Brian Burns - New York Giants Star Pass Rusher - #2 in NFL in Sacks

Brian Burns is built to hunt quarterbacks  and this season he proved it on the biggest stage. On this episode of The Inner Circle Podcast, AD, Z and T-France sit down with the New York Giants’ “sack man” after a monster year that saw Burns finish second in the NFL in sacks (16.5), earn All-Pro recognition, and become one of the most talked-about edge rushers in football.

But this isn’t just a “tell us about your stats” conversation.

Burns opens with a behind-the-scenes look at the Pro Bowl week in San Francisco, including a hilariously surreal trip to Alcatraz, made even better by the fact that Burns knows the island like the back of his hand… because it’s literally a map in Call of Duty.  From there, the conversation turns real: what it’s like adjusting from Carolina’s small-market “family vibe” to the spotlight and pressure of New York, where every moment gets magnified, clipped, and spun into a narrative. Burns talks about learning to control your own message, giving advice to younger teammates, and why professionalism matters when the cameras never stop.

AD also dives into the craft, getting Burns to break down his favorite pass-rush weapons, including the spin move and the ghost  and then both guys explain the chess match casual fans don’t see: slides, chips, doubles, and why “getting locked up” is often just protection doing its job.

You’ll also hear the origin of Burns’ Spider-Man celebration (yes, it started with a Vine), plus a softer side: his lifelong love for dogs — including the chaos of once having seven dogs and later having to play “mama” to a litter of puppies.

Funny, detailed, and honest — Brian Burns shows exactly why New York media honored him with the 2025 PFWA Giants Good Guy Award.

https://www.youtube.com/@TheInnerCirclePod

https://open.spotify.com/show/2HYa5USGooRmeXxKKGyT0l?si=4a20e67b0b864b8b

https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-inner-circle/id1837695806

Transcript

Zach Klein (00:00)
Hey, how we doing everybody? Welcome into this week's edition of the Inner Circle podcast on the show. This week we are talking to one of the best in the National Football League and bringing down opposing quarterbacks. Someone who finished second in the NFL in total sacks this past season only to Miles Garrett. He had 16 and a half of those. We're talking about Brian Burns of the New York Giants. What would mean to him to bring the city of New York and Giants fans everywhere?

a Super Bowl championship, how he got the nickname Spider-Man. Burns, of course, coming off a Pro Bowl visit. He was there this past week in San Francisco. So we begin the show talking about the Pro Bowl and what it was like for Aaron Donald back in the day to go to one of his many Pro Bowls and hanging out at the bar with some offensive linemen who, let's just say, didn't want to take the game as seriously as AD did.

AD (00:51)
my first Pro Bowl experience, our first Pro Bowl was in Arizona, right? It was still a game, then it wasn't flag football. And I remember walking past the board, a couple of the older veteran offensive linemen see me like, hey, Donald, you know this is a Pro Bowl, man. We don't need you going out there 100 miles per hour. Make sure you turn it down. So I'm in my head, I'm thinking like, what you talking about? This is ball, man. So when I was there, the game was different. trying to take care of each other, get out that.

Brian Burns (01:11)
Yeah.

AD (01:16)
get out healthy, it was like more like a walkthrough on a damn game day. Now they changed it to flag football. How you feel about the Pro Bowl now? How was that experience for you?

Brian Burns (01:24)
I don't know, man. I'm kind of indifferent on it. Like I kind of, I kind of want to compete. kind of want to want it to be a little bit better as far as like what we do, you know, and maybe get the big guys a little more involved, make a little more exciting for the fans. But I mean, all in all, it's a, it's a celebration and you know, you know, all in all celebration for what everybody's accomplished throughout the season. So

AD (01:31)
Yeah.

Mm-hmm.

Brian Burns (01:44)
It's always a blessing to go to the Pro Bowl.

TF (01:46)
BJ, tell them about Alcatraz. for the Pro Bowl, when it was in Orlando, they always like basically rent out all of Universal for all the Pro Bowl players and their families and agents or whatever.

Brian Burns (01:47)
Yeah

AD (01:50)
Yeah.

Brian Burns (01:58)
Yeah.

TF (02:02)
It's actually a pretty cool event because you could go through Universal in three hours or four hours and maybe see five people. It's crazy. There's no lines. There's no nothing. It's an unbelievable event. All the restaurants, foods, free everything. Well, to replace that when they did it out in San Francisco, it was everyone gets on some buses and we're going to go board a boat with a few appetizers on the boat and some drinks. we're going to Alcatraz. And it was...

AD (02:26)
can do that for Pro Bowl

TF (02:27)
Yes, Pro Bowl, and we went there

Brian Burns (02:28)
Dude.

AD (02:29)
What?

TF (02:29)
and it was nighttime. So go ahead, BJ, you tell them what you were telling me the whole time about the video game stuff.

Brian Burns (02:34)
It was smooth. was, cause it was, actually more people came than what we thought, but it was, everybody came, but it was smooth, bro. But honestly, because I had a great time because ⁓ that, where we went, that island is a map on Call of Duty. So like we play resurgence, like I've been to the island a thousand times. I know exactly where I died, who I killed, where the bus station's at, everything. So.

AD (02:53)
Hahaha

TF (02:56)
Ha

AD (02:58)
You

Brian Burns (03:02)
When we was walking through, I was just really trying to map it out, see how accurate the game was. But it was low-key kind of hard, I ain't gonna lie, I enjoyed it.

TF (03:09)
Everywhere we're walking, Brian's like, all right, so this is where I die. yeah. He goes, right. He's like, I was like, what do mean this is where you die? He's like, no, I got you. He goes, watch out around this corner. Watch around this corner. I'm like, what do you mean? He goes, yeah, see that window up there? That's it. You got to watch out for the shooter. was like, what? Like, what are you talking? Yeah.

Brian Burns (03:12)
Yeah

Zach Klein (03:13)
Ha ha.

AD (03:15)
Yeah, it's funny as hell.

You

Brian Burns (03:23)
You

AD (03:24)
They be sniping out that window, huh?

Brian Burns (03:26)
Yeah,

bro, they had everything down to a T. ain't gonna lie, they was real acting like 90%, 85 % correct, you feel me? So it was

It was fun though.

TF (03:34)
It was

pretty cool. It was pretty cool time for sure.

Brian Burns (03:37)
They had some wicked

stories, the little, the people that worked there, they had some wicked stories about like how it was back then and the treatments that it was given to prisoners. That was a little eerie, but other than that, you know, was good. And then Todd left me, so I got lost. But other than that, it was all good.

TF (03:52)
I left,

hold on, he said I left him. There were two boats leaving, one at seven, one at 815. I lost him, I don't know where they went. And so I was like, I didn't know, but I knew for sure I was not gonna get stuck there and have to wait for the eight. So I went back to the boat and I got on the boat's pack. So I'm thinking he's on there, I had no idea. I don't even think it was till like later that night I saw him and I realized we weren't even on the same boat. But no, I was not gonna get stuck there for the extra hour and 15 minutes. It was cold.

Brian Burns (03:56)
You

AD (03:59)
Now you took the seven, bro. He took the 815, yo.

Yeah.

TF (04:20)
I couldn't find him, it was dark. was like, all right, yeah, it was cold. Last thing I wanna do is get stuck in Alcatraz for the night. So yeah, that wouldn't be good. But it was cool to see like in Alcatraz, when the guys that escaped, had their cells and they had like the, what did they kind of made? Like these like fake heads and stuff them. And they kind of like showed them in their beds and how they kind of try to fool the guards. And they had the holes still in the original cell with the spoons that they dug out from. Pretty

Brian Burns (04:22)
It was cold as hell.

Yeah.

The spoons, yeah. it

Zach Klein (04:48)
Other than that, Burns, what was the highlight? What was the highlight of the week for you kind of going through the game, Alcatraz, and then finishing up strong, I'm sure some eventful evenings to say the least?

Brian Burns (04:59)
Yeah, it was some great evenings.

TF (04:59)
He stayed through the Super Bowl, so he

was there all week. He did great. No, no.

AD (05:03)
You went to the Super Bowl?

I was about to say, I was about to say, you don't go to that motherfucker till you make it there, man. You ain't probably go watch that shit. what I mean? There you

Brian Burns (05:09)
Yeah, I'm not going, I'll never step into a Super Bowl unless I'm going, unless I'm playing

AD (05:14)
I want to talk a little ball with him. You know, I want to hear the mindset, right? You had a great, a successful season, 16 and a half, sacks. A career hire for you. Second team, all pro, should have been a first team, all pro guy, right?

TF (05:17)
go ahead.

AD (05:27)
⁓ How you feel about that team, right? I think y'all got a pretty good defense. How's it playing with Dexter Lawrence and them guys, right? You liking it?

Brian Burns (05:27)
Yeah.

Yeah, I'm loving it. I'm loving it. Playing next to Dex. Dex demands so much attention, man. It's amazing. We got some more pieces. We got Abdul, still got KT. And it's just like our D-line is like a dream D-line. We just really got to, you know, everything got to mesh well, you know, from the back end to the front. And I'm really excited. You know I'm saying? I'm really excited for this year coming up. know, Abdul getting another year on this belt. ⁓

AD (05:38)
Hahaha

Yeah

Mm-hmm.

Brian Burns (06:02)
I feel like I'm really stepping into who I am and who I should have been. Well, who I've been, that's for another topic. But I'm really stepping into who I am. I'm getting comfortable in New York. So it's been great, but this is my first time going into a season with solidified guys in each area. In Carolina, there's a lot of question marks over the quarterback. When I first got here, it was a question mark over the quarterback, but now we finally got...

AD (06:25)
Yeah.

Brian Burns (06:30)
I finally have like that's the guy that's who's gonna be our guy. That's you know I'm saying so it's like it's a sense of comfort. Just knowing what you got. But as far as the defense man, I feel like the sky's the limit for us in this D line for sure. So I'm super excited for what's bound to happen.

AD (06:47)
And that coaching is gonna help you out a lot too, man. A guy that did it, that lived it, had a lot of success as a head coach that can bring that experience to a young group, a young offensive group for sure, man. So a lot of potential, I'm a fan of seeing you work out there, man, what you able to do. Would have loved to be able to play with you, bro. But I definitely been checky.

Brian Burns (07:02)
Shit.

That's supposed to happen.

AD (07:06)
I know, man. I heard. You know what saying? So from before,

man, I've been watching you, man. Just keep it up, keep grinding, man, because sky's the limit. Sky's the limit. What kind of goals is in your scenes? What you trying to accomplish? Is there some defensive player of the years? Obviously, the ultimate goal is to get to the playoffs and trying to win a Super Bowl. But what you chasing? What push you? What motivates you?

Brian Burns (07:29)
Yeah, you know the Super Bowl always ago. Individually, ⁓ I'm really trying to join that dub club. know, it's only a couple guys that's in it. ⁓ I feel like I was close this year, but I was really just scratching the surface. Just due to what I can do, feel like. But I'm really trying to get into that dub club and everything after that, I feel like will take its course as far as D POY or any more first team, any more All-Pros, Pro-Bows, whatever it is.

AD (07:39)
You

Here you go.

Brian Burns (07:58)
I'm just trying to handle my process. That's kind of something I was big on last year and I think I can even take it to a bigger level because I wasn't too happy with ⁓ the way I finished the year due to just nicks and bruises and everything like that. like my rushes in the beginning were better. But that's just part of the process. It's part of improving. I don't ever want to get complacent to the point where I think I got it all and I got all the answers. So while I'm in this game and while I can still play.

AD (08:19)
There you go.

Brian Burns (08:25)
⁓ I just want to make sure that I take complete advantage of everything.

AD (08:28)
this.

Zach Klein (08:29)
about how that Ravens defense Brian ballin' obviously is your new head coach. Any conversations with him and what do you think the transition will be like with the new head coach and what you've experienced in the past?

Brian Burns (08:38)
Yeah, I had a couple of conversations with him. One thing about him, I know he love ball for sure. Every time we talk about his voice lights up about anything with ball. So I already kind of know what I'm getting myself into as far as him as a coach. And just in comparison to other coaches I've had in the past, I would say, you know, just from like the obvious, like he's the guy that's done it so long, has so much success, you know, with the Ravens.

AD (08:46)
Yeah

Mm-hmm.

Brian Burns (09:03)
He's won before he's been in those tough situations. I don't feel like it's been a moment that he hasn't seen. And I feel like with this young group that we had last year, it always came down to like fourth quarter leads, one score games. Like it was real close. I just think that we didn't have the critical situations the way we should have. But I feel like with a guy like him that's seen it all and been there before, I feel like we're gonna handle it perfectly.

AD (09:25)
Yep.

Experience is everything.

Zach Klein (09:27)
Am this right

by the way? Am I doing this right? Get you right here to Spider-Man? How am I doing?

Brian Burns (09:29)
You got

AD (09:30)
⁓ Where

Brian Burns (09:32)
it, bro.

AD (09:32)
did that celebration come from? And how the hell you able to been like that with them damn pads on? That's crazy, bro. Like, where did that come from?

Brian Burns (09:38)
Every time I see him

try to do the pose, he always do something like this. Nah, it came from a vine, bro. Like when I'm back in college, it came from a vine and Spider-Man always been like my favorite character and whatnot. But I was just goofing around in practice, just doing whatever. And one day in the game, Wake Forest, got my second sack. I was like, you know what? I'ma hit it. I hit it. They got a crazy picture out of it. And from that point on, it blew up like insane.

So I was just like, you know what? Like, I like this. This is going to be my thing. And it was always...

AD (10:09)
That shit's fat. probably one

Zach Klein (10:09)
So when you're recognizing.

AD (10:11)
of the best celebrations in the league. How is you able to do that shit with the pads on? That shit's crazy, Because I can't even bend that way. I don't even know how the hell you do that.

Brian Burns (10:14)
He said, every time be like this.

Zach Klein (10:21)
So when you're in New York, Brian, you're recognized on the streets, so they callin' you Brian Burns, they callin' you Spider-Man. Spidey.

Brian Burns (10:21)
You're too slow, man. You gotta cut down on the muscles.

AD (10:24)
Hahaha!

Brian Burns (10:33)
Spidey. Spidey, yeah. Most of time it's either, they either say Burns or they say Spidey, Spider-Man, something like that. That's most of the time. But, and then the kids, they love it, bro. I ain't gonna lie, that's one of the happiest things when I'm doing it or when I see a kid that every time he see me here do something like that, that's kind of like the joy in

AD (10:33)
Bye,

What's a Brian Burns off season look like? What's your training regimen? Like is you a guy that take a month off or you right back to work? Like what's the ground look like to what you trying to do and what you trying to accomplish, right? Cause a hard work for everything you trying to do is hard work, right? That's what's going to come with it. The shit you doing when nobody's watching. So what's the off season look like for Brian Burns?

Zach Klein (10:53)
That's fantastic.

Brian Burns (11:03)
Yeah.

But sure, definitely take a little break, know, try to relax a little bit, maybe take a little trip or something like that for a month. But yeah, now when I get back to it, like once I set a date as to where this is where I'm, this is when we starting, it's non-negotiable from that point. So as far as like the drinking, the late nights, it's kind of just like I cut it out, but I kind of decide I'm not a very strict.

As far as like every off season on this day, this is when I start, kind of go by how my body feels. Like if I had a tough season and I had a lot of things I gotta fix and whatnot, then I take a little bit longer. But if I'm fresh, I probably hop right back into working out and get my body right.

AD (11:52)
Yeah.

TF (11:53)
AD,

BJ will be out in California in March, think it's something that we do. So maybe y'all can get a workout in like you did with verse.

AD (12:01)
please come through, Come on, I need a workout partner, man. You're always welcome, man. You're always welcome. Get a little work, man. I'm just the old retired guy now, so it ain't too hard, man. He's overdoin'. He over-exaggerated, man. It ain't that hard.

Brian Burns (12:01)
Yeah, don't treat me like verse. I've seen that.

Man, I

ain't gonna lie, AD, you're not fit to trick me, bro. I swear, you're not fit to trick me at all. Talk about I'm the old retired guy, okay.

AD (12:18)
You

Little work can never hurt nobody, man. just,

you know, we chasing greatness. That's it. You know, we gonna push you, get the best out of you. There you go. There you go. There you go.

Brian Burns (12:29)
I'll taste it with you for sure. I'll taste it with you for sure.

Zach Klein (12:33)
BJ,

you have something accomplished in your NFL career. One thing that AD has never done, never did. Any idea what that is?

Brian Burns (12:41)
One thing I've accomplished in my touchdown maybe?

Zach Klein (12:45)
Let's go. Sorry, AD.

AD (12:46)
⁓ That's

fucked up, that's fucked up. I was trying, I'm like, I was trying to get me an interception off a screen or attack it. The one, hey listen, there was one time, and what year was that? Was it 2016? It was a fumble against the Falcons. I scoops it, I runs it in, I do the front flips in the end zone, I throw the balls at my kids, the fireworks goes off, I'm thinking I scored, they said nah.

TF (12:49)
That's fucked.

Brian Burns (13:07)
⁓ no.

AD (13:08)
incomplete pass. I said I'm a fucking took three steps. They took my touchdown away man. So I ain't never get me a touchdown man. I was chasing it for so long. Couldn't get it though, but it's all good man. It's all good.

Brian Burns (13:16)
Damn, that's all good, man. You got

trophies in the back and you got everything else that anybody else can wish for, so you straight, bro.

AD (13:23)
hahahahah

TF (13:25)
Hey Brian, everybody

like, because people don't understand like when you go to the Super Bowl and you're not in the game, right? And people are like, what do mean you're there? Like, what are you doing? People have no idea all the stuff that goes on behind the scenes and all that stuff. I mean, I know what you did, cause I was with you a bunch, but tell us, tell Zach also just kind of what we were doing or what you were doing all week ⁓ in terms of like daytime and then nighttime and all the different things that are going on.

Brian Burns (13:36)
Good.

Yeah.

Man, I feel like it's a...

great opportunity to net through brands, being abl out there, you know, beca game, we always got a hel never really know who we a look like at sometimes. S to be able to, you brands and really network is important. And that's ma throughout the week of the you know, you got a of interviews, some PR thing

charity, some charity stuff if you want to. And all in all, you're just making connections throughout, you know, that week. So those connections can turn into partnerships maybe throughout through the season, or maybe could turn into something even bigger. And then after that, you know, you hang out with your agents, your agency, those little parties, little events here and there. I ain't lie to A1 house was unbelievable this year. Like they had everything like it was it was dope.

AD (14:29)
Mm-hmm.

It was.

Brian Burns (14:42)
They had everything from wardrobe to IVs to recovery stuff. It was just everything. Metaglasses, haircuts, watches, everything. Drinks, everything was lit. So it'd be amazing, man. It'd be amazing. It's an amazing experience. And that'd really be like the highlight of the week, honestly. So yeah, that'd be great.

AD (14:49)
Watches, chains, rings, bracelets, haircuts, everything. Smoothies, yeah, everything.

TF (15:04)
What

would you think of the media center when you were there for the media? You were doing the Madden stuff there, like just in general, the whole scene there, explain what that looks like. Yeah, explain what that looks like.

Brian Burns (15:12)
The radio room

I don't even know if you can explain how that look. It's kind of, that's kind of all over the place. It's it's low key like a circus in there, but it's just a whole bunch of like interviews and stations, you know, of people just doing like, doing their passion, you know? And I remember as soon as I got done with the EA thing, I got met with a dog. I got met with a dog interview and that's because they know how much I my puppies. So I got met with a dog interview, but that's just like an example of how...

just how diverse the reporters or whoever's doing whatever in there. Like you can really do anything.

TF (15:42)
was random.

AD (15:45)
Mm-hmm.

TF (15:47)
It was random, like some dog TV person came up with a microphone in Brian's face. But the way the media center is set up is it's a huge convention center. on that, the perimeter of the convention center in the one area is every major network. have NBC Pro Football Talk has its station, and then Fox has its, and Sirius Radio has its, Pat McAfee has its whole setup and stage and the whole thing's set up. And then you have Nickelodeon and you'll have...

Brian Burns (15:51)
Dog TV, that's what it was, yeah.

TF (16:15)
CBS and just everybody around NFL networks got each thing and then that's all around the perimeter and then the interior is every local radio sports radio station in the country ⁓ there and so players are there they're doing interviews there whether they're they're doing something for a brand or like Brian was there for doing something with Madden and he was doing some streaming thing ⁓ it's there's a lot of that and then in the convention center next door that was obviously NFL experience where you know the people can go run and

jump and do all the different things and experience that stuff. But Brian, them, I thought it was pretty cool. We were leaving and jumping into a car behind the scenes in some alley. like, and then you, who did you see in the alley? And you guys were like hiding from each other. Yeah, go ahead.

Brian Burns (16:52)
about Jameis

Talking about Jameis bro. Jameis got to be one of my favorite teammates ever bro. I swear. But yeah that's who that's who we seen because I didn't want to leave I want to stay in there and walk around a little bit and see what was going on. But yeah we was leaving and yeah Jameis yeah Jameis Winston. Jameis ran ran behind some type of some type of wall or something trying to hide and poke his head out. Just being Jameis.

AD (16:56)
Was it?

Zach Klein (17:07)
said it was Jameis Winston?

AD (17:10)
Yeah.

Brian Burns (17:18)
But yeah, man, it was great to see Jameis. That's one of my favorite teammates ever. Funniest guy.

TF (17:22)
he wanted to stay and look for, more media stuff, but we were hustling because we had to go what? He had another paid appearance. Yeah, he had to go.

Brian Burns (17:26)
Gotta do something else. Yeah.

AD (17:28)
Make that money

man, go make that money man.

Zach Klein (17:29)
Todd's doing his job, getting you paid.

TF (17:31)
Not me, no,

I don't do the marketing. That's what they do. I was just along for the ride. I told him he could stay and then Julie got mad at me because she's like, no, we can't. was like, sorry, Brian, no, you can't. Yeah.

Zach Klein (17:32)
Your team, your team, yes.

in it.

AD (17:41)
Yeah, know, Jules don't play that. Come on, Jules ain't

Zach Klein (17:41)
Gotta go, gotta go. She don't play. ⁓

Brian Burns (17:44)
If she don't.

AD (17:44)
gonna play no games.

Zach Klein (17:46)
Brian, Todd's talking, he talks shit all the time about the media, the media, the media, the media. But AD, I think we clap it up right now for the 2025 New York Giants Pro Football Writers Association, George Young, Ernie Accorsi, Media Good Guy Award, Mr. Brian Burns.

AD (18:04)
Yeah

Brian Burns (18:04)
Ha ha ha ha ha.

Zach Klein (18:05)
Brian recognized by the big bad New York media as one of the good guys. So from a media member to you helping us out, my brothers and sisters in New York, man, thanks for representing and give those guys some good quotes. So I appreciate you, man. That's awesome.

Brian Burns (18:21)
For sure man, appreciate it.

AD (18:21)
Yeah.

TF (18:22)
Well,

Brian's got, he's got an unbelievable, he's a great player. He's a better person. He's unbelievable personality. He's funny. He's intense. So you'll get all emotions from him. He'll tell you like it is if he's pissed how he played or how someone else played, he'll share it. He's not ducking from the media, but he also is very articulate and explains everything in detail. And then he's funniest can be like those that don't know. I go, go see some of his Instagram posts. are, I mean, his Halloween stuff is epic.

AD (18:48)
Ha ha.

TF (18:51)
I mean, absolute epic stuff that he posts. It's just on, it's, love it. Facts. Yeah. He, he, he's, he's the guy we should have on next October for Halloween. So you can hear what he's doing.

Brian Burns (18:54)
Yeah, thanks. I love the Halloween stuff, ain't gonna lie.

AD (18:56)
Yeah.

Zach Klein (18:58)
Ha

For sure. I love it, man. And you mentioned the puppies.

Brian Burns (19:02)
I really gotta, I really gotta start planning

now. I keep procrastinating every time Halloween come around. don't start planning until like three weeks out. And I'll be just trying to scramble for something. But they usually come out pretty good every time.

TF (19:13)
It's unbelievable.

Zach Klein (19:15)
mentioned the

dog interview. The animals are really close to your heart. mean, with my cleats, my cause, I know that was involved, always raising awareness. Where'd that love for the puppies come from, man? Those four-legged family friends.

Brian Burns (19:26)
Man, I had dogs all my life from a youngin', so it's kind of just like in me, we're just a dog family. And at one point when I was younger, I had like...

Maybe like seven or eight dogs at once. But it was just like weird though.

AD (19:41)
Get the hell out

of here. Hold on. Time out. Seven or eight wet dogs. So where were all the dogs at? In the backyard?

Brian Burns (19:43)
I'm so serious. Dogs, like seven.

Yeah. was like, it was family, was a family dog. Let me take it break it down. So we had, it was, okay, we had Boss, that's a pit. We had Bria, that was another pit. We had Lou, that was like a red nose pit, like a little short red nose pit. And we had Bria, I said Bria already, right? Boss.

AD (19:48)
There was a, so what.

Brian Burns (20:08)
Brea, yeah, I said Brea. We had Hannibal, that was another, that was a mutt. So Hannibal was a mutt, but he was mixed with the pit. Then go to my mama's side, we had, go to my mom's side, we had ⁓ a shit suit. We had a chihuahua, a teacup chihuahua at that. And we had my brother dog, which was also another.

Zach Klein (20:09)
Too many frickin' dogs you don't remember their names, A.D.

AD (20:25)
That's crazy.

Brian Burns (20:34)
But we have my brother dog that was so that was seven dogs at one point. That's when I was younger like in like middle school or something like that, like whatever. But bro, I don't know.

AD (20:41)
That's like taking care

of seven dogs, how to clean up the shit and how to you walk the dogs and making sure the dogs is cool. See, would have just, I ain't a big dog person. Yeah, that's like kids, dogs is like having more kids. It's responsibilities, man. Yeah, man, that's crazy.

Brian Burns (20:49)
It's a Hustleman Note.

TF (20:54)
you

Brian Burns (20:54)
Yeah, it's a hustle. ain't gonna lie to you. It's a hustle.

the real problem is like this though, cause after all of that, when I got grown, I had my two dogs, they had puppies. That's the real hustle is the puppies. And like when you got to take care of them, like, cause I watched them come out, everything. And I had to take care of them puppies. And she had like a unique situation where she had 13 of them, but nine lived and one got stuck.

TF (20:59)
you

you

AD (21:08)
Yeah.

I get a babies.

Brian Burns (21:21)
and was blocking another one from getting out. So she was in labor for two days. So she was in pain and I never took her through that again. So I took her, cause I couldn't figure out why she was still like moping around after all the puppies came out. Cause I thought she was done. Took her in, they seen her, whatever case it be. had an emergency seat section. They took the puppies out. Everything was cool. When she was gone, I had to play mama. So now I got about eight baby bottles.

AD (21:23)
wow.

Damn.

Yeah.

Brian Burns (21:46)
trying to feed them, they don't wanna eat, they crying all day. I was up till like five o'clock in the morning, I had to call Ma and say, Ma, I need you to come now, take over, I can't do this shit no more. So Ma came over and helped me out. Yeah, that shit was tough, man, it was tough. That's the hustle.

AD (21:47)
Pssss

I need some help. Damn. ⁓

Zach Klein (22:02)
Hey, Brian, is the media and the fans in New York, is that all that cracked up to be? Obviously, you won the Good Guy Award for dealing with the New York media. I guess compared to maybe what you went through in Carolina with the fans and the media and the expectations and just the venom or the perception of that.

Brian Burns (22:12)
Yeah.

Yeah, it is. Everything that they say it is, it is. know, especially coming from one of the smallest markets to the biggest market, it's a big difference. Kind of open your eyes a little bit. ⁓ And you do have to understand and you realize like everything you do, especially the position I play and the expectations that's held above me, ⁓ everything is seen with a spotlight on it. Like everything is just like...

AD (22:24)
Yeah, exactly.

Mm-hmm.

Zach Klein (22:43)
magnifying glass

for sure.

Brian Burns (22:44)
For sure, yeah. Everything is seen that way. So I kind of just try to handle myself and handle myself with the utmost respect and ⁓ most professionalism that I can, ⁓ you know, cause this is an emotional game at the end of the day. Like I don't know if y'all peeped that one time after we lost to Denver, we had crazy loss we had, and I was walking through the tunnel, low key snapping in my own head, somebody blew it up and it went crazy viral and they assumed I was talking about something that I wasn't.

AD (22:56)
Mm-hmm.

Brian Burns (23:10)
And it's just like, can easily take something that you say, even if it wasn't intentional and like flip the narrative, you know? So I think it's kind of important. And I kind of tell like Abdul and some of the younger guys, like when you do get a chance to speak to these guys, make sure you control your own narrative and don't let them twist your words or try to, you know, manipulate you in any kind of way because they can and they have the ability to and they know it's going to get, it's going to get sales, going to get clicks. So ⁓ yeah, I try my best to, you know, handle that professionally as much as I can.

AD (23:31)
Mm-hmm.

Brian Burns (23:39)
But it's definitely a huge difference, man. Carolina is like family. It feels like it's like a family vibe. they're all your friends. Like, nah. New York, they'll let you be known. don't fuck with you. you know, you gotta handle it right. For sure, you gotta handle it right.

AD (23:40)
Yeah.

Big, yeah, big market. Definitely if you ain't winning. You ain't playing good or you ain't winning, they gonna let you know about But hey, when you winning and you making

plays, shit, it's gonna open up a lot of doors for you, man. So keep doing your thing, man. Just keep doing your thing,

Brian Burns (24:03)
But

that's what I've been hearing since I got here, bruh. Just like winning in New York, winning in New York. I'm like, I can't wait to see it. Once we start winning, I can't wait to see how it's gonna be, man.

AD (24:11)
Yeah, it was.

Like the individual success is good, but when you get that team success with it and you like the playoff caliber type of team that's got the opportunity to go to a Super Bowl or you go to a Super Bowl and win it in a big market, it's life changing. It's life changing, bro. Because football is a small window, right? you know, it's going to it's going to open up a lot of doors for things after football that's going to help you build what you're trying to build. And what you're trying to build is your name, what's the brand, right? So it's going to kick a lot of doors down, know, winning in a big market, bro. I'm telling you.

Brian Burns (24:21)
Yeah.

You sure?

Mm-hmm.

AD (24:41)
Shit, I'm in LA. Believe me, I want a Superbowl out here. I thought I was doing something before with the individual. Like it's a blessing to accomplish that, but the ultimate goal, the team's success, different, bro. It's different, I'm telling you. So just keep working, keep grinding, stay hungry. Yeah, stay hungry though. Never be satisfied, bro. Yeah, never be satisfied. Just keep working.

Brian Burns (24:53)
Yeah, we gotta chop it up a little bit about that.

I got some questions for you.

Zach Klein (25:02)
Hey, Brian, one of the doors

Aaron's been kicking down the latest been the broadcasting door out in San Francisco for the Super Bowl. He was doing some pregame stuff on the network for NBC. So I want you to tell me your favorite pass rushing move. And then I want our new NBC analyst for the Super Bowl kind of break down what he thinks of those moves when it comes to sacking the quarterback.

AD (25:20)
Hahaha

Brian Burns (25:21)
favorite pass rush move would probably be the spin. That's just my favorite move to do. either the spin or the ghost is one of my favorite moves to do. That ghost. Yeah, that ghost tough.

AD (25:31)
That's the Vaughn Miller, the ghost. I know all about that. He used to stay doing that. You a choppin spin

outside or inside guy? It don't matter. Spin inside, outside?

Brian Burns (25:40)
Both of them.

AD (25:41)
Both. ⁓ So you get that one-on-one. That's easy one, which is speed, your quickness, set them up the right way. Shit. Put them in a blender. Ain't no put them in a blender.

Brian Burns (25:48)
Yeah, it's, yeah, and that's

the, that'd be the most, one of the parts of the game that people don't understand is like, ⁓ you know, like when you have like a D line that we have, or you have success early on in your NFL career, it's like those one-on-ones come, start coming less and less, like you only getting about maybe five a game, and you gotta find, yeah, exactly, you gotta find when you can, I know you know.

AD (26:10)
Yes, you gotta find your windows. Shit, I went through it when I...

Listen,

Brian Burns (26:16)
you

AD (26:17)
my last two years, I was only getting one fucking one-on-one a whole game. I would get double teams, triple teams, slab protection. I was only getting one. I had one opportunity to get a one-on-one. Everything else had to work games with just trying to beat two, three guys, man. That shit was a headache. So I know everything you talking about and more. You know what mean? So, you know, people from the outside don't understand. They'd like, what, They don't understand that. Like, definitely when you start off hot, these teams is going to start game planning to take you out the game, the chips, the double teams.

Brian Burns (26:29)
Yeah.

It's tough. And that's why for the casual fan, they don't know that.

AD (26:44)
That's like, you can't do that chopping style. You got that fucking goal waiting for you. You clean your ass up if you do that. you get, you know what mean? So they don't understand the game or how you got to play around with it, man. So that's crazy.

Brian Burns (26:48)
Fair.

I ain't gonna lie, bro, but that's why I love the game of football so much. It's just because of all the small nuances and all the small details that the regular fan or the average Joe may not see. Because they don't know nothing about slide protection. They don't know about the slide side, the man side, double chip looks, max pro. They don't know anything about that. So when they see, let's just say, you got the slide on the edge and you got that tackle over kicking because he know he has the guard coming to him, they think you may have just got locked up.

AD (27:03)
Little things, yeah.

Yep.

Oversit.

Brian Burns (27:23)
But it's like, bro, he has help inside. So he know he gonna take away my edge. So it's like.

AD (27:27)
Yeah,

exactly. Definitely if he kicking out wide, can't do nothing. What you going to do? Trying to run a fucking hoop around the quarterback? He going to step up on you. You can't take the inside. You got a guy there. All you can do is work power, work games, man. And definitely if you got a guy chipping you with the slide, motherfucker never got his ribs opened up neither. So they don't understand what that shit feel like, getting the wind knocked out of you with a chip. You know what mean? They get all under there, all that. Yeah, man. See, they don't understand. We here, man. The life of a past rusher, baby.

Brian Burns (27:32)
Exactly.

Yep.

Yeah, that's facts.

know it.

AD (27:53)
It ain't an easy job, It ain't an easy job. Definitely make a name for yourself. You know?

Zach Klein (27:57)
make

it look easy. That's for sure. That's been a fantastic year. AD touched on the career goals and winning New York, man. That's the ultimate, right? Nothing bigger. If you can do it there, you can do it anywhere as Jay-Z says, right? So congratulations to you, man. Continue success and don't be a stranger, man. We appreciate your time.

Brian Burns (27:59)
Thank

TF (28:14)
all season long because he always did this like airing down on like defensive players of the week type of thing. And multiple times he'd be like calling out Brian Burns. I'm always doing this over there. So everyone thought it was rigged, but you had the results. I was just, I was innocent bystander. It was Brian Burns. It was Jeffrey Simmons, Brian Burns, Jeffrey Simmons, Tremaine Edmonds. I was like, all right, let's go.

AD (28:21)
He earned it. You know what saying? He earned it,

Yeah, you earned it. You earned it,

Brian Burns (28:30)
Mm-hmm.

AD (28:35)
Consistency is everything. keep that shit up. Keep working, man. I appreciate you for jumping on, having the time, ⁓ Get healthy. Get back working. Keep grinding. Study yourself. Watch a lot of film. See what you need to work on. Even the shit you do great on, study that and trying to be better at it, man.

Brian Burns (28:36)
you got.

Beer.

AD (28:55)
⁓ Good luck going into the season, man. And we'll be linking up soon. I'll get your number or send my number to Todd to send to you. So we'll be talking.

TF (29:02)
I'll

put you guys on a group text to connect you guys. Appreciate you, Brian.

Brian Burns (29:04)
Sure. I bet, yeah, for sure.

AD (29:05)
Okay. And if you out

here, let me know if you out here, man. Come get some work, man. Please, come on, man. You know what saying? Come get some work, All right, that's a bit.

TF (29:10)
March.

Brian Burns (29:11)
I'm gonna come through.

Zach Klein (29:13)
Number two in

the NFL in sacks, a pro bowler living the dream in New York and most importantly in this media member's eyes, the 2025 winner of the Media Good Guy Award, Brian Burns, man. We appreciate you clapping up.

AD (29:21)
Yeah.

My dog.

Brian Burns (29:27)
Appreciate y'all, man. All right, y'all.

TF (29:27)
Appreciate you, Brian. All right,

AD (29:29)
All right,

Zach Klein (29:29)
Thanks

TF (29:29)
man.

Zach Klein (29:29)
bud.

AD (29:29)
B, appreciate it.

Zach Klein (29:31)
AD, I know it, man. You geek out and talk into the best of the best who played the defensive line and getting things done at the highest level, don't you?

AD (29:38)
Yeah, but you know, I'm a fan, right? I watched the game of football and I love guys that play the game that pop off on film that make plays that is a game changer that can dominate a game, alter a game with one big play. And he got that ability, man. knew a couple of years ago when I was playing, I knew his name was floating around in that window, possibly coming with the Rams. And I was like, that'd be great. That'd be a lot of help for me to get some of this, you know what mean? So I'm a fan of his, man. Happy for what he been able to accomplish. One of his, you know, best...

Careers he had in year six, 16 and a half sacks, that shit ain't easy to get. I know that from experience. So ⁓ a lot of more success coming his way, man. He's still young.

TF (30:14)
He is young, he is a great guy. He was very quiet coming out, ⁓ has slowly grown from a personality standpoint and his on field obviously speaks for itself. And I think what's lost in a lot of that is, you know, they didn't win a lot. So he's doing a lot of that production coming from behind without a ton of past rush opportunities because the other team's running it, you know, not throwing it near as much. So ⁓ he's done really well. I think he's just scratching the surface because he's, like he said, I'm just starting to get it. I'm starting to get comfortable.

and he's gonna get in his routine. He's been in the Pro Bowl before, that's not something new for him, but ⁓ he's doing great and he's on the right trajectory. Personality-wise, he's just unbelievable. that's awesome, I appreciate that, and Aaron, I know he loved talking to you for sure.

AD (30:58)
All I want from him now is that team success, man. Cause it's a different type of feeling. Like the individual success is great. It's a blessing to accomplish it, but team success, man. Getting to play them playoff games and feel that atmosphere, the change of the game is so much more intense. I don't know for me, I always felt like I was on the ultimate drug playing them big games like that. You feed off the energy. Even if you in a way game, you feed off the crowd saying, boo, I used to be like, yes, yes, feed off it.

feed off it. It just give me the chills thinking about it,

because.

TF (31:27)
When

you're sitting on the bench, Aaron, like, do hear the fans from behind you, like, ever during games? The ones that are yelling at you on a way game?

AD (31:33)
Well, yeah, you do, but sometimes you're just a normal. Sometimes you're just locked in doing what you're doing, sometimes you don't. But ⁓ you you hear a lot of different things being said, good things, bad things, but you know, it is what it is, it come with it. Everybody just, fans just doing their job. They supposed to get into your head, right?

TF (31:48)
So after you won the Superbowl, Seattle wins the Superbowl, right? And what do they feel, what's their ride like right now over the next week, two weeks, whatever it is? Like, what was it for you afterwards? I mean, I remember the parade, I remember shirt maybe being off, I'm not sure exactly, but I think, yes, okay, thank you. I think you made, did you even take the shirt off on a late night talk show or did I make that up or you just did it at the parade? Missed opportunity.

AD (31:53)
Mm-hmm.

A lot of shirts being off. Yes.

Nah, I didn't, I would've, I would've, but I didn't. But I will say this, I

Zach Klein (32:13)
Hahaha.

AD (32:16)
did a lot more partying and enjoying myself, right? Because it was something that I accomplished. had to live in that moment for a minute, right? So, you you go to different events, you get invited to lot of different events from a lot of people that you grew up watching and being a fan of that you get to meet and kind of build a relationship with. So I think for me, I think winning the Super Bowl.

It took everything to another level for me. I think going out of different countries, you typically, people don't know, hey, not everybody, hey, hey, champ. I'm in a whole different, they calling me champ, people know who I am. So it kind of like built that up. And then a lot of different opportunities come and knock the door down, man. And it's like, you got to take advantage of all them different opportunities that come, even relationship wise. Having these conversations with people that's-

doing great things in the business space, to just be in the same room with them and pick their brains, right? Because football don't last forever. You still got other things you building outside of football, business adventures that you're doing that you can learn from those guys that's already there and doing a lot of things and accomplishing a lot of things in that business space. So, for me, man, it was the ultimate, it was like the last thing that I was chasing was that trophy right behind me.

You know, I accomplished all the individual accolades, a lot of team success, but the one thing we was lacking was being a world champion. You know, I got to go to one, lose one, and then I got to go to one and win one. But not just win one, be a part of like making key plays in that game and like close it out. A hard fought game, it was different. But I know for Seattle it was a little different because they kind of dominated that game from start to finish pretty much, right? I know was, people were like, it's boring. I'm like, that's just.

great defense being played. And then obviously they start getting the three points and got a couple of touchdowns, able to get that separation, defense, the touchdown. So their experience was, it's still a hell of an accomplishment, but it wasn't like, you know, they wasn't as like, cause it didn't come down to the last minute, right? They kind of knew they won a game. So, but it's a hell of an accomplishment. know, guys just enjoying themselves. There's some guys that's probably still partying right now, waking up like this, still a little hungover, right? But they, they earned the right to enjoy themselves and live in that moment.

And you know, it's a long season. You got 17 games in a regular season, then you got playoffs, then they had two playoff games and then a Super Bowl game, man. So a long journey, not including camp and OTAs. So they enjoy to be able to let loose and enjoy their moments and enjoy the family, party a little bit, you know, cause shit, you accomplished it. You know, I know when I played, I popped a lot of champagne bottles open, you know, with no shirt on. So you gotta be in the moment, man, be in the moment.

Zach Klein (34:41)
Ha ⁓

A.D. they talk about the Super Bowl hangover, right? So you went through in 2018 and then trying to get back to that and took a few years. And then the hangover from the actual hangover, right, from the champagne, I guess it's a different motivation where you lose. Obviously, you want to get back to that moment, that feeling, that exposure, that everything that embodies a Super Bowl. But then you win it and you want to get back to that feeling and what everything embodies and gets. So to Todd's point about what's it like for both.

AD (34:51)
Yes.

Zach Klein (35:10)
coming out of a Super Bowl with a loss and then coming out of a win and the motivation to get back to that place the following season.

AD (35:16)
With a loss, it's just the motivation to be like, damn, I fell short. I was here. It's disappointing, right? It hurt. But it's that fire to like, I gotta work, I gotta get better. Next time I get in this opportunity to get another Super Bowl, I gotta do everything I can to make sure if it presents itself to me to make a play, to change the game or alter the game, I gotta make sure that I'm prepared and ready to do that. Winning the Super Bowl, it's like, I accomplished this. Oh, this is the greatest feeling in the world.

And it's like a drug, you're addicted to it. You're like, I want to do everything in my power to try and accomplish that and feel that again. Because after year eight, I was going to retire. I was going to be done after I won the Super Bowl. But it was hard to just walk away after winning the Super Bowl. It's like, I want to feel that. I don't want to accomplish that one more time. I want to relive it all over again. And that was the motivation, just to get back there and accomplish it all over again. To feel the confetti on your head. To see my kids running around playing in the confetti, holding the trophy.

giving a trophy, a big hug and a kiss, right? Going to the ring ceremony, opening up that box and seeing the ring and putting on your finger with all your guys that y'all worked with and accomplished that. You want to relive that thing again because it's an addictive feeling. So it pushed you, it pushed me, but everybody's reason to play in this game is different. know, mine was just to, ⁓ you know, in my window of playing football to be the best I can, accomplish everything I can from the game.

at the highest level I could and shit, I was able to do that, you know?

Zach Klein (36:40)
obviously the Super Bowl, a chaotic and crazy week, AD. I know you had a lot of things going on.

But near the top of that list, I'm guessing, your work with NBC. You're doing some pregame activities for the Super Bowl. How did that go down and what was it like, you know, working for NBC on their Super Bowl coverage?

AD (36:57)
⁓ You had butterflies just like game day, but it was good. I was prepared. Obviously I knew Chris Sims already had a relationship with him. So I was comfortable working with him. Bit Cam Hayward, I knew him. So it was good working with him a little bit, but ⁓ was prepared. Obviously I did my homework to just prepare myself. you know, Saturday, you kind of, I call it the walkthrough before the game day, right? You kind of go to the venue, kind of get a run of show, ⁓ kind of get a feel for where we going to be at, what we going to be talking about. So.

I was already prepared, comfortable. Now, you know, fast forward to Sunday, it was just game day. You know, I walked on the boat, I was like, dang, y'all a little tight ass right now. You can tell it's game day. It's a lot different experience. The first day, Saturday, everybody laughing and smiling. Everybody locked in on Sunday, but I enjoyed it, man. I really did. I really never thought in a million years that I would want to do something like that and enjoy doing it, but felt comfortable, ⁓ felt good, you know, so. And it's different because you think that you just go straight second, but it's like.

You only get like two minute windows. It was like, okay, you got to talk with you. And then the whole segment shoots somewhere else and then you got to, so you can't over talk. So that's what the first time we did it on Saturday, I was talking a little too much and they kept trying to like, you you hearing me here, like, we got to move, we got to move to you. You know what saying? So, so it was good to get that little practice run on Saturday and Sunday felt good, man. Felt comfortable, had fun doing it. So,

it.

TF (38:14)
seeing Aaron at the Super Bowl weekend. First of all, when we saw each other, we were so excited because I was like, I'm not seeing you on camera. was awesome. Saw him and his wife

AD (38:20)
Hahaha

TF (38:23)
Aaron and I gave a huge hug and hugged it

he was at our Athletes First house that we had called The Block and it was awesome. ⁓

When we were talking about him being nervous or whatever, think I took the phone and I put it on where it faces you and I'm like, you see that? What do you see? He goes, myself, said, that's why you're going to do good, man. Just kill it. Just kill it. so I'm glad to hear that it went well. And I knew if you'd be prepared, you would do great. You were just worried more about yourself because of the high level of expectation that you have.

AD (38:35)
Hahaha ⁓

You

Exactly, that's

exactly what it is. I never want to do nothing and be average, but that's what I kept telling everybody. I'm like, worst thing come to worst. This is what I said on the boat. Just put the camera on my face and I'm just going to smile. You know, got a face for TV, man.

TF (39:01)
You

AD (39:05)
just put the camera on my face and I just smile. ⁓

Zach Klein (39:05)
for those that didn't get to check it.

for those that didn't get check it yet, you were on a boat, right? So walk me through that. Where, I mean, where were you? How long were you on the boat for? How many hits did you have? Kind like the pre-production process through Sunday pre-game network TV.

AD (39:11)
Mm-hmm.

So I think we had about five different parts we had. It was on a boat. We went on there, we probably boarded the boat around eight, boat took off around like nine, 15. We started actually shooting live at around 10. We docked the boat by like 11, 20 or something like that. It was done by 11, 30. So it was good. We just, had the different venues, you know, San Francisco Bridge. What's the prison on the island called again? We was behind there, so we got to see that. That was pretty cool. So, you know.

TF (39:43)
Alcatraz.

Zach Klein (39:44)
Alcatraz.

AD (39:48)
Great scenery behind. I will say that damn couple of times the water was a little rocky. was like, oh man. So you had to hold on a little tight, you would have fell over. So, but it was cool, man. Talking ball, you know, that's something that can do a lot of obviously the experience of what I play with, my thoughts, the understanding of the game. So it was fine, man. A couple of different segments.

Zach Klein (39:54)
You

AD (40:08)
think we only had like four quick segments. Before when they pitched it to me, I thought it'd be a lot longer until you found out it's like two minute windows in between. I'm like, right, I'm gonna get my two minutes of TV time and make sure that I do the best that I can to do my part. So it was good. ⁓ It was good, good experience, good little warmup to it and little introduction to see if it's something that potentially that we can pursue or do. So,

TF (40:32)
and when we go to the hotel, you think we get dropped off and just go to the front door? No, sir, no, sir. We're like the president of the United States, bro. We're going underneath the deck. get in, his security guard takes us through a service elevator, which we're going through the kitchen, legit, like the president, like secret service. We're going through the kitchen. We're seeing all this stuff. Go into the service elevator. I'm like, where does this take us? He's like, don't worry, it takes you to whatever. Just put your floor in. Boom.

AD (40:36)
you

TF (40:59)
We get up there, I get off my floor. was so confused why the security guard stayed on with Aaron and his wife. I thought he would go with me to my room, but I guess he felt I could handle myself. ⁓ So it wasn't just like a front door entry. We had a good time. was definitely ⁓ very cool to see that. So that was good. Thank you, Aaron, for him.

AD (41:11)
Yeah.

First

class experience, first class experience. you know, was a Miguel, Big Miguel, my guy, yup, yup.

TF (41:18)
Yes. His name was Miguel, right? Miguel, right? Yeah. He was awesome. He was, he was great. ⁓

So yeah, it was a fun time and a great time spending the day with Aaron. And it's like, you're ripping and running and you, you joke I was there for two or three days. I mean, I felt like I was a full-time resident by the time Sunday morning came. I had been there since the weekend before because Pro Bowl was, is there Saturday, Sunday, Monday, Tuesday, and then Pro Bowl stuff starts.

AD (41:39)
Mm-hmm, yep.

TF (41:43)
starts basically, I mean, sorry, Super Bowl stuff starts Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, Saturday. And so left Sunday morning and got back in time for the game. But exhausted. I'm still exhausted today. I'm still trying to recover. It's a long week.

AD (41:55)
Yeah, cause you been

on a, you was on the West coast, then you back on the East coast. So your time's all off still.

TF (42:00)
And it's, and you got to pick and choose. You can't stay up West coast time and get up East coast time. either go to bed East coast time, get up East coast time or do it all West coast. But when you're up West coast and your body's up East coast, and it's not like during the day, I'm just sitting around like we're, we're moving. Like we're hustling. Like I was coming, I was coming from a DAC and a Brendan Albrey event with Visa to hustle back to get to the house, to get to you when your podcast was done. So we could hang out and spend the time together and then.

AD (42:05)
Yeah, exactly.

Exactly.

You're working. Yeah, you got shit to do.

Yeah.

TF (42:28)
We left there and went somewhere. It was just constant moving. So yeah, it was a lot.

AD (42:31)
Yeah.

Zach Klein (42:32)
our first hands talking to you since your former teammate and the now most valuable player of the National Football League Matthew Stafford announced his decision to return clap it up for Matthew. ⁓ Shoot me straight in your heart of hearts. Did you think you'd come back or do think you'd ride off in the sunset? And what do think about his decision?

AD (42:40)
Yes.

Yes, Matthew!

told y'all he was gonna come back.

I told y'all I thought he was gonna come back. Cause he had an amazing year, right? In year 17 to be an all-pro, to be an MVP winner in the National Football League for the first time in 17 years and the way he played to get to the NFC Championship in fall short by a couple plays that could have been a whole, altered the game and could have been in the big game. It's hard to walk away from that. I know for me how I would be, but I just thinking how he was playing, how the...

All the players he got pretty much is going to be coming back, right? From the offense side of the ball, defense is going to still be there, the young defense. Add a couple of pieces on that defense, some veteran guys that can help. But ⁓ I think they still got opportunity to make that run and get it done. So I kind of had a good feeling he was going to come back. You just never know, right? Because he's still got to have a conversation with his wife, see what he's going on outside of football, how he's feeling.

I kind of figured he was going to come back, but I was happy for him. I was proud of him. I think I yelled out a lot. You would have thought I wanted them MVP when I heard Matthew Stafford. like, yes, yeah, MVP. I reached out to him, congratulated him, man. But ⁓ then it felt even better when he said, as a Rams fan now, I'll see y'all next year. I was like, yeah, I already knew it though. So a lot of excitement for that organization knowing that they got that guy back for another year for sure. ⁓

All they got to do is get back to work, add a couple pieces here and there to that defense and go on another run. They got the

TF (44:18)
funny because Stafford's the MVP, but if you rewind, I think it was before the season started, shocking, the media was all about the back issue and the back and the back and he's done and he can't play and he hasn't practiced and what does it mean in the back, the back, the back, the back, here we are, MVP.

AD (44:34)
But I will say this, being able to take that extra time off your body, letting yourself rest. I had two holdouts here, 17 and 18. You do remember that. And what happened in 17 and 18, Todd? Defensive player of the year, defensive player of the year, and then 2020, we didn't have camp, we didn't have to do all that. What happened that year? Defensive player of the year. So like, to be able to rest your body and still be able to work though, like.

Zach Klein (44:42)
So maybe the media had something going on there, Dee?

TF (44:47)
Oh, yeah, 100%. Yep.

Zach Klein (44:56)
Thank you, AD. Thank you, my

guy.

AD (45:00)
As a veteran guy, you don't have to really do the OTAs. It's good for the veteran presence to be there, but you don't really need to do camp as long as you still training, keeping your body where it need to be, man. You take all that toe off your body and get ready for the season. You're just flying around. You fresh, you healthy, you ready to go, mindset's right. Rest your ass, OTAs, don't let camp only do but so much, man. Let that guy.

you know, do him, go in to year 18, man. Just make sure he's ready to go come game time. You know what saying? Year 18.

TF (45:31)
Crazy.

Zach Klein (45:32)
crazy.

⁓

AD (45:41)
Man, I'm coming, hey we coming back. Let's

come back, Ty. Let's break the, nah, look, look, look, he said, out Ty. You know what I'm saying?

Hey, promise, hey listen, if sometimes I be like, I think about it, can I come? I just ain't got the urge to want to play, but if I, I wish I did because I for sure want to play with. ⁓

Zach Klein (45:56)
Signal's breaking up, Todd. We lost the wifi out in the LA compound. I can't

TF (46:00)
I only heard what

Zach Klein (46:00)
hear

TF (46:00)
I heard before the last second. Yeah, I agree. Yeah.

Zach Klein (46:00)
it. don't... Don't hear a thing. All I heard was that signal that said, I'm coming back, and then it went dead.

TF (46:06)
Yeah, mute, mute, AD, you're out, nope.

AD (46:07)
I wish I still had that fire to want to play football, man. I do. I really do wish I still had it. just don't. Even when I think about like, do I want to play? I just ain't got it. I just don't want to do it no more, man. I ain't got the urge to even go through none of that no more or train, call my trainer, go on the field and do all that fucking conditioning and thinking about camp and 17 games. I'm like, hell nah, man. I'm done with that.

TF (46:30)
Why don't we just go play spot? We'll just do spot play. No camp, part of our deal. No condition. Like you do your own stuff. And then we just tell them we play here and there when they need us. Like, or down the stretch or whatever. We don't have to play all the time. You'll be fresh all the time. my God.

AD (46:31)
But if I did have a fire.

Hair and hair. No, I... Yeah.

Zach Klein (46:44)
It's the hair

in their claws that Todd will put in this contract.

AD (46:45)
But it's just me and my mindset. I couldn't do that to her. Like...

TF (46:47)
Yeah.

We'll work on your mindset, I got you. I'll

Zach Klein (46:51)
Hahaha!

TF (46:52)
work on

your mindset, okay?

Zach Klein (46:54)
Love you, man. T France, welcome back to the Atlanta area. We'll catch up soon. Aaron, safe. Keep it up, man. I'm proud of you. You crushed it on NBC. Really excited for whatever Avenue and whatever doors open when you're broadcasting career. just always remember that it was the Inner Circle podcast episode 234, whatever it was, where you read the prompter for the first time. If God's getting your ear, speed it up. Let's go. All right.

AD (47:02)
Appreciate you.

There you go. There you go.

Zach Klein (47:17)
We appreciate everybody hanging out this week on the Inner Circle Pod. Keep the comments, the shares, the love coming, and we'll see you next week, everybody. Thanks for joining us.