Best NFL Interviews Radio Row Part 1: Trevor Lawrence, Sauce Gardner, Jayden Daniels, More!

10:40Jayden Daniels:And when you can do that, you're at such an advantage. So they've given me the freedom to, when I see that, I can get to what I want because you know what you're getting. And, you know, I think that's really cool.

10:49Trevor Lawrence:Yeah, that's a huge advantage when you have a quarterback that has allowed the freedom to be able to do what some of the greats have done. Because what the greats have always been able to have done is to understand what they see in front of them and be able to change, especially if you have the right personnel, which you do have, to be able to get into something you like. We got man-to-man? I mean, I got BT out there? Man, we're changing this. If you were to put your GM cap on, I've asked every player we've had on here, If you were able to put your GM cap on and say what we need, whether it's offensively, whether it's defensively, or maybe even special teams that can get us over the hump so we can be in the conversation and being in games like this, next year being in L.A., what would you do?

11:30Jayden Daniels:You said if I had my GM here?

11:31Trevor Lawrence:If you put your GM hat.

11:33Jayden Daniels:Oh, GM hat. You're not Trevor Lawrence, the player. Man, that's a good question.

11:39Shannon Sharpe:Resign ATN.

11:40Jayden Daniels:That's a great start. That's my guy. I've been with him eight years. You came to college. Eight years, yeah. So I'm hoping we get Travis back. I mean, he's a great player. I'm hoping we get him back. So that's a great starting point. I think you look at our team, we have some guys that are free agents. So you've got to figure out who's going to come back, who's going to be a part of it. I think, obviously, the year we had and what we were set up to do fell short in the wild card. But we feel really good about our team and how we matched up. I don't feel like we ever stepped on the field and were like, man, this team's better than us.

12:13Jayden Daniels:Didn't ever feel that way. So you want to try to get as many guys as possible back, but it's not always realistic. So I don't even know if I could put my GM hat on. I don't know how the salary cap works. It's going up, Trev. I think it's going up. I don't know. So we got a great owner that's willing to do what it takes to keep guys around. So I'm hoping we get all that figured out. Travis would be awesome to keep. And then I think you look at our defense. Lose some guys. Devin Lloyd's a free agent. He had a great year. I mean, you look at what he did. He's, I mean, arguably the best linebacker in the league.

12:41Jayden Daniels:So got some stuff to figure out. And I think there's guys that are a key part of what we're doing. But at the end of the day, you know, I don't make those decisions. But I think we have the relationship in our building where our input is valued. So, you know, we'll see what happens.

12:55Trevor Lawrence:Especially your input.

12:56Jayden Daniels:Yeah, no doubt.

12:57Shannon Sharpe:So how are the Purple Hurricanes going to do this year? You're going back to Cartersville, huh? You know about Cartersville. I'm hoping good, man. You and Ronnie Brown.

13:07Jayden Daniels:Ronnie, Ronnie, Ronnie. Oh, Ronnie's the man. Ronnie's the man. Yeah, he's – I'm hoping good. We need to get back to get another state championship. It's been a little while. So we played in a couple, but we need to win one.

13:18Shannon Sharpe:You know what? And we're going to get you out on this. Now, your name, when they talk about great quarterbacks in the AFC, Trevor Lawrence getting mentioned because of Liam Cohen comes in there and what you've been able to do this season. So the Patrick Mahomes and the Joe Burrow and the Lamar Jacksons and the Josh Allens. And guess what? Trevor Lawrence. Is that what you've always hoped for? Because a lot of times it's like, man, look, This guy was the number one consensus from the day he stepped foot on Clemson. Everybody said three years from today, he'll be the first player selected in the NFL draft.

13:49Shannon Sharpe:So you've had a lot of pressure, and you've met those expectations. You went to college. You won a national championship as a true freshman. Doesn't happen very often. You get back, but you ran into that historic, great 2019 LSU team. You're the first one to pick in the draft, and you had some success. What did you have? you walk the Chargers down, they were up 20 to 27-0, you walk them down. So now to hear people the way they talk about you now, as opposed to the way they talked about you in the past, does that make you feel good, like, you know what, I'm turning the corner, I'm starting to be the player that I thought I could become?

14:23Jayden Daniels:Yeah, I think it's, man, people have said a lot of stuff about me for a long time. So I try not to, at this point, I try not to listen to much of it. I know I've seen, I mean, you asked people a year ago, people thought I sucked. So, I mean, I don't think you can listen to too much. I've always known what I'm capable of, and it's been frustrating at times. You know, obviously I haven't played as well as I know I can, but now having the foundation in place, the confidence in what we're doing, the system, the scheme, our personnel, got a lot of great players, have a lot of confidence in that. And for me, it's not about what people think, if I'm in that conversation or not, it's just about winning games.

14:58Jayden Daniels:But naturally, when you win, that happens. So I'm proud of what we were able to do this year, not for people to say that I'm one of the better quarterbacks in the league, but just because our team is one of the better teams in the league. And that's what happens when you play well as a team, and you have to play well at the quarterback position. So naturally that stuff's going to happen, and hopefully next year we'll have another conversation and playing in this game. Here we go. We're not here talking, but as much fun as it is talking to you guys.

15:24Shannon Sharpe:You want to be in this game.

15:25Jayden Daniels:No doubt.

15:26Shannon Sharpe:So here he is, quarterback Jacksonville Jaguars, promoting Z-Boat, the flying insect trap. Trevor Lawrence. Trev, thanks for stopping by, man. Appreciate it.

15:34Trevor Lawrence:Don't forget to put that word in for me to come back.

15:36Shannon Sharpe:All right, come on.

15:37Trevor Lawrence:I appreciate it. You want a coach? I didn't know you wanted a coach. No, I want to play. You want to play? Yeah, I want to play.

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16:12Patrick Willis:Support for the show comes from Public, the investing platform for those who take it seriously. On Public, you can build a multi-asset portfolio of stocks, bonds, options, crypto, and now generated assets, which allow you to turn any idea into an investable index with AI. It all starts with your prompt. From renewable energy companies with high free cash flow to semiconductor suppliers growing revenue over 20 % year over year. You can literally type any prompt and put the AI to work. It screens thousands of stocks, builds a one-of-a-kind index, and lets you backtest it against the S &P 500. Then you can invest in a few clicks.

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17:12Patrick Willis:This is Jacob Goldstein from What's Your Problem? Business software is expensive. And when you buy software from lots of different companies, it's not only expensive, it gets confusing, slow to use, hard to integrate. Odoo solves that because all Odoo software is connected on a single affordable platform. Save money without missing out on the features you need. Odoo has no hidden costs and no limit on features or data. Odoo has over 60 apps available for any needs your business might have, all at no additional charge. Everything from websites to sales to inventory to accounting, all linked and talking to each other.

17:50Patrick Willis:Check out Odoo at odoo.com. That's O-D-O-O dot com. A couple snaps in you?

17:58Shannon Sharpe:No. All right, next coming to the Colts rise receiver. He's a 2020 second-round pick out of USC. This season, 80 catches, 784 yards, seven touchdowns. The Colts finished 8-9, third in the AFC. Man, the dream season, it started off so great for them. They were 8-2 to start the season. The quarterback gets injured, and they lost seven in a row. Michael Pittman Jr. How you doing, bro? You see what they do, baby? How are you guys? It went good to see you. Yes, sir. Likewise. Well, you had that great start. Y 'all were 8-2, riding high. You were the number one seed in the AFC at the time. And then your quarterback gets injured.

18:34Shannon Sharpe:And you tried a lot of different things. You end up getting Phillip Rivers off his couch after five years. But how disappointing was it for you guys to see a promising season, basically go down the drain because of an injury to your quarterback?

18:47Michael Pittman Jr.:Yeah, I mean, obviously it's tough. I mean, just hearing that back again, man, because we thought we were on our way to the playoff run, AFC South. I mean, everything was just out there. And just the fact that it came kind of almost like crashing down after Dan got hurt. But just know that he's coming back and we still have that same core guys and that we feel like we could do the same thing again. And then God willing that everybody stays healthy because we had a string of bad luck with our DBs, with, obviously, Daniel. So, like, you know.

19:26Trevor Lawrence:Even as a player, how surprised were you? Because even I was surprised. How surprised were you that when Daniel Jones came in as a quarterback, everything changed? He looked like a damn generational talent. He changed everything around about that franchise, especially with the way you guys were playing at the beginning of the season before his injury.

19:45Michael Pittman Jr.:Absolutely. I mean, I wasn't so shocked because, like, the way that he showed up, like just like in camp, like we were doing that. So, and then we went to like joint practices and we were still doing that. So, so it didn't really shock me. Going eight and two, like, like now I didn't necessarily see that. Yeah. So like when like we went on that run, I'm like, oh shit. Like, just like, you know what I'm saying? Like, just like we like got a squad. Right. And our offense was rolling at like historic pace. Yes. And, and we thought we were onto something. And then, like I said, injuries, it all comes crashing down, but we've got to find ways to win no matter what.

20:23Michael Pittman Jr.:There's lots of teams that battle that. I think that the 49ers struggling with injuries, and they were able to make a nice run. So we've just got to find ways to get it done regardless.

20:34Shannon Sharpe:Yeah, and you look at you guys offensively. You've got Jonathan Taylor can run the football. You've got yourself, Pierce. You've got Warren tied in. Your offensive line was a little banged up, but you still have an outstanding offensive line. What do you guys – because this is a very tough division now. Oh, yeah. You got the Houston Texans. You got the Jags. You guys are in that division. You see they made a change in Tennessee with their coaching staff, with their coaches' staff. And so now this division, what, you know, maybe it would take, you know, 10 games to win the division. It's probably going to take 12, 13 games to win this division moving forward unless something unforeseen would have happened.

21:09Michael Pittman Jr.:Absolutely, yeah. I mean, like, just knowing that there's some really good defenses in the AFC South right now. I mean, Houston's, like, defensive front. I mean, and they're like DBs now. Crazy, crazy. Ballers. So just know that, you know, like it's going to be a battle. Like every time that we play those teams, them, the Jags, and Tennessee, like it's coming up, you know. Like I think that Cam Ward is a really talented guy. And I think they're going to build kind of like just like around him. And like I think that he's going to keep getting better too.

21:37Shannon Sharpe:So it ain't going to be easy. You guys lost to Seattle 18-16. Yeah. And everybody that's come on here, they have picked the Seahawks to win the Super Bowl. Yeah. What makes them so good on both sides of the football? Because you have an up-close look. You're on the field against their defense. You're on the sideline watching their offense. What makes them so good?

21:57Michael Pittman Jr.:I think they play really good complementary football, and I think they don't make a lot of mistakes. I think that they're well coached. I think that their defensive line is really good. Obviously, Sam is playing great. I mean, Jackson Smith is putting up crazy numbers. So they kind of got, like, the full package, and, like, I kind of am, like, leaning towards them too.

22:21Trevor Lawrence:Same.

22:21Shannon Sharpe:Yeah, I think it's going to be an unbelievable game. I think the thing is people might be selling the Patriots a little short because, you know, they don't have the big name. They don't have a guy like a Jackson. They don't have, you know, Sam and Drake May is going to end the MVP discussion. We'll find out tonight who wins the MVP. For me, if I had a vote, I probably would have voted for Matthew Stafford. Oh, yeah. you know, considering what he's done. But they're going to be right there, and you mentioned that defense. But you guys, I mean, they did a number. If you go back and look at them in the postseason, they've done an unbelievable job on a lot of teams.

22:54Shannon Sharpe:But you're able to – it was a very, very close ball game. What do you think some of the things that the Patriots can do to take advantage because, like you said, they're very good. They're very, very spoon and swollen. And then you've got love. And then you've got – I mean, they're good at all three levels.

23:10Michael Pittman Jr.:Yeah. I mean, like I think the biggest thing that helped us was Phillip was getting us, like, in the right place. And I don't know how. Like, there was one, I think it was the third down, where they showed, like, a, like, all-out blitz. And they ran up, like, just, like, on our hard count. They, like, ran up and showed blitz. And, like, I'm like, okay, like, just, like, they're, like, just, like, all of them are bringing it right. And then Phillip changes it to a zone. to a zone play. So I'm just looking at him crazy. I'm like, yo, bro. They are bringing a house. And then he snaps it and all of them just back out.

23:51Michael Pittman Jr.:I was like, I have no idea how he knew. Because they all came so hard on that hard count. So, yeah.

24:00Shannon Sharpe:You have one year left on your deal. Yes. And your name did come up in some trade talks at the trade deadline. Is this something, would you like to secure something long-term? You've got a huge cap number. They're probably going to look. I'm not breaking news to you. I'm sure you and your representatives have looked at this. Is there a possibility, would you like to stay in Indy, or whatever works best for the team and works best for Michael Pittman Jr., I'm amenable to them.

24:29Michael Pittman Jr.:Absolutely, yeah. I mean, obviously Indy is my home, and I built a lot of stuff there, and, like, I would love to stay, but just know that NFL ball can take you places that, you know, like you never thought that you'd be at, right? And sometimes, like, that can be better. But I am planning on being here, like, in Indy until somebody tells me that I'm not. So, like, I'm all in, like, with the Colts, and I hope it stays that way.

24:57Trevor Lawrence:I hope it stays that way, too, because I understand how valuable you are for that team and that franchise and that offense. So I'm hoping, you know, it does happen. Who are you here representing?

25:07Michael Pittman Jr.:Yes, so I am here on behalf of Oral B, the official toothbrush of the NFL. So we actually got our guy Blue here. He's got the biggest lightest smile. What's up, Blue? Thanks to the I.O. Series toothbrush.

25:20Trevor Lawrence:Uh-huh, Blue.

25:21Michael Pittman Jr.:So he's just getting it in. He's got the perfect smile. Hey.

25:25Sauce Gardner:So.

25:28Trevor Lawrence:Hey, Blue, I appreciate that, baby.

25:30Shannon Sharpe:You got a beard, too, won't you? Huh?

25:31Trevor Lawrence:I ain't got no beard. It looks like me, though. And they got the Cartiers right.

25:38Michael Pittman Jr.:There you go, Blue.

25:40Trevor Lawrence:Hey, Blue, I appreciate that, Blue.

25:42Michael Pittman Jr.:Yes, sir.

25:43Shannon Sharpe:That's loud. I like that. I actually use Orbeez. That's the only two. Yeah, I've used Orbeez. You got to. That's dope. It's the best. Actually, I think I use, it might be, I don't know if it's a soft or medium. I think it's a 60 soft or 60 medium. There you go. Clearly, I know what I'm talking about because I'm giving you the soft.

26:03Michael Pittman Jr.:Absolutely, absolutely. It's like the soft bristles just are the best.

26:07Shannon Sharpe:Yeah, yeah. This is unbelievable. I appreciate this. Ocho, they got a chain and everything. Look at the chain, Ocho.

26:12Trevor Lawrence:Hold on, I see the chain. You don't see the soccer jersey, though. I see the soccer jersey. I'm talking about detail. They detail. Chad, is this me? Did they do me right? They did me right because that's how I look when I laugh.

26:25Shannon Sharpe:Oh, man, this is unbelievable. Michael, thank you, man. Congratulations. Continued success. That's, hey, you're going to be where you're supposed to be, but all you do once you get there, show up and show out. That's it. Absolutely. I appreciate that. Hey, do me a small favor.

26:39Trevor Lawrence:When I had that wider workshop, I hope to see you. Okay. I hope to see you. Come on now. Come politic with the fellas now.

26:44Shannon Sharpe:I'll pull up.

26:45Trevor Lawrence:Love. I appreciate that.

26:48Shannon Sharpe:Oh, you like this one.

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27:51Patrick Willis:Support for the show comes from Public, The investing platform for those who take it seriously. On Public, you can build a multi-asset portfolio of stocks, bonds, options, crypto, and now generated assets, which allow you to turn any idea into an investable index with AI. It all starts with your prompt. From renewable energy companies with high free cash flow to semiconductor suppliers growing revenue over 20 % year over year. You can literally type any prompt and put the AI to work. It screens thousands of stocks, builds a one-of-a-kind index, and lets you backtest it against the S &P 500. Then you can invest in a few clicks.

28:23Patrick Willis:Generated assets are like ETFs with infinite possibilities, completely customizable and based on your thesis, not someone else's. Go to public.com slash podcast and earn an uncapped 1 % bonus when you transfer your portfolio. That's public.com slash podcast. Paid for by Public Investing. Brokered services by Open to the Public Investing, Inc., member FINRA and SIPC. Advisory services by Public Advisors, LLC, SEC registered advisor. Generated assets is an interactive analysis tool. Output is for informational purposes only and is not an investment recommendation or advice. Complete disclosures available at public.com slash disclosures.

28:51Patrick Willis:This is Jacob Goldstein from What's Your Problem? Business software is expensive. And when you buy software from lots of different companies, it's not only expensive, it gets confusing, slow to use, hard to integrate. Odoo solves that because all Odoo software is connected on a single affordable platform. Save money without missing out on the features you need. Odoo has no hidden costs and no limit on features or data. Odoo has over 60 apps available for any needs your business might have, all at no additional charge. Everything from websites to sales to inventory to accounting, all linked and talking to each other.

29:29Patrick Willis:Check out Odoo at O-D-O-O dot com. That's O-D-O-O dot com.

29:36Shannon Sharpe:Appreciate you, bro. Joining us now, the Pro Bowl Livebacker Hall of Famer from the San Francisco 49ers. Five deuce. Bam, bam. Ole Miss. He was very excited for his college team because they did make it advance to the college football playoffs. They were very, very close to advancing into the national championship game. Here he is, ladies and gentlemen, Patrick Willis. Pat, what's going on, bro?

30:02Michael Pittman Jr.:Doing fabulous, doing fabulous. Thank you guys for having me. I can't believe I'm up here right now, man, beside you guys. I see you guys like almost every night, man.

30:11Trevor Lawrence:Pat, tell him that story, man. Tell him that story. I forgot what game it was. You know, I ran him over. I caught him clipping, huh? Now you can tell him, Pat. Just tell him. It's okay. It's okay.

30:19Michael Pittman Jr.:No, I do remember, though, a lot of people don't know that Chad is the one who actually gave me the nickname Bam Bam.

30:27Trevor Lawrence:Because you had the club on. Yeah, I had the club. So did. Yep.

30:30Michael Pittman Jr.:My rookie year, either my rookie year or second year, we was getting ready to play in Cincinnati, and you was talking about me one night. I just wanted to say, man, I really appreciate it. That's what you're fixing to this day.

30:39Trevor Lawrence:Yeah, most definitely. Most definitely. I'll never forget. What's the name of the stadium we played in? I can't remember the name. Kansas City? Yeah, I think it was a Kansas City. Yeah, a candlestick. Candlestick back then? Yeah, that was my first and I think maybe my last time ever being here outside of this visit now. So I haven't been here since. And the city's awesome. The city's awesome. I really never had the time to come here and experience the city and, you know, travel and go around. The people are nice, very receptive to my I love you. So, boy, I enjoyed it so far.

31:06Shannon Sharpe:I love the Bay Area. Let me ask you this. What's going on with all the injuries in San Fran? because every year you guys have injuries, and they're the key players. And sometimes, look, you lost your quarterback for a period of time, but Mack Jones came in and played exceptionally well. You lose Bosa for the entire season. I think Warner goes down, and he misses like 10 games of the season.

31:33Shannon Sharpe:Williams, Big Trent, T-Dub, he goes out for a period of time. He comes back. George Kittle misses time with a hamstring, comes back, tears the Achilles. What's going on with the injuries in San Fran?

31:46Michael Pittman Jr.:Man, Sharp, that's a great question. What I'll say is we all know this game of football is tough. It's rough on the body. And those guys have played a lot of football. They've played a lot of football. And so I'm one of those type of people that I also do analysis, meaning like you hope you have a career where you never have any injuries, but at the same time, man, if you played a lot of football, you're going to have some injuries. Years of wear and tear. It builds up. And those guys, they're not old. I'm not calling them old, but they got some miles on their body.

32:23Shannon Sharpe:In football years, they old.

32:25Michael Pittman Jr.:So when I look at it, I just kind of look at it as one of those things that how everything kind of ebbs and flows. Like they just in that period right now, they just got some older guys who played a lot of football, and that's what comes with it. But I have heard a lot about, you know, the different conversations and stuff.

32:44Shannon Sharpe:Pat, when you play, look, obviously you go to the Super Bowl in 2012. You play the Ravens, and you guys came with a throwaway. When you look back on your career, is there anything you wish you could have done differently? Is there anything you, I mean, you retired, but you weren't that open. Pat, what was it?

33:07Michael Pittman Jr.:Eight?

33:08Shannon Sharpe:Yeah. And you walked away from the game at 29 years of age. Why?

33:13Michael Pittman Jr.:Why?

33:17Michael Pittman Jr.:Truthfully, it was a conversation I had with myself in the beginning before I ever started playing this. It was a conversation I had with myself my rookie year. I said everything that starts has an end. And I remember seeing guys who were being young and being a fan of the sport, You've seen guys who just, I'm like, man, why are you staying? Why are you still out there? It doesn't like you want to give it everything you have. And I was a big fan of, like, listen, if you're out here and you ain't giving it everything you have, I don't care what name you have or who they put in front of you, I'm not a fan of yours.

33:47Michael Pittman Jr.:I might be a fan of the special team guy that's giving everything they got. So I just remember getting to that point, and I didn't know it would come this fast, but I just remember getting to that point to where my body, my feet were hurting. The biggest thing with the corporate was my feet, them big toes. Oh, yeah, yeah, yeah. It got to the point where I couldn't even go through a walkthrough without having to put numbing cream on. I remember Kasim, man. He was my best friend one season. One season he was with us because he introduced me to this numbing cream. And it helped for a while, but it just got to the point to where it was just taking more out of me.

34:20Michael Pittman Jr.:And I remember the conversation I had with myself and God. And it was almost like one of the things where the hardest thing in life sometimes to do is to be honest with yourself. And I just felt it. looked around me and I said, you know what, it's time to step away before you mess around and start getting to the point to where they started seeing it and they started looking at them. All right, how can we get rid of them? And I know I didn't have it in my body to go anywhere else and to give that kind of love, to give that kind of heart that I had given to San Fran. I mean, as you just said, talking about the stadium, Candlestick is not there anymore.

34:56Michael Pittman Jr.:And it feels like in disbelief, like somebody took my heart or something and just said, we're just going to crush it and just don't care that you played here. And so that was home for me.

35:07Trevor Lawrence:As difficult as that decision is, especially with the body, the mind knows what to do, but the body doesn't react. The body's not feeling the same way where you know I can't go out here and give it my all. The transition and the having to leave and walk away from the game, how has that transition been for you mentally?

35:28Michael Pittman Jr.:I'll say this, man. We all go through that dark night of the soul where you find yourself in that space of like, all right, you say like I'm all good, but you know deep down inside you like, man, like what is going on? Nothing just feels like it connects because I realize and someone asked me, I realize that football is not everything.

35:51Shannon Sharpe:25 years have been a part of your life.

35:53Michael Pittman Jr.:But it's the umbilical cord to life for a lot of us. It really is. And so I noticed like the last couple of years I've been fortunate to be back around the Niners after dibbling and dabbling in the entrepreneurial world. A little bit you realize like, shit, it's hard to build businesses out here. It's hard to build something that's going to sustain to the point of where you can be comfortable and just, you know, like. Make money. Yeah, make money. And so what I learned in being back around the Niners was just the everything that 100 years of business. So 75 years of business and what it takes and then just working with people who are what we've come to know now as in my financial literacy talk, we call them, is he just a guy?

36:35Michael Pittman Jr.:Is he a pro bowler or is he an all pro? And I was trying to do things with people that meant well, but they were just guys. Just a guy. Just a guy. And we know what it's like when you're on a team and not speaking down to anyone. But if you've got a team just full of guys, yeah, you might.

36:51Trevor Lawrence:You're going to only get so far.

36:52Michael Pittman Jr.:But you're going to only get so far. And so I say all that to say, man, the journey has been crazy. If I say it's been absolutely easy, even though I made a decision, I'll be lying to you. I just get up each day. Each day the Lord wakes me up, I just am grateful because of so many reasons where I come from, everything I've had to overcome to get to just play football. And then really the hardest part is I think football was actually the world got different. It got harder after football. You know, and so just to be able to be up here talking to you guys and be able to converse on it, like, I'm grateful.

37:29Michael Pittman Jr.:That's dope.

37:30Shannon Sharpe:That's a lot.

37:30Michael Pittman Jr.:Patrick Willis, ladies and gentlemen, All-Pro, Hall of Fame

37:32Shannon Sharpe:linebacker from the San Francisco 49ers. What you got?

37:36Michael Pittman Jr.:Oh, before I go, before I go, I wanted to let everybody know that it's going down tomorrow at Lucky Strikes. We're doing Go Bowling, so everybody, they won't... Let me stop this. tomorrow is going down at Lucky Strikes. Go Bowling and NFL Alumni Association is hosting attendees. We'll be going there. We'll be competing. But we want everybody to go to gobowling.com and sign up and get you a free game.

38:07Trevor Lawrence:Ready? Gobowling.com. You know, I can bowl at 300. What? I can bowl. Yeah, 300.

38:13Michael Pittman Jr.:Man, let me see it.

38:13Trevor Lawrence:I was on the pro circuit. Let me see it. I was on the pro circuit back in 97.

38:19Shannon Sharpe:Okay. Let me see it. Patrick Willis, ladies and gentlemen.

38:25Michael Pittman Jr.:Thank you, DeBat. You guys keep doing what you're doing.

38:29Shannon Sharpe:Joining us now is Kyle and Christian. You've checked. The 49ers fullback, 2013 fourth-round pick out of Harvard. Yes, sir. Were you into Harvard, too? Yes.

38:42Patrick Willis:He's one of our most famous alumni.

38:44Trevor Lawrence:Thank you. Kyle, I try to tell him all the time I was there. They never believed me. So I'm glad you're here. I've seen your picture on the wall. Thank you.

38:52Chad Johnson:I also like to sell people I went to Harvard.

38:56Shannon Sharpe:A fourth-round draft pick from Harvard. He started his career with the Ravens 2013 to 2016, and now he's present with the 49ers from 2017 until present. We just had Patrick Willis on here, and, you know, he retired at 29 years of age. He said the injury his toes had just taken his toes on him. The injuries this year. You get Purdy goes down. Matt Jones played really well. Keep you guys afloat. Kittle hurts his hamstring. He misses some time, comes back, tears his achilles. Trent Dub, T-Dub, he goes down. I mean, Bosa, he goes down. Fred Warner, he goes down. How were you able, the injuries, that's one thing, but how were you guys able to keep this thing afloat while so many injuries were piling up?

39:39Patrick Willis:Yeah, you know what? I really think it comes down just to the culture that we've built in San Francisco. And it truly is that next man up mentality. And it sounds cliche and nobody wants to hear it, but I really do think that we've set this standard that when guys go down, they know, okay, I need to be up to this standard if I want to stick around here. So I think we just did a really good job of having that standard and guys were ready to meet it when they got their opportunity.

40:05Trevor Lawrence:The funny thing I always wanted to ask, I've watched you play many of years, the value that you bring to a team. If you think about the game and how the game has evolved to now it's a passing league, being a fullback. But that's the funny thing. You're not just a fullback. They can put you in the slot. Hell, they can line your ass up out wide, and you can actually run routes just like every receiver.

40:22Shannon Sharpe:He fooled about like, y 'all dang it, Tony.

40:25Trevor Lawrence:But how did you get yourself to a point where you're so valuable to any of the 32 teams that you would play on?

40:31Patrick Willis:Yeah.

40:32Trevor Lawrence:Despite the game evolving the way it has?

40:35Patrick Willis:Forever, dating all the way back to high school. Yes. My thing has always been versatility and being able to adapt. And as a fullback, you better be able to adapt because each year you kind of you got to find something that you're adding value to. Yes. And every year of my career has been different. Like there were a few years back in Baltimore where, I mean, I was really playing short yardage goal line. And then I mean, that's not enough to just have a roster spot. So you better play deep or you better play special team. And then I became a third down running back. Yes. So I started, you know, I learned all the protections.

41:05Patrick Willis:And so every year I've had to find that niche of like, all right, what does this team need this year? And how can I fill that? And it's just been a strength of mine. And I think that's a big part of my longevity in this league.

41:19Shannon Sharpe:Kristen, you did the better half of this gentleman right here. You attend every single game.

41:25Michael Pittman Jr.:I do.

41:26Shannon Sharpe:Road, home, overseas, Alaska, it does not matter. Why is it so important for you to be at every single one of his games?

41:34Chad Johnson:Yeah, well, there's so many reasons. I mean, it's such a short-lived career, and we know that these are our glory days, and I never want to miss out on just these special moments. Being there, we've had so many amazing moments. I mean, there was a moment in Seattle that me and Claire Kittle, who I traveled all the games with, we actually got a seat in the end zone, and we were first row in the end zone. George scores, and he jumps into the suite with us. The next drive, Kyle scores in the end zone, jumps into the suite with us, and those memories are just burned into our souls, and that's the reason why we go.

42:05Trevor Lawrence:One of the things I do want to ask also is we never get to see the two. We never get to see the union. How are you able to balance the work and also keep a healthy balance in a relationship?

42:15Chad Johnson:Yeah. To be honest, I think for us it just comes so naturally. It's not something that we really needed to work on. We just genuinely like spending time with each other and loving each other. And I think that's my biggest piece of advice for relationships. If it's real work, then that's not the right person for you. Right. I think it should come naturally. Say that again. If it's not what? If it's real work, it's not the right person for you.

42:36Patrick Willis:People always say that marriage is so hard. We always look at each other and we're like.

42:40Chad Johnson:We're like, read the marriage books. I'm like, if you've got to read a book on marriage, you're not married to the right person.

42:45Patrick Willis:I like that.

42:47Trevor Lawrence:He's like, I'm throwing away all this. Me and Unc, we think about getting married in 2027 and having a dual wedding. I love it. Yeah, we love it too. You need an officiator? I think you guys. You need an officiator? We need therapists. We need therapists. And the fact that you guys haven't figured out, you can counsel us.

43:03Patrick Willis:We got you.

43:04Shannon Sharpe:I like how that's in my resume. But you hear this a lot, Claire, and you can speak to this. This is more so because you're going to do what you do. You understand you've got practice. You understand we've got meaning. I've got to live. I've got to watch tape. Talk about the sacrifices that the significant other, girlfriend, wife, whatever the case may be, that they have to make because there are a lot of times he can't go to PTA. There's a lot of times he can't go to recitals. There's a lot of times he can't pick the kids up. And you have to do that, but you have to be accepting because sometimes people, the partner gets upset.

43:35Shannon Sharpe:Why you can't do it? Well, can you go run a go route? Can you go sack the quarterback and then we'll switch roles for a second? Talk about some of the sacrifices that you have to make to keep this because you're the rock. You're the foundation piece because you keep his mind at ease because he knows everything is taken care of at home.

43:53Chad Johnson:Well, to be honest, I think that's the main reason why we haven't had children yet. to be honest because i think i want him to be able to spend those late nights at the facility if he needs to get extra rehab i don't want him to feel like he needs to come home and have to take care of things i want again it's a short-lived career i want him to be selfish i won't ever want him to look back at this period of his life and think that i wish i did more or i wish i did this so i we've kind of pushed that off and we know we have our whole lives to have a family together So and I have my own career path as well and he's been incredibly supportive on that I think that to be honest is their perfect recipe if you're sitting at home and you're constantly waiting for him to come home Is I think when maybe animosity builds up so for me?

44:36Chad Johnson:I'm working and trying to build my own dreams in my own career So when he comes home, we're just happy to share what our day has been like with each other

44:43Trevor Lawrence:Yeah, she said she understands the sacrifice. She understands what goes into it She understands what it entails to actually be an NFL player. Once you have someone that understands the sacrifice and get it, you know what, baby, I get it. We're going to put certain things on the back burner because I know this is what you have to do. This is what comes first.

45:02Chad Johnson:Absolutely. It was his dream since he even knew the word football. So I would never want to take anything away from that.

45:09Shannon Sharpe:And we've heard this, Ocho and I, we've both heard this. But you say you understand and you want that, but did you realize how much of a sacrifice that it entailed before you got with this gentleman?

45:21Chad Johnson:I don't think it's that much of a sacrifice. I think he's following his dreams, and it's admirable. Like, he really did, like, I wake up every day, he's so happy to go to work. I love my job.

45:32Patrick Willis:I love my job, man.

45:33Chad Johnson:The fact that he even calls it work is hilarious. And so, to be honest, I think, and I'm not trying to take away from how much time and commitment he puts into it, But out of all the other professional sports, I think it's almost the most similar to a nine to five. Like he doesn't he plays 17 games in the regular season. It's not like he's playing a game every other day. Right. Baseball. Yeah. Right. Yeah. So I think the NFL is obviously a huge commitment, not trying to take that away whatsoever. But I think he balances it really well. And we have four months off together to do whatever we want.

46:06Shannon Sharpe:I like it. I like it. You mentioned your own dreams and aspirations. you started out sewing pieces just basically for yourself and him and then someone was like how can I get that? Whose idea was it like babe I'm going to turn this into a business or you can turn this into a business?

46:25Chad Johnson:I was doing it for myself truly just because I didn't like what was offered at the store.

46:32Shannon Sharpe:You didn't like the gift shop here?

46:34Chad Johnson:I did not.

46:35Shannon Sharpe:The pink shirts and the V-necks.

46:37Chad Johnson:There was not enough options for me. So, I mean, it just was like a natural progression. And then there was this one time that I was at a game and I was looking around. It was a freezing game. And every guy there is wearing this huge puffer jacket. And they have a jersey over their puffer jacket. And I'm just like, why has there never been a jacket that has the players name and number on it? So you can be cold and you're not like restricted wearing a jersey over your jacket. So that was kind of like my light bulb moment. And then when I made my first so-called jersey puffer vest is when I was like, ooh, I'm on to something.

47:06Shannon Sharpe:Yeah. Oh, yeah. Have you always have you always been good with you know sewing and putting things together?

47:13Chad Johnson:To be honest, no, I didn't go to school for Fashion I was a business major but like I come from a family of entrepreneurs who are just kind of like to figure it out Kind of gritty people and so I just was like I'll go to YouTube and I'll learn how to do it

47:25Shannon Sharpe:I hear people say YouTube can teach you anything YouTube University 15 you just finished the 15 season right just finished 13 13. How much I mean There aren't a whole lot of fullbacks. You and Richard up in Baltimore, y 'all are really the true fullbacks. Everybody else, they'll bring an offense or defensive lineman in on short yardage. But there's really you two guys left. Have you sat down with Christian and have you guys mapped out, you know what, babe, I want to play two more years. Babe, I want to play three more years. Or you want to play as long as a guy to give you health and allow you to do it.

48:02Shannon Sharpe:It seems to me that she's going to be very supportive and she's not putting a time limit on when you guys, you know, you need to call it.

48:08Patrick Willis:That's exactly right. She's been super supportive that as long as I want to play, she's on board. And the way I look at it is as long as I'm healthy and I'm still having fun, like I'm going to keep doing it. And so everyone, you know, when you get to this stage, especially after like 10 years, how many more years? One at a time.

48:25Trevor Lawrence:One at a time. And that is the truth, man.

48:28Patrick Willis:Like you really take it one year at a time. And I like to even push it to, all right, let's go two years at a time. So nobody's giving me a hard time. Yeah, I wouldn't like another guarantee. But I feel so good right now, and I'm having so much fun. I can't even envision what it's like to stop playing yet. So I'm not going to put an end line at it. I'm going to tell you guys, I'm going to tell everyone else. At least two more, and then we'll go one at a time.

48:55Trevor Lawrence:The funny thing about it is there's really no time limit on you and how long you can play because of the value that you bring for the team. there aren't too many where there ain't none that can do what you do. Right. I appreciate that. There's only one other, and he's on the team.

49:08Patrick Willis:And you're not seeing too many fullbacks in college. Bingo. You're not seeing anyone getting drafted.

49:12Shannon Sharpe:It's a thankless job.

49:13Patrick Willis:Yeah.

49:14Shannon Sharpe:They give you a fourth and one, and when you don't get it, how could you not get it wrong? Because the whole team's teeing off right now. There were 12 guys. There were 12 guys in that hit. Well, congratulations, man, Kristen. It was very nice to meet you.

49:28Patrick Willis:Kyle, great talking to you guys. Congratulations, man. It was a pleasure, man. Tell Bobby Gassi. Another Harvard alumni, man. Yes, sir. Tell Bobby Gassi what's up. Oh, I definitely do. Hey, before we leave, we do have to mention Invisalign. Oh, yeah. They're the reason we're here today. Okay. And just like Ocho here, I'm a nut about my health. Yeah. You know, everything I put into my body, I make sure it's the absolute best. Just like Ocho. And Invisalign is huge for oral health. And oral health is just another component of your overall health. Yeah. I always look at it if I can improve any part of my body, that's going to improve part of my game.

50:03Patrick Willis:And so Mizaline has helped with that. And in my mind, it's helping me with... They're such an amazing company.

50:09Chad Johnson:I've worked with them for three years now, so it's amazing to have Kyle finally on board. They do so much for women in sports and just like confidence building. So we're just happy to partner with them again. I also have another thing for you guys. I was about to ask. You saw those bags. Yes.

50:23Trevor Lawrence:We got gifts? We got gifts.

50:24Chad Johnson:I brought you guys my Super Bowl jackets.

50:27Trevor Lawrence:Wow.

50:27Chad Johnson:I don't have the right size for you.

50:29Trevor Lawrence:I'm a large.

50:30Chad Johnson:You're a large? Yeah. I'll get you a large. I have an XL and a large. Okay. I've got to get you an XL then. I think I might. No, no.

50:36Trevor Lawrence:He's the XL. I'm the large.

50:37Shannon Sharpe:No, I'm going to get you the large. I think that might fit you. I don't think I can fit that. I'm just going to work it out. Okay, Shelly said she can fit.

50:45Chad Johnson:You want? I can get you a 2X.

50:47Shannon Sharpe:But you know what I want you to? Can you make us a nightcap?

50:51Chad Johnson:You want a nightcap jacket?

50:52Shannon Sharpe:Yeah.

50:52Chad Johnson:I'll put it on it. I'll put it on. I'll figure it a way out.

50:55Patrick Willis:She'll figure it out.

50:56Chad Johnson:Let's see.

50:58Patrick Willis:Don't lie down on a show.

51:00Chad Johnson:Come on. Yeah, I'm sexy, bro. Yeah. Yo, hey. How'd it look? That looks amazing. That looks incredible.

51:08Patrick Willis:Incredible. Fits great, too.

51:10Chad Johnson:Yeah. That's amazing. So good. That goes crazy. All right, I'll get you the 2X. If you need a model, let me know. OK, perfect.

51:16Shannon Sharpe:I definitely know. Could you, what do you wear, X or 2X? I'm an X. OK, nah. You might need a 2X. All right, I'll get you the 2X. I'll get you 2X.

51:24Chad Johnson:I'll send it over here.

51:25Shannon Sharpe:All right, thank you. I can keep this?

51:26Chad Johnson:You can keep it. It's for you. I hope you guys like it. Thank you so much. Thanks to meet you guys.

51:31Trevor Lawrence:Appreciate you guys. It's a pleasure, baby.

51:33Sauce Gardner:You look incredible. Yes, sir. Thank you. Thanks, guys.

51:34Chad Johnson:Hope you like it.

51:35Sauce Gardner:Thank you.

51:36Shannon Sharpe:Kyle and Christian Juszczyk, fullback for the San Francisco 49ers, made another Pro Bowl. He's one of the great fullbacks in the NFL. He's played for an extremely long time. He's played at an extremely, extremely high level. And his wife, as you can see, she's very, very supportive in it. And you see why they're one of the cutest couples in the NFL. They're supporting. Hey, 2020.

52:08Yeah.

52:11Shannon Sharpe:Former Rookie of the Year. Washington Commander's quarterback. Leave it on. How you doing, man? I'm good. What's up? I'm good. I'm good, bro. How you feeling? I'm feeling real good. Have you started off-season conditioning yet, or do you give your body a chance to heal up and get ready to start? I had a long time to heal up. I already started. I started. You started back in December. I started, yeah. I started. So where's home for you? I'm in L.A. You in L.A.? Yeah.

52:40Trevor Lawrence:Oh, okay. You like it in L.A.?

52:44Michael Pittman Jr.:Yeah, you know, I'm a SoCal boy. I know you have to understand.

52:47Trevor Lawrence:Most of the time, obviously, once you reach a certain height in your career, where some people, you tend to move to a different place. That's always going to be home. Even in L.A., I'm not from L.A.

52:59Michael Pittman Jr.:I'm from the Inland Empire. That's like an hour east. Right, yeah, yeah, yeah, that's fine. But I'm most definitely, that's always going to be home. So Cal, always home.

53:06Shannon Sharpe:Yeah. Okay. So watching these two teams, the Patriots, Drake obviously was in your draft, Sam Darnold with the USC third pick in the draft. Everybody that we've come on, We have not found one player that has picked the Patriots to win this game. How do you see this game playing out?

53:25Michael Pittman Jr.:Pick the Patriots? Nobody picked the Patriots? No, not one.

53:29Shannon Sharpe:I can tell you why they haven't.

53:30Michael Pittman Jr.:I mean, I'm going to roll in my draft class.

53:32Shannon Sharpe:Okay, you're taking Drake.

53:33Michael Pittman Jr.:I'm going to roll in my draft class. Okay, I like that. What do you mean? You serious? I'm going to roll in my draft class.

53:39Trevor Lawrence:Even with that defense the Seahawks have at all three levels? They've got a phenomenal defense. Huh?

53:43Michael Pittman Jr.:I played them. They've got a phenomenal defense.

53:45Trevor Lawrence:Yeah. But I've got to roll in my draft class. Okay, you rolling with a drag play. Okay, okay, okay.

53:48Shannon Sharpe:How do you see this game playing out?

53:53Michael Pittman Jr.:Man, I think whoever is able to – whatever defense is able to stop the run and kind of limit and keep them one-sided. Obviously, what the Seahawks has done this year, offensively, defensively, out of the world, JSN, obviously the numbers he put up. Crazy, crazy. He's been falling. But, man, I feel like if Drake can get going, man, man, they got a good chance.

54:18Shannon Sharpe:Obviously, like you said, you have a lot of time to recover, to decompress. So, obviously, you're back into training. Yeah. But there's still some things that you probably like to do. So, what do you do now until you get, I mean, really, really start with, like, April and, you know, you're having to start getting back to OTAs. What are you doing in your free time right now?

54:38Michael Pittman Jr.:Outside, I'm just spending time with my family, spending time with my loved ones. You got it. You know, you kind of sacrifice that time throughout the season. Yeah. I don't really get that time. So it's like after I'm done with my obligations of training and doing whatever, man, if I take the time to watch the film, go back and watch the season, I'm kind of just spending time with my loved ones, my friends. They'll come visit me. We'll kind of just kick it.

55:02Trevor Lawrence:You're like, what a fun. What's up? Have some fun. What you mean? Like dirt bike riding, motorcycles, bull riding, parachuting, no parachute. Man, the commanders have killed me.

55:12Michael Pittman Jr.:They heard I was doing something like that. I'm tripping. But it's offseason. It is offseason. It is offseason. I might hoop here and there.

55:19Trevor Lawrence:You can hoop? Yeah.

55:21Michael Pittman Jr.:Can you?

55:21Trevor Lawrence:What you play? What you mean? What? You know, I ain't going to say nothing. What you mean? You can hoop. What? You know, in high school, I average 52 a game.

55:29Michael Pittman Jr.:52 a game? 52. How many games?

55:31Trevor Lawrence:Three.

55:32Michael Pittman Jr.:Okay. Okay. Three? Yeah.

55:34Trevor Lawrence:You know, I do it all now. You know my background.

55:37Michael Pittman Jr.:I do.

55:37Trevor Lawrence:Yeah. He played with my son, Cole.

55:39Michael Pittman Jr.:Yeah.

55:40Shannon Sharpe:How, how, just go ahead here. No. How much film do you watch in the offseason? Do you watch, you know, you go back and look at what your team did, what you did last year, or do you fast forward or do you move forward?

55:54Michael Pittman Jr.:No, I think I learned this from Bobby Wagner last year. Like, he does it after every year. He goes back and watches the whole season and evaluates himself. Okay. So that's kind of what I do. And then this year, you know, I kind of already started it, so I finished it. But at that point, it's like, okay, now I kind of have an understanding of, like, this is what I feel like I need to work on this offseason and stuff like that. So I have a better gist when it comes to sitting down and talking to my team around me. I'm like, this is what I feel like I need to work on. Oh, man.

56:23Shannon Sharpe:Jay, appreciate you, man. Hey, all the best. Get healthy. Stay healthy. Hey, this is a big year. You know it. This is a big year. You know it. Hey, I'm counting on you now. All right, got you. All right. Come tap in with a nightcap one night next year. Never bet. Bet. Joining us now is All-Pro Defensive Raw Rookie of the Year.

56:44Trevor Lawrence:Woo! Yeah, he look like money, huh? Yeah, because you can hear it.

56:53Shannon Sharpe:Can you hear us now? Hold on. Okay.

56:55Trevor Lawrence:Hold on. Let me unzip, man. Let me unzip, man. Hey, let me unzip, man.

57:01Sauce Gardner:I do got to ask you. Hold on. I've been seeing you. Yeah. I've been seeing you. Yeah.

57:05Trevor Lawrence:I mean, you can't come on here stunting on us like that, man.

57:08Sauce Gardner:I thought he was the cheap guy. Who? What happened to that?

57:11Trevor Lawrence:I'm still cheap.

57:12Sauce Gardner:Yeah, what happened to that? Hold on. Let me see that. What? Oh, yo. This ain't no. Yeah, come on, man. Yeah, this. That ain't a Jubilee bracelet. That's a presidential band. Yeah, that's what I do.

57:25Trevor Lawrence:I want to be the president.

57:27Shannon Sharpe:Well, actually, that's actually it's called a day date. They call it the presidential bracelet because that's what. The president. No, Senator Kennedy when he was. Yeah, he had it on. I know Kennedy. So they gave it. They gave it that nickname. Yeah, but it's actually a day date. But anyway, songs. How you doing, bro? I'm good. Check this out. It's a blessing to be here, man. Yeah. Blessing to be here, man. There's no way you could envision. Obviously, you played well your first couple years. You got dinged, and then you signed this massive contract, this massive contract in the offseason. And not even six, seven months later, you're dealt to the Indianapolis Colts.

58:07Shannon Sharpe:Tell me what goes through your mind when they give you that call and say, Sauce, we're trading you to Indy and the aftermath of that.

58:15Sauce Gardner:I can't give you my exact reaction, but I wasn't mad at it. Really? I wasn't mad at it.

58:27Trevor Lawrence:How could he be mad? You're going from the Jets to the Colts. You're going from a team that's not contending to going to a Colts team that is doing extremely well. I wouldn't be mad either.

58:39Sauce Gardner:But I did miss the fans. my teammates, you know, the fans when it wasn't like toxic energy. I'm talking about those type of the fans when I got drafted, me, Gary. They were excited. The excitement, the optimism, and not the looking for bad every time it's something good. Yes. Like those fans, because all of the fans weren't like that. You had some true diehard Jets fans who always wanted positives, like, you know, things to come out of it. But I did miss the good ones. And I did miss my teammates. Sauce, I would be remiss if I said, looking at you your first two years,

59:22Shannon Sharpe:you were hands down the best. You and Pat Sertain, y 'all was going back and forth with the best corners. I felt some of your play, and I don't know if it was injury. You can clear it up right now, that some of your play had slipped and you weren't that same player. I wasn't the only one that felt that way. But I have you here, and I can't say, well, you know, all of a sudden I have you here. is not going to say what I've said before many times on Nightcap before. Do you feel your play has slipped? And if so, is it injuries? What transpired where you're not that because people started to challenge you where your first two years ain't nobody trying to see saws.

59:57Shannon Sharpe:They was caught up in the saws.

59:58Sauce Gardner:Ah, see, look, this is why I think y 'all don't understand. Okay. It was the opposite. The first two years, everybody was trying to see what was up with me. I was having 80 targets. The first two years I was having 80 targets.

1:00:11Shannon Sharpe:So if we're going to talk about ratio, I was having 80 targets and was getting like,

1:00:17Sauce Gardner:all right, I'll get two picks out of that when I should have had more picks with 80-something targets. Correct. I'm getting 30-something targets. The only other corner that is getting that same amount of respect and treatment is Pat. Nobody else is getting it. Pat is the only other corner where it's like, and another thing, people don't you don't really see me get beat that's why if I ask you which plays have I got beat in you will know exactly which one you want me to tell you why because you don't see too much plays that I get beat

1:00:49Trevor Lawrence:you can always recall

1:00:51Sauce Gardner:if I ask you what play what are you going to say, George George had a play on me this year he's probably one of like three receivers to have 50 some yards on me as a single receiver I've never gave up a 100-yard game in general, let alone to a receiver. It's never happened, and I don't plan on that happening. Probably the most yards I've allowed by a receiver is probably about 50-something, 60. And after George even made that play, he didn't catch another ball. That's me, though. But I understand how it could be, especially social media. You know, sometimes when you just, you know, when you're not really watching and understanding, you just see certain stuff and you just see the negative because that's how I am.

1:01:40Sauce Gardner:Nobody's posted. In my first couple years, speaking of Jets fans, even if it was some negative, they was always talking about the positive. Right. Now, if it's a negative play, everybody want to get on that negative track. They want to bad wagging that. Bro, I got one question.

1:01:56Shannon Sharpe:Yes.

1:01:57Sauce Gardner:why is my a play from Atlanta where I tripped on somebody's foot on a two point conversion trending while the game is still going on

1:02:11Shannon Sharpe:because of your greatness you're who you are trust me you wouldn't be trending if you weren't great because you built this the little things trend

1:02:22Sauce Gardner:so that's why I come to this point people know now if you want to get engagement if you're having a bad day of engagement just mention Sauce's name it's free it's free, everybody knows that I don't want to give the little Twitter page whatever they call it, I'm not even going to say their name but y 'all probably know them I'm not even going to give them no little pub but they know it'd be so random, I'd be chilling I'm like dang, why are they tagging me? where am I coming from? They'll make a little list. Overrated guys in the league.

1:02:58Shannon Sharpe:Yeah, yeah.

1:02:58Sauce Gardner:It'd be four quarterbacks in one corner. What do you think the corner is? Like, what are we talking about?

1:03:03Trevor Lawrence:Does that bother you? Does that bother you? Does that affect you in any way when there's negativity on social media? Or are you able to compartmentalize both and be able to steal? You know what? Forget what they're talking about. I'm still going to go out here and handle my business.

1:03:15Sauce Gardner:Well, it definitely don't affect me on the field. Never has affected me on the field. I remember when I was early in my career, like, it'd be like, bro, what? Like, what sense is this making? Right. And then now it's just like, that comes with the territory. Yes. Like, what type of time I've been on. Yeah. But I do want to have more picks and stuff like that. But that just lets me know, like, all right, I just got to make the most of these opportunities that's going to come because they're not coming. All right, Atlanta game. I broke on the ball. I'm like, I'm thinking Drake Landon. I'm thinking Drake Landon about to jump into me and try to go.

1:03:47Sauce Gardner:So I die. When it's like, if I know he was just going to sit there, I should have just ran through the ball. But it's like from that point, I never had another out. And throughout the season, when I was with the Jets, I didn't have no pick out. But so basically what I'm saying is like if we're going to talk about it, we got to talk about it. It got to be an even playing field because I feel like at times, and this is the reality, it's excuses for other guys.

1:04:15Shannon Sharpe:Yes.

1:04:16Sauce Gardner:It's excuses. Y 'all make excuses for these other corners. and I don't want no excuses. Don't make no excuse for me. Tell me. Say what's really going on with me. But say what's really going on with everybody else too. If y 'all going to try to compare me to these other guys or compare these other guys to me. Because that's just how I got it. That's how I think it should go. You healthy? No.

1:04:36Shannon Sharpe:You healthy? All the way? Because you had the calf injury and there was a concern, obviously, anytime someone gets a calf injury. They get really concerned now with the Achilles. And so they kind of be overly cautious. and maybe where you could have came back in one to two weeks, they push it to three or four weeks to make sure because that's the last thing as a corner. You don't want to ever have to deal with that and knock on wood. Hopefully that does not happen. But you're 100%. Have you already started your offseason?

1:05:02Sauce Gardner:Yeah, I'm in Miami with it. You at the crib? Miami. Why you ain't telling me? I just got there.

1:05:08Trevor Lawrence:Okay, okay. Now listen, you want to get some work in, let me know.

1:05:10Sauce Gardner:I bet. Okay, bet.

1:05:11Shannon Sharpe:So what's the one thing that's going to take Saltz Gardner's game to the next level? What do you want to work on? Ball skills, hand-eye. Because, like you said, when you get those opportunities, if you're only going to get two opportunities, you got to kill. That's why animals, you know, venomous snakes in Australia, they not have to come across one animal but for a long period of time. So they got to strike it. That venom got to take instantaneous. If you're only getting two targets a game, bro, you're going to have to make something. You're going to have to make it happen, Sauce.

1:05:42Sauce Gardner:Look, this is the difference. All right, let's go more than that. Targets.

1:05:45Shannon Sharpe:Yes.

1:05:45Sauce Gardner:Every target is not a pickable target. No. So if I'm getting two targets a game and they throwing it at the ground, under throw, out of bounce, all right, I have two targets and I ain't get off. What about pass breakups? Yeah, some of them probably can. This is what I want to do. I want to take more chances. That's what I want to do because it's not even always just like, all right, just catch the ball. I have had some drops where it's like, just catch the ball. Some of them still hunt me. Like, anytime I see that in person, I immediately think of that 2022 play where he threw it right to me. Yeah.

1:06:20Sauce Gardner:Like, and I drop it. You know, but taking chances, too, because I've been in the league some years, so I take some chances so I can make more plays, you know, game changer.

1:06:28Shannon Sharpe:I mean, you study. I mean, trust your instinct. Sometimes I don't think you trust your instinct. You on top of it, and you like.

1:06:35Sauce Gardner:Sometimes I just settle for the PBE. For sure. For sure. But I'm not going to lie to you and be like, yeah, I always just go take a shot. But, you know, like you said, studying the whole week, like you don't have no reason why you shouldn't be like, that's the play where I'm about to, you know.

1:06:52Shannon Sharpe:You go into a week and say, you know what, if they run this route, if they run this route in this down and distance, in this area of the field.

1:07:01Sauce Gardner:And more times than so, they always do. Yes. Because this is copycat lead, so they end up running it and I just PBU. Yeah.

1:07:08Trevor Lawrence:It's like some, if I dive, not the one like in Atlanta,

1:07:11Sauce Gardner:But it's something like if I dive here, like, all right, this is big. I could dive.

1:07:15Trevor Lawrence:How do you feel about traveling with the number one receiver?

1:07:17Sauce Gardner:Oh, and that's another thing. I'm happy we're here because, look, one thing about y 'all, y 'all talk about all of the stuff that people want to hear. You know what I'm saying? Yeah. So, look, all right, we're going to start from 2022.

1:07:30Shannon Sharpe:Yeah.

1:07:31Sauce Gardner:Ah, Sauce not traveling with the receiver one. He's not doing that. I couldn't. Kosala wouldn't let me. And I don't think he still let his guys do that.

1:07:40Trevor Lawrence:Right.

1:07:41Sauce Gardner:last year, not including this season, last year traveled with the one receiver. Same thing going on. I got lower targets traveling with the ones than when I didn't travel with the ones. I'm just saying, I guess the source has to bring the facts. Right. I've got double the amount of targets not traveling and traveling. Just staying on one side. Oh, he get too many PIs, da-da-da. That's what the talk was with. Last year? Yeah. Da-da-da. I think I only had like three this year. Or four. Oh, he can be missing tackles. Da-da-da-da-da. I think I only had two missed tackles this year. Okay. Who have you seen say anything about that?

1:08:26Sauce Gardner:Nobody. Nobody. So we going to really be real. Let's be real. But a lot of people prefer to say the negative and just keep the negative there and don't address the positive. So everybody's just looking at it on this negative thing. But I'm a realist person, so I'm going to talk about the good and the bad of everything, whether it's any other corner. Like, oh, yeah, yeah, him, yeah, he ain't have a good game this game. Oh, he had a good game this game. Like, yeah, you know? And these corners y 'all compare me to, that's how it'll go. Sometimes they'll have a bad game. Yes. But if I have a bad game, everybody knows I had a bad game.

1:09:04Trevor Lawrence:But it's different because it's a gift and a curse based on who you are, based on the brand that you've become. For one, you were in New York. You know what being in that market does to you. It takes you from here to there. You were already great, especially your first two years. So, therefore, they're going to judge you a lot more differently than all the other corners in the NFL. So, it comes with the territory. And you got a nickname.

1:09:26Sauce Gardner:What's that nickname? Sting is not—that's just short for— I like Sting. Sting, that's a good nickname. But it's short for Stingley. Ain't no part of your first name, Sauce.

1:09:38Shannon Sharpe:What's your government? What's your government? Come on. Yeah. Hey, sauce. Sauce. Hey, it comes with the territory. And plus you can line it up to my, hey, it got caught up in the sauce. And so people like -

1:09:52Sauce Gardner:People like, why is he doing this marketing stuff with his name and my corner can't do that right now. You think that's what it is? Yeah, yeah. Yeah, absolutely. Absolutely. But look, what y 'all want me to do? Nothing. It's the same. No, I'm saying like, I can't do nothing about who I am as a person and what I want.

1:10:10Shannon Sharpe:Nor should you. But I give you a prime example. We can look at time. Don't nobody call him Deion. Everybody call him prime or time. Yeah. And he understood what came along with that, and he called a lot of the same stuff because time came in a year before me. He called it the same. A lot of the stuff that you did, he called early in his career. But he flipped that narrative. Now it's on you. You could do the same.

1:10:32Sauce Gardner:Yeah, for sure. No, he's somebody who I don't. Obviously, I watch his highlights, but him as a person. So, like, that's somebody who I know is, like, the closest to what I can, like, relate to. You know what I'm saying? Yes, definitely. But his was a little more. Like, he was really overly popping it off the field. Like, fur. You can do that. You can do that. That's not even. I'm not going to do something that I. That's not you. That's not you. I'm not the. Man, take advantage of it. No. Don't listen to him. The fur. That's not even.

1:10:59Trevor Lawrence:Matter of fact. Then my own people is going to be looking at me like, bro, this is not even. Don't worry about it. Don't worry about it. When you score, when you get an interception, put the fur on the sideline. Don't do that, man.

1:11:07Sauce Gardner:I could do that. You see what I'm talking about? Hey, take it from here. Take it from here to here. Nah, they didn't know it's his fault. So don't get mad at me. Hey, come by and holler us on night camp. Oh, yeah. Just let me know when. My team said y 'all reached out. Yes, we did. I'll pull up. Easy.

1:11:27Shannon Sharpe:Y 'all be out on the West Coast, huh? Yeah. Well, you're in Miami, so I have to come down there because we're we just talking about uh club chesha club chesha yeah yeah club chesha that's a little different that's the one with like like cat weaves yeah i remember that i watched that's the nightcap you all nightcap right now but we got a little different vibe we got a little different vibe at night than we are now we gotta be you know all the advertising yeah yeah yeah yeah i'll come i'll

1:11:53Sauce Gardner:come on uh you know what i'm saying appreciate you bro we'll reach out appreciate you man thank you

1:11:58Shannon Sharpe:Thank you. Sauce Gardner, ladies and gentlemen, two-time first-team All-Pro, defensive rookie of the year, traded for the New York Jets. And two.

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