Amon Ra St. Brown: Why Sam Darnold is Elite & Puka Nacua is Unguardable | EP 6

In this episode of Real Ones: The League, presented by Experian, you will see:

Detroit Lions All-Pro Wide Receiver Amon-Ra St. Brown joins San Francisco 49ers All-Pro Linebacker Fred Warner for a raw, unfiltered conversation. From the heartbreak of losing at Levi’s Stadium in the NFC Championship to the "New Detroit" energy that has transformed the franchise, Amon-Ra opens up about the mindset required to stay at the top of the league. The two discuss the reality of losing elite coordinators like Ben Johnson and Aaron Glenn, and why the Lions' recent "dip" is only fueling their fire for next season.

In this episode, we dig into the surgical route running that keeps defensive backs awake at night and the specific traits that make Puka Nacua and Jaxon Smith-Njigba unguardable. Amon-Ra drops his Top 3 NFL Wide Receivers list—giving high praise to Nacua, Smith-Njigba, and Justin Jefferson—and the two analyze the upcoming Super Bowl LX matchup between the New England Patriots and Seattle Seahawks. Plus, we get a legendary story about Dan Campbell losing a tooth mid-meeting and a funny moment when Amon-Ra FaceTimes his "BFF" teammate Jahmyr Gibbs to prove he’s always locked in on the game.

Finally, Fred Warner opens up about his own path from a third-round pick to an All-Pro, the grueling recovery from a snapped ankle in Week 6, and the "Michael Phelps" swimming routine he used to attempt a miracle return for the NFC Championship. He reflects on the reality of balancing new fatherhood with the grind of a nine-year NFL career as he prepares to prove himself all over again in the 2026 season.

00:00 The "Insane" Hands of Puka Nacua
01:35 Welcome Amon-Ra St. Brown: The Heart of the New Detroit
03:10 Lions vs. Niners: Revenge, Aggression, and the Bye Week Debate
06:15 Losing Ben Johnson & Aaron Glenn: Navigating Coaching Changes
10:09 2025 Season Highlights: Smoking the Ravens & Beating the Bears
15:05 The Dan Campbell Files: Music Vibes and the "Falling Tooth" Story
17:56 Puka Nacua vs. Jaxon Smith-Njigba: Who is the WR1?
22:30 Super Bowl 60 Preview: Patriots vs. Seahawks Keys to Victory
25:39 The Sam Darnold Resurgence: From Scout Team to the Super Bowl
29:12 Experian BFF Call: FaceTime with Jahmyr Gibbs
34:10 NFC North Rivalries: Ben Johnson vs. Matt LaFleur Handshak Beef
36:40 Celebration Secrets: TikTok Trends & Trolling Fred Warner
41:14 The Bill Belichick Hall of Fame Controversy
45:35 Fred’s Money: The Rolex Rabbit Hole
52:40 Ascent Protein "Fred Zone" Injury Recovery and The Secret NFC Championship Push
01:00:30 Christian McCaffrey: The Unquestioned Comeback Player of the Year

#FredWarner #RealOnes #NFL #Superbowl #49ers #AmonRaStBrown #Lions

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Transcript

Cold Open: Puka’s Alien Hands

SPEAKER_05 0:00

I think what separates Puka, what makes him so special is he's not the fastest guy. We all know that. But he's I think he's bigger than most people expect. Like he's like 6'2, like 220. Um you know, I think he's stronger than most people expect too. But I think what separates him is he has I mean he has he runs good routes number one. Runs, I mean, great routes for for a guy his you know, guy his size, but his size, yeah. His hands are insane. Like you can you can throw it anywhere if you whether he's covered or not. I feel like Stafford has that mentality where I don't care if he's near him, I don't care if there's who's on him, I'm just gonna put it near him and he's gonna make the play. And watching him this year is like it's been that it's been the case all year. Like I think he had a one catch versus the Seahawks. They played him uh the second time in Seattle. He ran like a hitch route. And the ball.

SPEAKER_01 0:49

I know exactly the play you're talking about. The ball wasn't like anything in real time, bro.

SPEAKER_05 0:53

Inside of the defender, he like reached, I don't know how he caught it.

Welcome And Guest Intro

SPEAKER_02 0:56

He reached like through Buddy's arm, like around his arm or his leg or something, and caught it like this. Like, bro, oh my god, bro. Yeah, I know exactly what you're talking about. What's up, everybody? Welcome back to Real Ones The League, brought to you by Experian. I'm your host, Fred Warner. We are back with a big one today, man. I'm joined by one of the best receivers in the NFL. This dude is hilarious, and you're going to want to stick around for this one. If you're rocking with the show, man, do me a favor, like, comment, and subscribe on YouTube or wherever you get your podcast. Let's get it. All right, everybody. Welcome back, man. We have a super special guest with us here today. This man is the heart and soul of the new Detroit and a guy who brings a different kind of energy every time he touches the field. He's a multi-time all-pro wide receiver and one of the surgical route runners in this league. Ooh, we. Every time this guy scores a touchdown, you never know what kind of dance move, headstand, or celebration he is going to pull off. He's a man who plays with an edge and a work ethic that keeps every defensive back in the league awake at night. I'm hyped to welcome a fellow SoCal brother and a true game changer. Please welcome Amon Ross St. Brown to the show, baby.

SPEAKER_05 2:13

Appreciate you having me. Appreciate it, man. Thank you.

Revenge Mindset After Niners Loss

SPEAKER_02 2:15

Hey, brother. Hey, thanks for joining the show. Of course. Now, let's just get straight into it, man. You know, back when we played Play Jaw, what was that? Yeah, last year. Last year, one of the last games of the season, man. Y'all, y'all came into town and uh, you know, it was it was a it was a tough fight battle, but in the end, you guys overcame and won that game. What what was the message leading into that week? I know y'all had a lot of bitter feelings based off of how the game the year before that happened in the NFC Championship game. So I want to know kind of what the mindset was. This is this isn't even in the in the you know, they they got all these little questions about me. This is just on my mind right now, man. So let's let's hear it, let's hear how that went, man.

SPEAKER_05 2:53

So, you know, for me, obviously personally, I was hot. Like walking into the stadium, I was like, man, fuck Levi Stadium. Like we like we I feel like we were so close to the Super Bowl, going in the halftime, it felt like we were going to the Super Bowl. We come out, we ended up losing. Like, that was probably one of the worst like feelings I've ever had playing a football game was that game right there. So we had you guys on the schedule next year. I was like, right when it came out, I was excited. I was like, we got the Niners, we need our lick back. So we get to San Francisco. I'm warming up. I'm like, this feels like last year, like, oh, I we gotta win this game. Like, just seeing them pisses me off. And the mess, I mean, honestly, the message going in that game was like the message was simple. You know what happened last year, you know what they did to us. Like, it's time for us to go, you know, go out there and win. So I think at that time, though, you guys weren't even gonna make the playoffs, I don't think. That's correct, yeah. Like a down year. So it wasn't like, you know, we still wanted to win, obviously. Um it was kind of weird for us too, because we had the Vikings the week after that, and it didn't matter what happened to us that game, it was whoever wins the last game of the season is gonna be the number one seed. So, but Dan, you know, Dan being Dan, he's like, We're gonna go out there, we're gonna go win, we're playing the starters. So that's what we did. That was our mindset going in there was to win that game. And I mean it was a pretty good game back and forth we ended up coming out on top.

SPEAKER_02 4:03

So here's the question, then, right? Because y'all, y'all, like you just mentioned, you had all this pent-up aggression against us, like, oh, they took they took the Super Bowl away from us. And you just mentioned how that game was meaningless in the grand scheme of you know who was gonna win the one seed. So, do you think because Dan decided to dress y'all and have y'all go out there and expend all that energy that that then contributed to later on in the year being a one and done, man, and losing in the first the first round of the playoffs, that the first game that y'all played.

SPEAKER_05 4:30

Yeah, that that shit was crazy too. No, I don't think so, obviously. You know. No, we we had we played y'all, then we played the Vikings, then we had a week to week rest, and then we played the week to rest. So we're the bye week. Um, honestly, I I tell I feel like I tell a lot of people this. I don't know how I feel about the bye week having you know, having had one and having not had one. Um I really don't know how I feel about it. I do like home field advantage, but I don't know how I feel about the bye week. Um, because I know you know when my brother was in the Packers, I think you know, you guys went to to Green Bay and beat them in a snow game when they were the one C. So I've seen it happen with my brother. I was a part of one. So I mean look at the Seahoo.

SPEAKER_02 5:05

So you're not a you're not a fan, you're not a fan of the of the of the one C bye week then.

SPEAKER_05 5:10

I just don't know how I feel about it. Um Okay. You look at the Seahawks now, though. I mean, they had it, they're on the bowl.

SPEAKER_02 5:15

Um both times both times I made it to the Super Bowl, we were the one C.

SPEAKER_05 5:20

See? So everyone has different experiences. Um I think just having home field advantage is the biggest thing. If you can find a way to get that, like even if you're the two seed and say the one seed loses like the Eagles did two years or last year, they were the two seed end up having home field advantage throughout the whole you know playoffs. That's that's the goal.

SPEAKER_02 5:35

It's such a fine balance because you want to be able to use that to your advantage of having the rest during that week so that you're more rested than the other team that's coming into y'all's place, but you also don't want to lose that edge that y'all didn't develop to even obtain the one seed. Right. You want to continue that momentum going into the playoffs, right? Um, so it's a fine balance, man. And um, you know, I feel for old Dan. I'm sure he was like, man, we got the one seed. What do we do now? I mean, we was we was dog, dog, you know what, uh a couple years ago, and now we got the one seed. I mean, who I mean, shoot, you gotta figure it all out on the on the go. But obviously the Lions and turned themselves into some boys here recently. Um, you know, speaking about last year and how that ended for y'all, right? You lose that first in the divisional, in a divisional round against uh the Washington Commanders. So I'm sure that was the worst feeling in the world when you thought you know you had everything ahead of you to win the Super Bowl. Obviously, you could talk about that. But going into this year, you want to write that wrong, you want to get right back on track, you lose Ben Johnson, you lose uh Aaron Glenn to the to the Jets. So like what was the mindset going into this season after what you guys had gone through that that prior year?

Losing Coordinators And Adjusting

SPEAKER_05 6:43

Going into this year, I mean, we just wanted, I mean the way last year ended, like you said, that that feeling of having the one seed and another team coming into your you know into your stadium, beating you at your you know, in your home turf. I mean, it was I think right below the Niners loss. I would take the Niners loss, probably felt a little worse than that one just because we were so close to it. But it was still, I mean, it was a feeling that you know you never even expect. You're not expecting, I don't know what seed they were, but you're not expecting the commanders to come in, rookie quarterback come into your house. Um when you've had, you know, only lost two games all year to come and beat you. So going into last year, I mean, we lost, like you said, we lost Ben, we lost AG, um, two great coaches. But we felt like you know, we still had the guys to you know go and make a run at the whole thing. And honestly, it just didn't pan out the way that none of us wanted to. We lost some close games. Um and I think that's the biggest thing is you lose those close games. If we win, you know, say we lost three or four close games, you flip the whole thing from four losses to four L's, the whole, you know, the whole season is different. You might have home a four seed, whatever it may be. And then once you get in the dance, anything can happen. You saw the Panthers and they almost beat the Rams. I mean, you never know what can happen in the playoffs. So um the goal really is just to get to the playoffs, and then once it gets there, it's a whole new season. So it wasn't the year that none of us wanted um as players and as coaches. So I think going into this year, I mean, this is really the first year. I mean, I've you've been in part of a down year. We were just kind of on the rise every single year since I've been in Detroit. And so we finally just took a dip. So um I think it's gonna be good for us. I think everyone's gonna be more motivated going to this year, um, players and coaches included. So I'm excited to get to OTAs and see what's like.

Season Highlights: Ravens And Bears

SPEAKER_02 8:20

I think people don't understand how difficult it is when you lose a coordinator. One coordinator is hard enough. And people just think, oh, if you have the same head coach, like the philosophy will be the same and everything is just gonna run just as usual. But I've now had this will be my fifth defensive coordinator in five years. And you know, our defense, our defenses have been dominant within those years, right? Like we've had dominant defenses, but there's also been years where the defense wasn't so dominant. And there's years where it took time to develop a defense that was dominant. We started off where it wasn't all that great, and then all of a sudden we end as a top five defense. It's just there's lumps that you got to take when you're going through these changes with a coordinator that are real in the NFL. Like coaching is so important, bro, especially at those at those two coordinators' positions. So I think obviously for y'all, you know, last year was I think the first time that y'all had to deal with that. You had you had Ben and Aaron there the over the last however many years that that Dan was trying to build this thing up. And, you know, when you have two top guys, unfortunately, other teams are gonna start looking for those guys to be the head coaches at their places. So uh, you know, obviously you mentioned uh you we talked about how you had you got a new OC in this year. Uh you're gonna have to, it's not I I promise you, it probably won't be just pitcher perfect week one. Like it's something that is something that's continuously developed. And just because it isn't pitcher perfect week one doesn't mean that that's what the offense is gonna be in week 18 and in the playoffs. It's something that's constantly being communicated with, uh talked through, and and and fixed throughout a season to ultimately be the best version, because you want to be the best version yourself late in the season. It doesn't matter who you are week one, right? So um, you know, I think that is a huge part of it. And looking at y'all this this past season, do you feel like there was a moment this year where you were like, it there was like what was like your top moment of the season? Obviously, you guys didn't make it to the playoffs, but like what was your top moment of the season? What do you say?

SPEAKER_05 10:09

You know, I told someone else this the other day, I feel like the top moment for me personally was it was two. It was week three versus the Ravens. We went to Baltimore. Um, this is I think we were one and one at the time. They were one and one, I believe, too. And we, you know, everyone knew how good the Ravens were the past year. They got Lamar. I mean, defense is you know, defense is nice. And the last time we played the Ravens, two years ago, we got smoked. And this was the year we went to the NFT Championship. They smoked us. So we were coming back to Baltimore. Uh, it was Monday night. I mean, atmosphere was crazy. They were wearing the all blacks, the purple lights, everything. It was it was a fun game. And it was back and forth game, kind of all game, and we kind of you know took it, took it at the end of the game and ran with it and won the game. So that was probably the highlight of my year with that game. And then, as crazy as it sounds, week 18 um versus Chicago Bears, we had nothing to play for. It was, I mean, we couldn't make the playoffs. The Bears already got you know everything locked up for them, and we went into Chicago. The team that won the North went over there and beat them. I think just being in Chicago, it was cold. It was like we hadn't had a cold game in like six, seven games. So it was cold. Um, you know, playing, like I said, playing against Ben Johnson. I know Ben from him being here in Detroit. So there's a lot of players that I knew in Chicago, the coaches, um, just the whole atmosphere was lit. It was it was a lit, lit game, man.

SPEAKER_02 11:23

I know it was cold too.

SPEAKER_05 11:25

Yeah, it was freezing. You don't play too many cold games, huh?

Life With Gibbs, Jamo, And Monty

SPEAKER_02 11:28

Nah, heck no. And when we do, it's always on the road somewhere because obviously Santa Clara is beautiful year-round. Uh, but y'all play in a dome, so in Detroit, you never have to play in the cold weather at at home. Uh that's so that's lovely. Uh it is, yeah, it's great. Y'all got that boy on your team, man. I'm always looking around the league at some of the top guys across the ball. And of course, as a linebacker, I'm always matched up against running backs. And man, y'all got the two-headed monster and and uh Jameer Gibbs, David Montgomery. Yeah. Y'all got the two-headed monster, bro. And I think obviously Gibbs has gotten a lot of a lot of the praise because of his ability, bro, to create explosive plays because he's so fast and just quick, bro, it's unreal. And you know, I've I've obviously felt it in real time when y'all played us in the NFC Championship game. And then last year when y'all came to town too, I feel like he only continues to get faster.

SPEAKER_06 12:18

Right.

SPEAKER_02 12:18

But what's it like playing with him, playing with J Mo, uh you know, obviously playing with Montgomery. Like, how is it being alongside all them dogs?

Dan Campbell Stories And Culture

SPEAKER_05 12:26

It's it's lit, bro. Like, I feel like we got so many playmakers on offense that you never know, like being on the field, you never know who's about to, you know, who's about to pop, who's about to make something happen. Like, we got a lot of plays for a lot of different guys. Like, we got plays for me, we got plays for plays for J-Mo, Laporta, Demo, Jameer. Um, I mean, we got plays for everybody in in the game plan. So it's like you're really in the huddle just waiting on what the play call is gonna be, and then you're in the huddle and you you hear it's like you look at who the plays for, I'd be like, JMO, come on, go get it. Like whenever it's for him, or whenever it's for Jameer. Like and for us, like as receivers, we're out there, we got you got two backs in David and Jameer that they can bust any run. So for us as receivers, it's like we know the O line, you know, obviously they're gonna take care of the the front seven, the first seven. For us, it's like we gotta take care of the the back, the DBs, because those are those are the you know, the runs that pop for 50, 60, 70 yards, it's because the receivers are blocking downfield, going to get those safeties, corners, whatever. And so for you know, to be in this offense with the playmakers that we have, man, it's it's special. I mean, I wouldn't want to be in any of the any other offense. That's why I feel like no matter what OC we bring in, we got Drew Petsy, who I feel like is gonna be great for us, but no matter who we really bring in, I feel like at the end of the day, players make plays. Yes, coaches have a big, you know, big impact on the game, game plan, and how the whole game flow is gonna go. But at the end of the day, you know, I tell I tell the receivers all the time, whatever the play call is, we gotta make it work. Whether it's you know a slant, a hitch route, a go ball, a fade, a post, a screen, a run play, like we gotta make it work at the end of the day. I don't care what the what the look is on defense, like we're I feel like we're so good, and I feel like you know, we all feel like as an offense, we can beat anybody that no matter what the play call is, even if it's versus the wrong look, we gotta go make it work. And so that's what I tell my guys all the time is like, bro, we we got a special offense, we got a special group, it's not gonna be like this forever, so we gotta take advantage of it.

SPEAKER_02 14:21

Y'all got some dogs, man. I can't lie, I gotta give respect words due. Y'all, y'all offense is loaded, so you know, we always gotta make sure we we buckle up and come to work when we playing y'all boys. Um favorite Dan Campbell moment or memory playing under Dan Campbell. Obviously, you're still playing under him, but like, is there is there something that he has said in a team meeting? Is there something that he said he says every single week where it's like, oh, that's classic Dan, saying that same old same old saying that he says every every time he gets up there? Like, how is it playing with under him? Because from an outside looking in, I feel like he's he's an awesome coach to play for. Like he he got great energy, you know what I'm saying? He he's youthful, he got the right mindset of how he wants his team to play. Like, it seemed like he he a he a good coach, man.

Puka vs JSN: Why They’re Different

SPEAKER_05 15:05

Yeah, he's I mean he's he's amazing to play for. I feel like you know, when I first got to Detroit, I didn't really know, I didn't know who Dan was, I didn't know what he was about, but you know, I learned pretty quickly what he was about, what kind of coach he was. And so me being here now for you know, going on to six years, I've seen, I mean, I've seen everything. I've seen he'll come in a team meeting room sometimes, and you know, usually it's team meeting, he put on you know keys to victory, whatever it may be. Um, you know, sometimes he'll come in and start playing music, start playing songs randomly, and we're all just looking at each other like what's going on. And he's just going through like three or four songs, just playing them. Then he'll ask us after, like, how do we do it? Three or four? Yeah, like three or four songs, not the whole song. It'll be like 30 seconds of each song. Oh man. And we'll just be like, What's going on? Like, we'll be laughing, you know, dudes trying to act like they're they're flown with it to try to act like you know the song's good, even though the song's trash. Um and he basically just doing that to you know, get you know, get the vibes up, whatever it may be. Um, everyone likes different genres of music. He'll ask us, you know, what you guys think of it. We'll be like, it was cool, and then he'll just go move on to the next thing. The craziest story I have though is this this was like my first, it might have been my rookie year or my second year. We're at an away game, I forgot what game it was. Team meeting before, you know, at the away game, everyone comes in, you're in the hotel, whatever, in the ballroom, and he's standing in front of us, he's talking, you know, what the game's gonna be like, what he wants us to do, whatever. And a tooth just falls out. And so I swear to God, a tooth falls out of his mouth, he stops what he's doing, he picks it up, he puts it back in. This isn't a team meeting, bro. I swear to God, adjust a little like this, and then just keeps talking. And I'm like, I look, I look at like his teams, I'm like, no way. Nah, no way his tooth just fell out and he put it back in. Nah, nah, he ain't even addressed it either. He ain't even say nothing. No address, nothing, and just kept talking. I'm a nah. That's the craziest shit I've ever seen, bro. Well, I'll never forget that. It was I forget what game it was, but it was so crazy to me. Like that the tooth just came out, he stopped what he was doing, put it back in, and just kept talking. I'm like, no way.

SPEAKER_02 16:59

Oh my gosh, this boy is just biting knee, biting kneecaps, losing teeth, mid-team meeting. Oh boy, Dan Campbell. I mean, obviously he he knows what he's doing, man. The fact that he's been able to turn y'all around in in such a a quick amount of time that he's done it, bro. It's it's it is much respect because it's it's hard to do in this league, and especially with a franchise that saw as much, you know, just turmoil as any, right? It it was, I mean, it's crazy now that the Detroit is truly like one of the top teams in the in the league and in the NFC. Uh speaking of the NFC, the NFC Championship this past weekend, I know you were tuned in probably. You know, Seattle Seahawks, LA Rams, two teams that you play before, right? The the Rams and the N Seattle. Um both have two of the top wide receivers in the league right now. JSN, Puka Nakua, two first team all pros this year. What do you think separates those two guys and what do you see in their games that that you respect and you're like, man, this is what makes them different?

SPEAKER_05 17:56

Yeah, I mean first off, hats off to both those dudes, bro. They've been balling all I've been watching them all year. Um JSN and Puka. Actually played against Puka. He went crazy versus us. Um I feel like he's been crazy every game. But I think what separates Puka, what makes him so special is he's not the fastest guy. We all know that. But he's I think he's bigger than most people expect. Like he's like 6'2, like 220. Um you know, I think he's stronger than most people expect too. But I think what separates him is he has, I mean, he has he runs good routes, number one. Runs, I mean, great routes for for a guy his, you know, guy his size, but his size, yeah. His hands are insane. Like you can you can throw it anywhere if you whether he's covered or not. I feel like Stafford has that mentality where I don't care if he's near him, I don't care if there's who's on him, I'm just gonna put it near him and he's gonna make the play. And watching him this year is like it's been that it's been the case all year. Like I think he had a one catch versus the Seahawks. They played him uh the second time in Seattle. He ran like a hitch route. And the ball.

SPEAKER_01 18:59

I know exactly the I know exactly the play you're talking about. The ball was like, I've seen that thing in real time, bro.

SPEAKER_05 19:04

Inside of the defender, he like reached, I don't know how he caught it.

Super Bowl Keys: Pats vs Seahawks

SPEAKER_02 19:07

He reached like through Buddy's arm, like around his arm or his leg or something, and caught it like this. Like Bro, crazy. Oh my god, bro. It's no matter what I know exactly what you're talking about.

SPEAKER_05 19:21

He's one of the best in the league at those. And then, I mean, watching inverse, there was a play versus the Falcons. It was Monday night. Rams lost, but Monday night, Rams need like a chunk play to get in field goal range. Bro, Stafford throws like a deep, uh, a corner route, like a pile on a Puka. Oh my god. He catches it with one hand, and AJ Terrell's a guardian. He like he basically knocks it out of his hand, but in real time looked like a catch. I'm like, no, it is the craziest catch. I know exactly what you're talking about. In my head, I'm like, this is offensive play of the year. Like, this is the craziest shot I've ever seen. And it barely like the ball got loose at the end for like half a second, and they ruled it incomplete. But the shit that Puka has been doing all year, bro, is like. He I feel like he's unguardable whether he's covered or not. He's open. I mean, he's hard to tackle. Like he never he rarely gets tackled by the first guy. And if he does, he's like falling two or three extra yards. If it's a DB body, like he's strong, um, can can block in the run game. I feel like he does it all. He's that heartbeat of that team. So um, I've been a fan of Puka um watching him play. And then JS Sandman, I think he's he's just sneaky. Like people don't understand. I think he's faster than people think he is. I think he's quicker than people think he is. I think you know, his hands are exceptional too. I mean, you see that one that one-hand catch he made versus the Rams the other day. Like made it look effortless. Um his routes are he runs great routes, uh, and he's good with the ball in his hands after the catch. So I think you know, JSN kind of took the league by stone this year, his third year. I felt like a lot of receivers in their third year kind of have their best year, like, you know, from first, second, or third year. And he's been, you know, he's been doing it all year, even that last game versus the Rams. Yeah, I don't know, 150 yards, a touchdown. He's lined up in the backfield. I mean, I don't know why the Rams aren't chipping him or making sure, you know, they have a guy on him every play, but that's what I'm saying.

SPEAKER_02 21:07

Like that play where he's running, he's coming out of the backfield. They love to line him up in the backfield as the half as the halfback, and he ran that corner out out of the backfield. I'm like, bro, why is there not a DN bumping a linebacker knocking knocking him off his route, bro? Like, you can't just let him run scot-free through the defense. Exactly. Out of the backfield. Like, that's the whole reason why they're putting him back there is so nobody can put hands on him. And so if you don't contact him in that first five yards, then yeah, you cooked.

SPEAKER_05 21:32

Right. So he's been, I mean, shout out to to Kubiak or whoever's running the, you know, scheming up the offense. They're doing a great job. But I mean, JSN, I think he's out of Puka and JSN, I think those are my two offensive players of the years. I don't know who it's gonna go to. Um, but those two guys, man, they've you know, they've been balling our year. They deserve it. Um I'm a fan of both of them. Uh love watching them play, and I think it's gonna be great to see JSN the Super Bowl versus, you know, I think the Patriots have two good DBs, Carlton and Gonzalez. So it's gonna be a fun matchup.

The Sammy D Resurgence

SPEAKER_02 22:04

Nah, it's gonna be it's gonna be a great matchup. Obviously, I think Seattle got a damn good team on paper, and obviously on the field. Like, let's not get that twisted. Like, of course, you can look good on paper, but not it not translate on the field, but there's a reason why they're at the Super Bowl and they secured the one seed and then you know did what they did to us and and the Rams. So they've set themselves perfectly to have an opportunity at winning this thing on you know Super Bowl Sunday and getting into that game a little bit. You know, I've obviously know Seattle really well because they're in my division. I don't know the the Patriots as well, right? Like you kind of see what you what you hear on Twitter on and what you when you watch the games about how they have a soft, soft, they've had a softer schedule.

SPEAKER_00 22:44

Right.

SPEAKER_02 22:44

You know what I'm saying? But at the end of the day, bro, the league is the league. It's every it's any given Sunday, you still gotta you still gotta strap it up, you gotta go to work every single week. Um But in that in this in this upcoming game, like what what are the things that you're looking at as like, all right, if the Patriots, let's just let's just take it from the Patriots side, if the Patriots can do this well in this game, this is gonna they're they're gonna win this game. They're gonna give themselves the best chance to win this game.

SPEAKER_05 23:09

I think if the Patriots, I think they're keys to victory. If I'm a head coach, you know. Yeah, keys to victory for the Patriots.

SPEAKER_02 23:15

Right.

SPEAKER_05 23:16

Keys to victory for the for the Patriots is I think they win the um the field position battle. So win that for them, but that'll be big for them. Okay and then the turnover battle. If they can get on defense, if they can get two or three, if they get two turnovers, yeah. Three would be amazing. But if they can get two turnovers on defense, uh-huh, um, and they, you know, have zero, so they win their turnover margin by two, I think that'll be huge for the Patriots. They've done it all playoffs. I mean, I'm watching them versus the Texans. They had like, I'm like, this is the craziest game ever. There was like eight turnovers in the first half. I'm like, this has got to be the most turnovers I've ever seen in my life.

SPEAKER_02 23:45

Yes. So they're not. They didn't do a good job of protecting it that game. Right. Because they turned it over like three times, but the Texans gave it up five times.

Experian BFF Call: Jameer Answers

SPEAKER_05 23:54

So I'm saying if the Patriots can win their turnover margin in this game by two or more, I think that'll be huge for them. And then the field position battle. So, like, you know, not getting too great on fourth down, punting it. You know, sometimes you punt, pump, punt, and you realize those punts add up, and you're like, oh, now we're at like the the plus 40 or the plus, you know, we're at midfield with just punting it. So it's like sometimes punting it, you know, going back and forth playing defense is not bad. So I think that's the keys to victory for the Patriots, is is you know, turnover margin and then the field position battle. And then I think for the Seahawks, you know, I've liked the Hawks, you know, since the start of the playoffs. I feel like watching them, their defense, do they fly around? I mean, yeah, they've been I mean, I remember watching them versus the versus you guys versus the Niners. I'm like, these dudes are flying at legit. I I love their defense. Uh I think they play hard, but their offense too. I think Sammy D's been playing at a high level. I might be a little biased because he went to USC, but you know, I've been a fan watching him all all season, honestly. Um we mentioned JSN earlier, who's been going crazy. They got Cooper Cup, they got one of you know, another guy that I really like is Rasheed Shaheed. I think he's one of the more underrated receivers in the league. Uh super explosive in the return game, also. Um, Kenneth Walker at running back. I just like the Seahawks more personally. If I think if things go, you know, if turnover is 0-0 or 1-1, 2-2, I like the Seahawks. Um I just feel like they have a little bit more firepower. Um, but again, like you said, this is a game where it's a Super Bowl. You never know what's gonna happen. Two NFL teams, two of the best teams in the league meeting in the Super Bowl, AFC versus NFC. You don't really play each other much. It's like, ooh, we don't know what's gonna happen. Um, a few turn of events, and the whole game can be ruined. So I got the Hawks, but again, you never know what can happen.

Shaheed’s Impact And NFL Timing

SPEAKER_02 25:39

Oh boy, it's gonna be fun to watch. I mean, you mentioned old Sammy D, former Trojan, right? You got love, you got love for your former Trojans. Uh, you know, I think it's safe to say that he's had kind of like a resurgence over these last two seasons of being in Minnesota, having the success he had there, uh, and then of course now in Seattle. Um, but he always had that title on him of man, he can't really win the big game, right? Like people just for some, you know, he for whatever reason, if it was, you know, prime time or it was in the playoffs, you know, they didn't think that he they they could trust him to win in those moments. But obviously he's been able to prove now when in the past these past two playoff games that he's more than capable. He he made throws this past week in that NFC championship game that had he not made them, I don't know if they win that game, right? So uh what do you think attributes to him, you know, kind of making that jump to now being the being the guy that obviously gives them the best opportunity to win a Super Bowl?

Rivalries: Ben Johnson vs LaFleur

SPEAKER_05 26:34

Yeah, I think I mean I don't think we talked about this earlier. I don't think he got drafted, you know, third overall, whatever it was by accident. I mean, he's been talented since college. His ability to throw the ball, to extend plays, I mean, he's always had that knack, I think, his whole career. And I think for him as a quarterback, he's been in, you know, not the best situations. He goes from the Jets, I don't think that was the best situation when he was there. Then he goes to Carolina, who's, you know, didn't have the best, you know, the best team at the time when he was there. So at the end of the day, football is a team sport. The quarterback is not gonna win and lose you every single game. Obviously, it has a big important factor, but there's so much more that goes into it than just the quarterback play. There's defense, there's you know, special teams, uh, receivers catching the ball. I mean, run game. There's so much more like him being protected. There's so much more to football than just the quarterback actually throwing the football. So I think Sammy D has always had that talent. Then you see him, you know, he was on the Niners with you guys. Um, and obviously you've probably seen him, you know, sling the ball when he was, you know, on the scout team. You're like, damn, this guy's talented, he you know, he has potential. And so he goes to Minnesota, uh, you know, uh, I think, in my opinion, a better organization than he was in the past. And they win what, 14 games, boom, goes to the playoffs. I mean, he had a very good year last year, and then you know, now this year he's with the Seahawks, another good organization, good defense. They got some weapons for him. And again, he proves that he's another elite quarterback. So I think for Sammy D he just didn't have he wasn't in the best situation to start off. And I think that's kind of what sucks nowadays for young quarterbacks is they're getting drafted to these teams that you know might not be in the best situation, they might not have the best you know players at the time. And so a lot of these teams are like, ah, is this quarterback really like that? And quarterbacks, I feel like if you're a first, you know, top ten pick, you're gonna get two or three years to prove yourself. But after that, it's like, damn, now you're bouncing around from team to team, trying to make plays. But for Sammy D, man, I'm just happy for him that you know he's figured it out. He's on a team that, you know, loves him, appreciates him. He's winning, he's in the bowl. Um, and he's showing everyone why, you know, why he was picked so early and why he's still, you know, one of them quarterbacks.

SPEAKER_02 28:32

Yeah, no, it's it's much respect to Sammy, man. He uh obviously a former Niner, you know, bang bang. He's still got that red and gold in his blood. So, you know, he's ripping us in the bowl as well, I'm sure, you know. But uh, no, it's much love with Sam, bro. I'm happy for him. This next little segment, man, is something we do with our with our guests. It's called the Experian Call Your BFF segment, right? And we ask our we ask our guests to whip their phone out. And FaceTime who is whoever your BFF is in the league, right? Whether it's a teammate, whether it's somebody else in the league uh that you close with, man, and let's let's see if they truly are your BFF and answer the phone. Um and when you do answer, you just let them know, hey man, I just want to tell you my best friend forever.

SPEAKER_05 29:12

Okay, I got you. So I got a I got a few, not to put anyone on blast, but one might, you know, one's going to the bull. He's on the Patriots, so I can't call him, but I'm gonna call Okay, he's a little dialed in right now. He's dialed in. I'm gonna call Jameer. Let's see this. I'm gonna tell you right now. Jameer at right now. He's he's in LA. I'm telling you right, he's on the game. So he's on D. I'm gonna have to call him twice, but I'm ringing him right now.

SPEAKER_00 29:35

All right, let's see.

SPEAKER_05 29:37

Hey, what's up, bro? I just want to call you and say, man, you're one of my one of my BFFs. I had to do it, bro. I'm sorry. I'll talk to you later, bro. Yeah. All right.

Celebration Playbook And Trolling

SPEAKER_02 29:55

Bang. Hey, bro. That was probably like two rings and he answered. So he quit BFF. And then didn't even didn't even ask why. He just like, yeah, I'll call you later. Right. All right, bet. Was he on the game, like you said?

SPEAKER_05 30:11

Yeah, he's on the game. He had the headset on. He's always that's all he does is play the game.

SPEAKER_02 30:14

That's all he does is just play video games and just run for 300 yards a game. Literally, like a little machine. There's some cats, bro, that's just different. Like they literally just can eat candy and play video games.

SPEAKER_05 30:24

That's what he does. You should see his die. I mean, I don't want to put him on blast, but bro, his die. No, no.

SPEAKER_02 30:28

I mean, that he it that's what I'm saying, but like he's not the only one that's like that. Like, there's a bunch of aliens in this league that are just like that, where they ain't they ain't gotta worry about nothing but just putting shoulder pads helmet on and just and just go run 4-2. Literally, he goes at the barely stretches and just zoom, just like bro. It's crazy. Two sleeper things that happened in that NFC championship game, or just with Seattle in general. One was I don't think it's talked about enough how big of a move it was getting Rasheed Shahid on the roster. Man, because of how like how great he's been for their team, like especially in the playoffs, bro. With us, first game, first play of the game. He returns one to the crib, first play. Yes. Like, that's that's game changing. And then obviously everything he does at receiver, like he's blown by cats because he just he runs 4-2. Right. So, like, that's a sleeper thing that I don't think a lot of people are talking about.

SPEAKER_05 31:19

Yes, I feel like, bro, I've said it on my podcast too. I feel like Shaheed was he's one of my more underrated receivers in this league. I feel like it's hard to be underrated now at a receiver because fantasy, like you have one good game, everyone's already talking about you, but Shahid is a guy that I feel like he was on the Saints, they weren't really winning games. But you watch his tape, like he's open, he's making plays, he's fast. I mean, he can stop, he runs good.

SPEAKER_02 31:41

Maybe it's because he wears number 22, then people don't take him seriously.

SPEAKER_05 31:44

I'm rocking with 22 also. I fuck with me. Like, yes. Like everyone's wearing, everyone, all the receivers were like these T numbers, everyone's a single digits now. The 22, no one's rocking it. It's like AK with the 41.

SPEAKER_02 31:55

Nobody, nobody wearing 22 every single day.

SPEAKER_05 31:57

Nobody, AK 41, like that shit's hard too. Like, I think when you do something different, I really like it because I feel like everyone does the same stuff nowadays.

Belichick First-Ballot Snub

SPEAKER_02 32:03

Yeah, no, it is a depth, it is definitely a differentiator for him because you don't you don't see that at all at receiver. But then I'm like, all right, do people take him seriously if you rock them a 20 number? But no, he's a dog, bro. And he all he is he's a so cowboy, man. He's San Diego cat. So uh him and Chris Alave. Chris Alava, he played at my high school. So yeah, no, so I'm I'm I'm rocking with both of them boys. But uh, and then the other thing I was thinking of was the fact that Ernest Jones and Cooper Cup got to get their revenge on the Rams in this past game and got to go to a Super Bowl, man, and possibly win a Super Bowl. That's kind of crazy. That's kind of crazy too. Like, I I didn't I didn't really think about that either.

SPEAKER_05 32:43

I'm looking at Cooper Cup, like daff up Matthew Stafford after the game like he just won a Super Bowl with Stafford, and now he left him as going to the Super Bowl and beat Stafford. I'm like, that's probably a crazy feeling.

SPEAKER_02 32:52

Oh my gosh, bro. It's like another thing I saw too. I'm just over here, things just running through my mind now. Tyler Lockett supposedly was drafted, was drafted the year after they had just gone to the Super Bowl and lost to Tom Brady, but the year before that year, they had just won one. Right. They draft Tyler Lockett, he spends all this time over in Seattle. They cut him this past year, and then now they go into a Super Bowl the year they cut him. It's like that could be the worst timing, bro. Horrible. Terrible. And Tyler Lockett, bro, great player, great dude. It's just that's just how this game is, bro. You never know. You never know when it's year yeah.

SPEAKER_05 33:26

You never know.

Top WRs And The Numbers Trap

SPEAKER_02 33:27

Uh quick, just around the league, man. Let's let's talk about your boy Ben Johnson and this this beef he got with Matt LaFleur. Right. Right? Like, you see the handshakes after the the games. I heard something about he was running up to the handshake with Matt LaFleur and like slapping him on the back with the clipboard or Matt and bring somebody out to make sure he stops slapping him with the clipboard. Like, what what's going on? What did he ever talk about Green Bay just crazy when he was with y'all over in in in Detroit?

SPEAKER_05 33:58

I mean, not really. We just I feel like we all know what it is when it when it comes to Green Bay or really any, you know, anyway any NFC NFC North team, yeah. But I feel like you know, Green Bay is this for us the team that's like a little bit more than the other teams. Um just because of their winning history, you know, they've been at the top for so long with Aaron Rodgers there. So it's like it's been it's been the north for, you know, it's been their north for I don't know how many years, but things have changed now. But for us, I mean, every time we play Green Bay is like we want to beat Green Bay, and we hate Green Bay, they hate us, we get it. And now that we finally got a little bit better, they're starting to hit us even more. So we never, I mean, you know, he never liked the Packers, we never liked the Packers. So I think that's just that you know the mentality that he's kept with himself. And then obviously he did that opening press when he became a head coach for the Bears, and he's like, you know, it was nice beating Matt LaFleur twice, whatever he said. So I think that rubbed the Packers fans the wrong way. The Bears loved it, obviously. Um, but I think it's good for the sport. I think a lot of times, you know, rivalries is good for entertainment. At the end of the day, we're in an entertainment, you know, based interstitial. Most definitely people are paying for to watch us, you know, go make plays. They're paying for, you know, oh, this guy said this, this guy said this. Now they're playing with each other. I want to see what they do. Like, at the end of the day, it's it's entertainment. It's just like boxing. Boxers talk shit, whatever, whatever. They get in the ring, they start fighting. Like, I think it's entertainment, and you know, Ben is the Bears are never gonna like the Packers. We all get it. The Packers are never gonna like the Bears. It's one of the longest rivalries in the NFL. So, I mean, at the end of the day, you know, Ben's just putting, you know, fuel to the fire, but it's already it's already lit. The fire's already lit. So and Ben understands that. And I think you know, the handshake whole thing, I don't, the whole handshake thing, I don't know what's going on with that. Um, it was just funny for me to see because I didn't know. I just seen the last handshake where he went all quick. But the first time LaFleur beat him, his handshake was low-key quick too. So I'm like, okay, uh, I low-key see why Ben did it. But um, I think they're just you know, entertaining, they're having fun with it.

Fred’s Watches And Favorite Stadium

SPEAKER_02 35:50

So Ben beat him twice though. He beat he beat Packers twice because he beat him once, regular season once, postseason, and then Matt beat him once. Right. Oh man, that's just hilarious. That whole clipboard thing. I don't know if that's real or not, but that's it's hilarious, dog. Uh, y'all, y'all are known for I should when I say y'all, I mean like you, you're the receivers and running backs, y'all known for your celebrations, y'all be making up, right? Right. You're doing all sorts of crazy stuff. Uh I'm trying to figure, I'm trying to think of there's one where I think Jameer was over there doing some dance on the on the uh goalposts. Pause. That was hilarious. I I can still picture right now. That is so fun. What how do y'all come up with that? Because y'all, is there a specific day that y'all are dedicating to man, this is what we're gonna do this week? Is it something because obviously you gotta talk about it before you go out there and execute it? So, like, how much practice is being put into all these celebrations y'all doing?

SPEAKER_05 36:41

Uh so honestly, it's like it goes, it kind of goes like this like depending on who we play.

SPEAKER_02 36:45

So, you know, when we play We play the 49ers.

Sponsor: Experian Read

SPEAKER_05 36:49

So we played y'all, what was ours? I was told you I was already hot going into that game. So when I told them like when I score versus the Niners, I'm gonna be like, what I do, I was like, oh yeah. I belt to ask. So I pull the belts out. Come here, what'd I tell you? Like, because y'all had me hot from the year before, so I just wanted to like really put BTA to you guys. Yeah, yeah, yeah. For sure. So like whoever we play though, like say we go to we play the Giants, like we try to think of something that's New York related. So either like a New York dance, uh something that went viral in New York history. Um, so when I like when I played it, when we played Giants this year, I score I hit the Victor Cruz, he did like the Odell Whip. Um and then a lot of stuff comes from like TikTok. So like whatever's trending on TikTok, like something cool. I'll see shit on my phone, I'll be scrolling just like you know, like a regular dude, and I see something like, oh, that'll be dope. Um that's really how a lot of the celebrations come about. Like I think when we played the Niners in the NFC Championship and Jameer scored, he hit like a um he hit like a Bay Area dance. So like depending on who we play, if there was anything that happened that was viral versus these two teams, like that's usually how it comes about. And if you can't figure anything out, then you just do your own shit, do something small. Um, like the Spider-Man study, Superman Spider-Man that we had with Jameer this year. Like, yeah, we were supposed to do that like weeks ago, we just never got to it. And then we're getting the game, like Jameer. If you score, let's bang it out. And so he scored and we did it real quick. So that's really how it comes about.

Sponsor: Ascent Protein Read

SPEAKER_02 38:08

Nah, that was tough. That was tough. Yeah, it only makes sense, man, since we put that belt to y'all the year before that y'all had to come back and do the bell celebration. That that makes sense. Um and you were talking crazy before the game, too. So I had to throw it. I was talking crazy. I know you had to go throw it on the you threw it on, you threw it. You threw it on your socials, it was cute and everything. And then here's the thing about that, right? Because like I get the whole trolling. Because guess what? A troll knows a troll. Like, I'm a I'm the one of the biggest trolls, right? And everybody knows that. Like, I I be, you know, depending on who we beat, I might post something or I might say something, you know, whatever. Like, it's just all part of the fun of it all. And this is this is my belief. If you win the game, you can say whatever you want because you won. Right. And so by you posting that, I'm like, hey, brother, you know, you obviously won. You got to see me at some point. Like, we we're gonna have to we're gonna have to play on the same field again at some point. So, you know, there's that part of it. But also, it's like, all right, bro, y'all won the game. So if if people are like, oh, you see what he's saying. I'm like, yeah, bro, they won. They can say whatever they want, bro. It is what it is. You know what I'm saying? Like, that's just that's all the fun of the game is being able to kind of be a troll and like the entertaining part of it, bro. You know, I'm I'm with that all the way because I'm I'm gonna be I'm gonna be the same exact way when I when I win a game against a team that I feel a certain sort of way against, right? So, you know, it's just it's all it's all in good fun, man.

SPEAKER_05 39:28

It it truly is, but but one thing I don't understand is people that post after L's. Like it just blows my mind. Like, I don't know if it's just me, but like I don't understand how you can post. Now if you lose, if you're 0 and 17, it's different, but like but Okay, so you saying after you lose, like you can't post at all.

SPEAKER_02 39:44

Like if you post in any story, don't post, don't touch nothing, don't even touch the phone.

SPEAKER_05 39:48

No, like if you you can go on Instagram, but don't be posting no stories, don't be posting nothing on Instagram, don't be tweeting like especially Twitter. People that tweet, like I mean, it might just be me, but you're over here tweeting like this. Different.

Fred’s Recovery: Inside The Comeback

SPEAKER_02 40:00

I'm not a big Twitter guy. I don't tweet almost ever. And it's funny too because you talk about trolling. Like we beats we beat Philly in the playoffs that first in the wild card round. I hadn't tweeted in years. But for whatever reason, man. I think I saw that too. What'd you tweet? I was juiced up after before that game. I was juiced up. I'm sitting here at home watching the game and we win that game against all odds, man. And I jumped on Twitter. I said, because they are they rested their starters going into that game, right? So they they didn't care because if they won that game, they would have been the two seed. They lose it, the three-seed and they play us. So by resting the starters, it's basically telling that telling us, like, all right, they don't they prefer to play us because we're beat up, right? Right. And so when we won, I I I typed up, I was like, get y'all rest, Philly, ha ha ha ha, dub city.

SPEAKER_03 40:45

Oh yeah, yeah.

SPEAKER_02 40:46

So, you know, you know, of course, we lose that following week, and everybody, everybody in Philly in my in my mention is dub city, you getting bummed, da da da. Like, you know, of course they got they're gonna say what they want to say. But it it like it's just all in good fun, man. You know what I'm saying? Like it just it it builds to the the entertainment of the game. So yeah, man, it's it's uh it's a good time. Uh let's see. I was just about to say today they they came out and said that Bill Belitech is officially not a first ballot Hall of Famer.

SPEAKER_05 41:20

That's crazy.

SPEAKER_02 41:22

And when I saw that come across my phone, I'm looking at my phone, I'm like, oh no, this is this is a hoax. You know, they got AI and all type of stuff nowadays. They probably they over here got something fake. And then you see more and more people talking about it. I'm like, oh, this is for real. Like Bill Belichick, six-time Super Bowl uh champion head coach with the New England Patriots, and also won two Super Bowls when he was a coordinator. So eight time Super Bowl champion is not a first ballot Hall of Famer. So in my mind, I'm I'm over here wondering, I'm like, if the six-time Super Bowl winning head coach doesn't get in first ballot, then who gets in first ballot?

SPEAKER_05 41:59

Right.

SPEAKER_02 41:59

What's the what's the criteria?

SPEAKER_05 42:01

Yeah. Bro, I have no idea. I saw that too. I was like, I didn't know if it like you said, I didn't know what to believe, and I just kept looking at it. I'm like, I didn't even know he won eight. I thought he won, I thought he won six, but the fact that he won eight, I'm like, no way. Like, what else? What more do you need to do as a head coach to be you know a first round Hall of Famer?

SPEAKER_02 42:20

They supposedly they're saying that he he they gave him a slap on the wrist because of all the deflate gate and spy gate and all that other stuff that they said he was cheating.

SPEAKER_05 42:27

Yeah, nah. See, like even okay, he cheated, he won how many off those? One one suitable? Give him five. Like he's still it's still his own guy.

SPEAKER_02 42:35

If he even had three, right, three of them where he was. I don't know, bro. It's weird. I I couldn't I couldn't believe it. Um top three receivers in the league this year.

SPEAKER_05 42:45

Ooh, this year. JSN, Puka. Um, this throw one is gonna be tough.

SPEAKER_02 42:52

Um I mean you can throw yourself if you want to. Nah, if you feel if you feel in a certain a certain sort of way.

SPEAKER_05 42:57

I'll exclude myself.

SPEAKER_02 42:58

Yeah um you had a down year this year, that's what you're saying.

SPEAKER_05 43:03

Nah, not a down year, just um, you know, I feel like I can always be better. So okay, I like that. Puka, JSN, damn, I feel like the throw out can go to a few guys. Um obviously I love I love Chase. Uh I love Justin Jefferson too. Everyone look is looking at the numbers like he didn't have you.

SPEAKER_02 43:22

Did you did you, I'm sorry, did you say George Pickens at all or no?

SPEAKER_05 43:24

I I like I like George this year too. He went crazy.

SPEAKER_02 43:27

Yeah.

SPEAKER_05 43:27

Um but I was gonna get to him. I like Chase, I like Justin, I like Pickens. Um I mean, those three, I feel like Justin Jefferson, the quarterback situation. Yes, I mean, there's so much more that goes into it, but if you give me Justin on any given Sunday, with you know and you would watch him up close and personal. Exactly, with the with a quarterback, not saying, you know, not throwing shit at any other quarterback that was throwing the ball to him, but if you give me Justin Jefferson on any given Sunday, I like him over a lot of receivers in this NFL. I don't care if how many yards he had this year. And that's the thing with the position of receiver, I feel like everyone loves to look at the numbers, they love to look at the stats, how many yards do you have, how many touchdowns you have, and you have if you don't have you know 1300 yards or 1400 yards, you're not a top 10 receiver anymore. Like, I still like AJ Brown. He had a down year. I still like AJ, though. Like there's a lot of receivers that I still like that had so-called down years, but sure. I mean, you give me Justin Jefferson any given Sunday, I'm taking him. Like he's he's he's that boy. The way he competes, um, like every play, it's like it means everything to him. So I mean, I play him twice a year, so I might be biased, but that boy is different.

SPEAKER_02 44:36

Nah, he is for sure. And it's uh it's unfortunate. The the fact that he's had to play obviously with a ton of different quarterbacks, um, instead of just having like you know a guy that he can do can feed him the football every single every single play, damn near, because that's the type of caliber player he is. He he should be having at least he should lead the league in receptions every year, you know, for sure. Because I don't I don't know who else is even on their offense. I know they got Jordan Addison.

SPEAKER_06 45:01

Yeah, that's it.

SPEAKER_02 45:01

I know I do know that I knew the player's on their offense, but bro, like their whole offense runs for him.

Playoff Window And Practice Return

SPEAKER_05 45:06

And he's getting doubled, like that's nothing about receiver. You can get doubled, like there's so much that goes into it. He's getting doubled every play, right? It's just not stacked in his favor. Like each each Sunday, and your quarterback, like Jordan Addison misses game, so now it's like, oh, all they got is Justin Jefferson. So it's like who else could let everyone else beat us. 18's not beating us, so it's like, all right.

SPEAKER_02 45:25

I'm gonna let you uh take the mic for a second. I know you got your St. Brown podcast with your brother, but I'm gonna let you take the mic and ask me two questions. You can ask a personal question and you can ask a football question.

SPEAKER_05 45:35

Okay. Um this is this is for those of you guys that don't know. We you know, just had him on my podcast. So I asked him a lot of great questions. So let me think of one that wasn't asked. Uh yeah, for sure. Here we go. What do you like to spend your money on besides football, you know, related things like treatment, things they can do?

SPEAKER_02 45:56

Things I like to spend my money on. You know, I got onto uh a Rolex kick last last offseason, and that was that was dangerous. That was dangerous. That was dangerous waters because you know, my wife, she I I talked about a uh a Rolex for a long time. And by the way, I don't spend money like that. I just you know, I'm I like to be be frugal about my money. So I talked about a Rolex for so long, and my wife was hearing and hearing and hearing it. And then finally, I think it was on Christmas, last Christmas, she she got me a Rolex, and I was just in awe, couldn't believe it. Um, you know, a Samariner, some something basic, not basic, but you know, it's kind of like a starter, starter Rolex, right? So then I start going down the rabbit hole of learning about Rolexes, all the different types, the different names, the different uh, you know, metals, right? And so I go to the Rolex store that's over here, and if you know anything about buying Rolexes at the actual store, like it just it takes so much, it's just such an ordeal of them having to get the watch in, and then you're on a wait list, and they're like, Oh, you gotta build up the rep your reputation with the store to be able to have access to different watches. It's ridiculous. You can't just walk in there and be like, here's my money, and let me get my watch. They finally let me get uh this this uh get my hands on this what was it, a presidential uh day date, all gold with an ombre green face, and boy, that changed the game for me. And then I could have easily kind of went down a rabbit hole after that because I'm looking at all these different watches I want, but like these things are pricey, bro. You know what I'm saying? Like, you know, and then you can start feeding yourself you can start feeding lots to yourself, oh it's an investment, you know. I could always sell it and get the money back for it. And you're never gonna sell these things, bro. You know, you're gonna keep you gonna keep the money with these. So uh yeah, that that was something I kind of got into. Yeah. Are you still in how so how many watches do you have? I have three. I got three watches, and I won't, I won't get, I won't get any more.

SPEAKER_05 47:52

Really? Yeah. Yeah, I'm a big watch guy, so yeah, I love watches. Are you? Okay, yeah. I got like I mean shit. I got like, I think I have ten now, so it's not it's expensive, it's an expensive hobby.

SPEAKER_02 48:04

Um, but yeah, it absolutely is. You said you got 10? Yeah, I got 10.

Season Reflections And Sala Move

SPEAKER_05 48:08

Oh boy, I'd have money money. No, I have nothing like that. You got that wide receiver money though. You feel me? That's different. You got that, you got that long money, that third or fourth contract money. Like, I'm just I'm just on my second one, dog. It is my third contract, I will say that.

SPEAKER_00 48:22

Yeah, yeah.

SPEAKER_05 48:23

So um, but no, that's that's dope. The Rolex is that's lit. Yeah. My second question, ooh, what's your favorite uh away stadium to play in?

SPEAKER_02 48:32

There truly is just something special about that that Viking stadium, bro. I I just got like this special attachment to it since it was the very first stadium I ever played in. And I can still vividly remember that feeling since it was it was so long ago. Like I'm going into year nine, bro. And I can still remember that feeling I had my first year playing there in week one for my first ever start. And the fact that we've never won there, bro, it's always like this mythical thing of like, will I ever be able to go there and win? You know what I'm saying? And just like hearing the skull chants and the horn, bro, it never gets old. So uh I love playing in Minnesota. And then there's some there are some stadiums where I would love to go back and play in because when we were playing that that team at that time, they were no good. Like y'all, for example, we played y'all in 21. You were still trying to figure it out, right? Dan Campbell's still trying to instill, you know, whatever with with the with the culture and the standard for your team. So I didn't get to experience like I see now some of them prime time games and playoff games that y'all didn't play in in that in that stadium, and it is packed out rocking. And I can't even imagine playing in there now. But you know, maybe, maybe someday we'll see.

SPEAKER_05 49:34

Right, maybe someday. Yeah.

Exit Meetings And Next-Year Fire

Closing Thanks And Follow

SPEAKER_02 49:37

So yeah, man. Hey, that's that's it. That's it from old old Monros St. Brown. Listen, brother, it's uh it's much respect, bro. I always I always admire guys who make a name for themselves after being doubted when they come in the league, right? You were fourth round draft pick and had to really grind to to make it to the tops, man, as an all-pro and a pro roll receiver in this league. And I always tip my cap to guys who who really get it out the mud. And it's not to say that guys who were first round draft picks and had it all laid out for them, you know, aren't as as deserving, right? You know, I think it doesn't matter where you're drafted. Once you step in into this league, it's about what do you do going forward. So uh for you to carve out the the uh the niche that you have, man, like being being the number one guy in Detroit and obviously one of the best receivers in the league, man, is it's much respect. Appreciate it, bro. Appreciate you a lot. Yes, sir. Yes, sir. So thanks again for coming on, bro. Of course, bro. Thank you for having me. Yes, sir. Let's talk about the real MVP off the field. Xperian, your big financial friend, the kind of BFF you want in your lineup. Let's be real. Your other BFFs might talk you into impulse buys or questionable fantasy league bets. Xperian, they're here to keep you in check. Experian could help you save time and money with all the financial tools you need at your fingertips, right in the app. With the Experian app, you're always in the know. It lets you check your FICO score, matches you with personalized credit card offers based on your credit profile, and always looking for ways to help you save. Bet your BFFs can't do all that. I'm telling you, Experian should be your go-to app for taking control of your finances. With this big financial friend, you're in great hands. Get started by downloading the free Experian app today. All right, real ones. Quick break to talk about something that's genuinely part of my routine. You know I don't put my name on just anything, and that's why I rock with Ascent protein. When you're training hard, recovery is most important. And when trying to stay consistent day in and day out, what you put in your body matters. And Ascent keeps it simple and clean. Their protein is made with simple ingredients, no artificial junk, and is third-party tested, so I know exactly what I'm getting every single time. Whether it's post-workout, first thing in the morning, or just making sure I'm hitting my protein goals for the day, Ascent helps me stay ready. And look, hard work looks different for everyone. Whether you're chasing championships or just trying to be better than yesterday, Ascent's there to support the work you're putting in. Right now, Ascent is hooking up real ones listeners with 20% off. Just head to AscentProtein.com and use my code Fred20 at checkout. That's AscentProtein.com, code Fred20 for 20% off. Feel the work, earn your best. This Fred Zone segment is powered by Ascent Protein. All right, guys, uh, I know it's been a while since we caught up on my recovery journey. A lot's happened, a lot of uh clips of me practicing, a lot of talks about me playing in the NFC Championship game. So I kind of wanted to take y'all behind the scenes of how all that went down now that the season has ended. Of course, you know, I think the the chatter started about me potentially returning for the NFC Championship game in reality, right? Aside from, you know, just people talking about uh fairy tale dreams, but it actually becoming a reality was talked about a couple weeks uh at the end of the season, right? So um, you know, rewind all the way back to my first checkup with the doctor where I was uh clear to be full weight bearing. This was er it may have been actually before that, whatever that first encounter with the doctors were, right? It was probably a couple weeks after surgery. I had to be non-weight bearing without uh putting weight on my foot uh or my entire leg for that matter for six weeks. And it was excruciating six weeks. It was very long. But uh, you know, I had a uh a meeting with the doctor, and my head trainer is there, and he's taking me through the how the x-rays look to make sure that my bone was healing correctly and my leg and uh making sure everything looked great. He said everything looks amazing. And I said, Hey, doc, uh at that point, just letting y'all know, at that point, my the goal was to get me back for training camp the next year. So I was gonna have unreal amounts of time to recover from this thing, right? It was gonna be like eight months, I'm sure, or eight and eight or nine months when it was really it's only only like a four-month recovery. Um, but of course, you know, there was at that point nothing to play for when you snap your your ankle in half and have it bent the other way. Your first thought is not, hey, let's see how quickly we can get this guy back. So they were taking the conservative route with me. But then I'm in the office, I have these thoughts. I'm like, hey, doc, in reality, would I have ever been able to come back and play this season? Because I got hurt what week six, I was, was there ever a chance, Doc? And he said, Technically, yes. And so, of course, I I perk up. I look over at my trainer, we kind of lock eyes, I'm like, God, that's kind of crazy. And um, you know, he's like, Yeah, this this first six weeks of non-weight bearing, you wouldn't, you wouldn't change that, right? That you have to you have to be in a in a in a boot that you that you don't take off, you have to be on the scooter, and you have to make sure that that bone heals correctly in that first six weeks, right? Uh, and of course the ligaments that uh I damaged as well. But after that six weeks, you can manipulate the rehab a bit to to be more aggressive, uh, to ultimately get back in time for at earliest NFC championship. And uh, you know, he's telling me all this, and I'm just running through things in my mind. I'm like, oh my gosh, this is kind of insane. Like, I didn't even realize this was even a possibility. So, you know, as we're walking out of the office, my my head trainer's like, ah, you know, I know that sounds great for him to say and everything, but I, you know, it it it is it is a long shot. Um, you know, I think they don't take into account how uh, you know, how much you gotta um account for different, you know, muscle imbalances and how you're gonna be feeling and uh making sure the calf strength is there and all these other things that go into account and not just the healing part, right? Because you could be healed, but is everything else ready to go for and not only just NFL game. This this is the NFL NFC championship game we're talking, a playoff football game. So um, you know, he was like, all right, you know, that was that was cool to hear though. And so we move on with our uh with our rehab, and I get to six weeks. I take the the boot off, I'm full weight bearing, and I get into those first two weeks of really actually going after it, right? Going after it hard. And meanwhile, in the background, I'm I'm doing my swimming, right? I I hit up the the head swim coach over at San Jose State, and he gets me swimming in the pool like I'm a I'm an Olympian. I'm over there, I want to be like Michael Phelps. I'm telling him. Because at the time I couldn't really push myself when it came to my cardio on the field. So I wanted to push it in the pool. And uh I'm doing that. I'm doing the hybrid barracks every day. I'm I'm doing everything under the sun to just make sure I'm back better than I was before, regardless if I was gonna come back or not. And those two weeks progressed so quickly that the the question then was raised of, all right, Fred, do you want to do this? Do you wanna do you want us to change the rehab program for us to get you back in time for the NFC Championship game? Like, are you are you ready for that mentally? And I said, I absolutely am, brother. No, I said, yeah, absolutely. I, you know, if we can make this happen, absolutely, I want to try to chase that. And that's what we did. They they changed uh the rehab program to try to get me back for NFC Championship. They laid it all out for me on the calendar of you're gonna have to hit these marks as we get up to that point. And if you can uh if you can hit all those markers, then we will clear you. And obviously the doctor has to clear it, clear me um and make and tell me what the possible um ramifications are of that by coming back too early. But all in all, you know, it had to be safe enough for me to be able to do it. So, you know, I train my butt off uh day and night to to make it back, and then ultimately, you know, we make it to the playoffs and have a tough test to start, right? You have to go on the road in a hostile environment against Philly, and I'm watching from the couch, and we end up winning that game. And I'm just ecstatic. I I'm like, I'm jumping up, I'm uh I would say jumping up and down, but you know, I'm I'm I am ecstatic, right? Because now I'm one step closer. And the the whole thought process all along was they wanted to wait it out as long as possible for me to step foot on that field um to give myself enough time to recover uh properly before they're like, all right, we're gonna, you know, unleash the reins and let you go do it. Um but then I asked them going into that week against Seattle, I uh in the divisional, I said, can we open my practice window so I can at least get out there and practice with the guys uh so it's kind of bridge that gap from this week to going into the next game. And they agreed, you know, uh they felt it was safe enough to meet for me to do individual drills that day. And that was all the clips you guys saw of me on that Thursday practice of running around, and I can't tell you how amazing that felt to be back out there. It truly felt like I jumped in a time machine from October when I was uh or from right now currently back to October when before I got hurt. Like it was just me being able to jump right back in and truly feeling like myself again, you know, after such a horrific injury to like to go back out there and move the way I was moving, feel the way I was feeling, like there was no doubt in my mind I was gonna be ready a week after that. Um, you know, of course, there was chatters about me possibly playing in the in the divisional game, but the the plan all along was to play um, you know, in NF in the NFC Championship game because that just seemed like the safest uh option for for me, right? Um and so yeah, man, all in all, unfortunately, we didn't win that game to even have have a chance to do that. But I mean, I'm just so grateful that I had that opportunity to put that that 5-4 back on, throw the helmet back on and be out there with the guys because now I get to just attack the offseason like it, like I would any other offseason because I I'm I have full confidence now in my my ability and my ankle and where it's at. Um, and I'm not just having to deal with rehabbing um and wondering what it's gonna be like the first time I get back out there on the practice field, right? It's like, no, I did it, and now I'm Going to do it again when the time comes. So that's amazing. Um, but yeah, still from the season, man, highlights. I would say that I'm obviously super proud of how the team fought all the way this season. The fact that we had an opportunity to win the one seed, even through all the chaos of what we went through, was unbelievable. Um, you know, it was crazy about being a part of that Chicago Bears game the week before fighting for the one seed with Seattle. That was electric, man. Being able to be up there at the foghorn, getting the stadium going, that was definitely a highlight. Um, you know, all those primetime games we got to be a part of. And then uh it was crazy the fact that I couldn't even be a part of that that one seed game with Seattle because I had my baby girl at the hospital, right? She uh she came a bit earlier than than uh we had anticipated. I think her due date was January 9th, and she came January 4th. So it all in all was perfect timing uh for her to, but you know, it was it was uh it was interesting watching that game from a laptop in the in the hospital. It's funny because the cable was down in the hospital that game. Perfect you talk about perfect timing, uh, bad timing to have the cable go out at the entire hospital, but we still had that laptop and whipped it open and watched the game and and cheer on the fellas. Um special shout-out, man. Let me just say, of course, Christian McCaffrey is gonna get lots of praise for the the athlete that he is and the season he's had, but I don't think people can truly understand what it what is required uh of a guy to do what he did this year after coming off of you know a year where he had the Achilles tendonitis leading the last year, which kept him out a big chunk of the year, coming back and having an outstanding game against the Buffalo Bills in the snow before ultimately hurting his knee where he fell on his knee and then that which knocked him out the rest of that year. And man, to come back, bro, and obviously he'll be clear-cut the comeback player of the year this year. Be he's up for offensive player of the year and MVP as a running back, um, a first team all pro bowler, bro. I gotta I gotta tip my cap, you know, because Christian, bro, um he is everything that we that we ask of guys who come in this place as Niners, right? He's he's obsessed with the game. Um is just such a a great competitor, man. I love the fact that he's on my team. I get to compete against him day in and day out, man. Um, so yeah, I gotta I gotta shout out my boy. And uh the the best is yet to come, believe it or not. Um we did lose my boy, Robert Salah, to the Tennessee Titans. Darn it. Those buggers. Um, but yeah, man, it was it was uh it was written on the wall, you know. Robert Salah, he's too too good a coach, too good a leader to not get another opportunity to be a head coach, right? So for Robert Sala, the man and the friend, I am happy for him. Of course, I'm gonna be sick that he is gone. I only had a a solid five games being back with him this year, which is crazy to even say allowed, just the crazy thing about. Um, but uh yeah, it was it was still great having him back, man. He's he's the best. So the Titans got them a great one. Um the vibe around exit meetings was you know, it exit meetings are always always a weird time because it's like you gotta understand, you were you just spent all these six months of the year dedicating yourself to the game and and game planning week in and week out, and all of a sudden it just comes to an abrupt halt where everything's finished. You have a date, you come in the next day, you you talk to a couple of your coaches, you have a team meeting of saying, Hey guys, thanks for battling this year, uh come back next year and we'll try and do it again. All right, see ya. And then it's all done. And guys pack up their lockers, they pack up their stuff, they go home, they go on vacation, they do what they do, and it's just such an abroad abrupt ending. Um, and yeah, it's it's just it just never gets easier, you know, saying goodbye to certain guys and things like that. Um, but you know, all in all, everybody's proud of how everybody fought this year, you know, and uh that still doesn't mean we're happy with anything other than a Lombardi trophy. Let me just say that, regardless of what the injuries are, you know, that's the expectation, that's the standard, and something that we're gonna continue to find ways to achieve uh going into next season. Man, the thing that excites me most right now is this new challenge that's presented in front of me. Because, you know, for the majority of my career, I was I was very healthy, you know, missed one game and always had my off seasons were the exact same. Well, not the exact same, but like where I'm, you know, I'm picking up where I left off and trying to add new things to try to be a better version of myself. And then now this is the first time where I had a little a little bump in the road and I got to kind of come back after people done kind of forgot about your boy, right? Where you didn't see me for an entire three months out there on the field. And it truly feels like I gotta go prove it all over again, which I love. I love the fact that I got that challenge, and you're always looking for different motivators, uh, external, internal. And I mean, the last thing I need is more motivation, but this this gives me everything I need to really attack this thing the right way. And you know, the the mindset was always that whatever you've done in the past doesn't matter, it's what you do going forward. But I think obviously something like this puts that into even greater perspective of like, listen, people then fully forgot what you what you would have done on a field because you got hurt so early on in the season and you're gonna be going in the next year, and you're gonna have to earn it, you're gonna have to prove it again. And I mean, what better of an opportunity? And that just makes you work that much, grind that much harder because it's like you got to truly make yourself into that guy again. And, you know, there is no rest period because my rest took place the past three months, even though I wasn't really resting. You know, it was it was um it was battling to get back for the playoffs, but even then, you know, it's it's right back to the grindstone. Um, you know, and I can't wait to just get this offseason going and get ready for uh the best season yet that I didn't had in year nine. Imagine that, year nine. Golly boy, talk about an old head. As always, thank you guys so much for tuning in. Huge shout out to Monroe St. Brown for joining us on the show. Stay tuned for more weekly episodes of Real Ones of the League throughout the NFL season. Follow Goat Farm Sports on all social media platforms for top moments from the show.