 17. Okay, fishing. I want to start a 7017. Rob Markman Jr. Okay, like fishing. Is it like a guide? No, just fishing. That's my hobby fishing, rob Markman.
Speaker 3:Jr Like drop it out of ink, go fucking fishing yeah.
Speaker 2:Or like whatever comes to mind. I mean I'm a laid back type of person so I'll just be at the house most of the time. I mean I'll be outside sometimes, but like any sort of business ventures or. I'm trying to probably open up this restaurant. Looking into doing that.
Speaker 3:What kind of?
Speaker 2:restaurant Hibachi Hibachi.
Speaker 3:Damn bro, we need another one. Kobe dominates it bro.
Speaker 1:Double the meat and give me some sake, Bro hibachi's awesome man.
Speaker 3:so y'all been to coochie right by amc. Yeah, amc and veterans holy it's called coochie it's bad coochie, that's it's still open though it's not good it's been open for like 10 years and it's what they said. It's hibachi. Oh, they got the tables with the flipping.
Speaker 1:So why you?
Speaker 3:said it like it was good. I didn't say that. Oh, I only know two Kobe's Kobe's better and hibachi.
Speaker 2:Or coochie Sakura. You ever heard of Sakura Sakura?
Speaker 3:Where's that? At I've never heard of that one.
Speaker 2:I'm thinking that's some shit in Ohio.
Speaker 1:Yeah, I don't know Shit. I'll tell you, what I started doing was the Blackstone. Oh that shit.
Speaker 3:First of all, if I'm paying that much, I don't want to cook my own motherfucking food.
Speaker 1:I want them to cook it for me, bro. Hey, here's a black rock.
Speaker 3:That is really hot. Make sure you don't burn yourself and cook your own food. Fuck that, bro. Yeah.
Speaker 1:I don't know, I don't mind, I like cooking. I don't have a little glass of wine and I don't know about the wine.
Speaker 2:Jesus, what type of night you having.
Speaker 1:Whatever?
Speaker 2:What's kind of wine? Cabernet?
Speaker 1:It's got to be red, Beck.
Speaker 3:Yeah, it's red so what are you having if you're not having wine? If I were Rob Markman the man, rob Markman the man. Rob Markman the man.
Speaker 2:Rob Markman. The man Rob Markman, the man Rob Markman, the man Rob Markman, the man Rob Markman, the man Rob Markman, the man Rob Markman, the man Rob Markman, the man Rob Markman, the man Rob Markman, the man Rob Markman, the man Rob.
Speaker 3:What do you mean like alcohol, alcohol, Hennessy?
Speaker 2:Probably like some Don Julio with some cranberry.
Speaker 1:Yeah, where's the Don Julio when we get done training man the?
Speaker 3:Hennessy, I'm trying to have some training. See, I'm drinking right now.
Speaker 1:After we got done training I said man, there's got to be something to drink around here. He's like what do you want? I was like what do you have? He's like what do you want? I was like hey, what do you have? He's like I got some henny. I was like fucking, let's go, bro. Sound like the damn alarm for the iphone right after the workout.
Speaker 2:I don't know how you do it, yeah all right, well, shit, man.
Speaker 1:Hey, we're about to wrap up. Five, four, three, two, one, um again like comment subscribe sports and suits. We got dionte here we're about to. Uh, bring on this. Freaking cyclops over here we're out. God, holy shit, get ready to rock and roll folks.