Nightcap Hour 1: Browns NAME Deshaun Watson QB1 + VIRAL Clip of Watson THROWING + Deshaun Watson APOLOGIZES to FANS + Jaylon Johnson JOINS Nightcap

19:32Shannon Sharpe:I'm scouring and looking. I think everybody is shocked by this decision based on how Deshaun is played. I don't think anybody thought that it's like, oh man, this is a great decision. Deshaun was so much better and it's like well Deshaun, Shadour wasn't that much, I just think me Ocho and Joe, I just think it's really really hard for someone to show you how much better they are than someone else when we're splitting the rims because the one thing, as a football player as an athlete you need rhythm and it's hard to get rhythm Ocho, you go three plays, I go three plays, you go two plays, I go two plays, you get one I get one, it's just hard for me to get a rhythm like that.

20:13Shannon Sharpe:I'm used to going seven, eight plays, and then maybe the last two plays, the backup comes and get in. It's just hard. I'm going to have to take Todd Munkin at his word, although I don't believe it, but I'll take him. He said that he and his staff sat down and this was the decision that they came up with, and Lord, forgive me if I'm wrong. I really want you to forgive me if I'm wrong, but it's just hard-pressed for me to believe that this decision didn't come from Jimmy and Dee Haslam and Andrew Barry. Right. Hey, I told you what's coming from them. I mean, listen, I wish both of them all the luck.

20:49I would love for Shador to be starting. I would love to see him in there. He's exciting for that fan base, for that city in general, the energy that he does bring, the hope when he is under center because you never know what's going to happen. He's going to push that ball down the field to be one of those plays. But Deshaun is a starter and I'm wishing him nothing but the best either. unless they play enough. That's about it. I know one thing, but whoever's calling the plays, you got to play to Deshaun's strengths. Whatever those strengths are, I'm not there to practice with them. I'm not able to watch film.

21:23Like Unc said, it's hard for him to see him looking like he did five years ago, only playing 19 games in a five-year span. If he can bring any of those flashes of how he looked when he was at Houston, the Browns are going to be in good hands. If he can't, at least he's going to be real. The leash is already short.

21:40Shannon Sharpe:Of the 50 quarterbacks with at least 15 starts, Deshaun Watson joined the Browns in 2022. Only Will Levis has a lower QBR. Will Levis is 28. So basically 29. Deshaun Watson is 33.1. Cam Ward is 33.2. Zach Wilson is 34. Davis Mills is 38.6. So only Will Levis.

22:02Chad Johnson:So that's supposed to improve and get better this season, right?

22:15Shannon Sharpe:I just told you what the decision that was going to come down. I just kind of told you what it was going to be. I didn't make the decision. That's it. That's all. That's all I could do, Joe. That's all I could do. You know, I'm not saying I'm, I'm Othedamas. I'm not saying I'm Cleo. I'm not saying I can predict the future because I could predict the future. You know, I give you the lottery number so you could win because I, I want to bless you in that way, in that manner. I just understand the dynamics and how those folks think up there. That's all I'm saying. That's all I'm saying. Ari Merov says, part of the thought process behind naming Deshaun Watson, the Browns' starting quarterback, the opening season, two road games at Jacksonville and Tampa before returning home week three.

22:52Shannon Sharpe:That would give Watson two games to prove himself away from his fan base. If he struggles, Shadour could take over in front of a home crowd after the boos Watson received on Saturday. Albert Breer, the decision for the Browns came down to a full body of work. Deshaun was better and more consistent over time before a tough day Saturday and practiced well against the Bills on Thursday. The other thing that I've said along, it's easier for Watson and Sanders and other way around. If it doesn't work, Cleveland fans can pivot.

23:23Shannon Sharpe:But he was better. Wow, he's more consistent. So why were you posting those stats? because when we look at the stats, the stats were saying Shadour had three touchdowns, no interceptions. When you look at the stats, the stats said Shadour was 16 or 23. So was the stats flawed? I mean, but you also have to understand the numbers tell one story. But Kamboree as a whole, based on the way they're evaluating, they're evaluating more than just the numbers. Obviously, they have to be. because if you're based off the numbers, then, you know, Shadu would be starting. That's it. But there are so many other variables that come into play when it comes to them, not just evaluating the quarterback, but there are other things as well.

24:15What those other things are, I don't know because we're not in no time.

24:18Shannon Sharpe:Getting the ball out of your hand. Yeah. Those are very important for a quarterback. Joe, you wanted to say something?

24:25Chad Johnson:Nah, nah, nah. I mean.

24:27Shannon Sharpe:Joe, you seem upset about it. You seem hurt about this, man.

24:31Chad Johnson:No, I ain't hurt Ocho, but I just knew Cleveland's fan base, I knew they were going to be ticked off behind this, bro. They've been in the uproar behind this. Oh, yeah. And I just feel like if there's ever been pressure on somebody as an athlete, hell, it's on Deshaun right now, bro. Regardless of how you feel about it, Ocho, he has an opportunity to put up a shut up. Hey, man, I just feel like even if they go back to Cleveland up 2-0, Ocho is still. it's it's still gonna be bad i'm just i'm just keeping it real i'm just hypothetically speaking

25:05Shannon Sharpe:it's i think it's still gonna be bad yeah i don't see you're asking a bit much to go back to it to it oh joe after two road starts now it could happen it could happen hey all of a sudden hey let me tell you something joe the way the football gods work yeah football works in general when it comes to teams, nobody is really hitting their full stride. Nobody's hitting on all cylinders. I think defenses are a little ahead of the curve when it comes to the beginning of the season because all they have to do is read and react. It takes offenses a little bit more time to get themselves on, to find that rhythm, to find that continuity where they're really comfortable with what they're going to do.

25:50I don't know, man. If them boys jump out the gate 2-0?

25:55Shannon Sharpe:Man, they're bringing pressure. Because I think most teams don't believe that Cleveland Browns have a competent offensive line. And they don't believe either quarterback handles pressure well. Well, we don't get an opportunity to cease your door. Unless something unforeseen were to happen to Deshaun, and we hope that doesn't happen. With that being said, I think Jacksonville pressure. Jacksonville is – and Liam Coney is going to dial it up. Now, he has his work cut out for it because the best part of the Cleveland Browns team is their defense. Yeah. Offensively, they leave a lot to be desired.

26:24Shannon Sharpe:Jacksonville feel they're better than what they were. You know, Travis Hunter comes back healthy. He's going to play one side of the football. Now, obviously, they're potentially, as the season progresses, they will have built-in packages for Trav to show some of his offensive prowess. But I think right now, I think this is the right thing to do. Ocho, you and I, we always felt this was the right thing to do. Start him at the defensive back and build packages. Not just, okay, you play in defense, then you come right back and play offense. You play in defense, you come back right back and play offense.

26:54Shannon Sharpe:Let him focus on that side of the ball. Let him master something before you try to throw him in and try to do all this stuff. There have been a lot of great athletes to play this game, very few. I don't know, especially in the last 40 years, that have played offense and defense consistently and played them at a high elite level. So we're going to see how that plays out. But it's just – hold on. There's a video going viral of Deshaun Watson taking QB reps in today's practice. Take a look at this.

27:36Yeah.

27:37Shannon Sharpe:Somebody missed the hot. Somebody missed the hot. I was getting ready to say that. Hey, as soon as I seen the ball come out that fast, somebody hit the hot. So who followed that? Wide receiver. You see the guy off the edge coming to blitz? You hot, you run a slam Or a stop route Hey, matter of fact You know what, I shouldn't say that That might not be, you know what, Ocho, go ahead You go say It's universal, if the man is off You either run a slam or you run the hitch Right away so he can get the ball out of his hand If he's bumpy run and it's a hot route You got a nine right, you got to say Take the top off it That also could still be That could be I just know somebody screwed up because the guy walked to the age that's an extra guy they can't block him so they brought more than you can block something they need to side adjust if he's off you run to stop and what you're saying if you're off you're running to stop the hitch route smoke yeah smoke route or a yeah you don't do that because that's universal so you already know you are it's already understood so somebody somebody the quarterback and the receiver need to get on the same page we can't have that we that's that's installed that's that's day one.

28:46That's day one.

28:48Shannon Sharpe:All I know is that when Todd Munkin had his first camp back in March, they put this in. Hold on. OTA? Yeah, that's what I'm saying. His first practice, because new coaches get three practices. So this first practice, that had to be installed. The guys press you more times than not, you're going to run a go-round. The guys press. You got to go. And you want to, because they bring in pressure. Yeah. I'm not, you know, somebody said, well, he might have been trying to throw a back shoulder. Unless you're Matthew Stafford or Aaron Rodgers with Devontae, I'm not running no back shoulder. I'm taking the top off.

29:31Shannon Sharpe:I don't want a 20-yard completion. I'm going to be honest with you, Ojo and Joe. I don't want a 20-yard completion. I want a 40-yard touchdown. You don't throw back shoulder in that scenario. You got to get that ball out of hand. You got a man flying free with nobody blocking that coming. You got time for that. Oh, Joe, I'm just trying to I'm just trying to give people some scenarios. Like, I don't want to put it all. I don't want to put it all on Deshaun without without knowing. OK, what's your concept? I just know the way we ran it, like what you explained it. If the corner was off, it's a stop route.

30:06Shannon Sharpe:But the problem is a lot of times corners don't want to play off because the ball comes out quick and he face you up. He go into the house. because he's going to make you miss. Unless you're an exquisite – unless you're really, really good at tackling in the open field. Face, yeah. And that man got a two-way go. He can go inside and he can go out. Good luck getting him on the ground. Yeah. That's why they like the pressure. They know more times than not, 95 % of the time. Let's go 99 % of the time. If he's pressed and the bliss is coming, he know that ball's coming up.

30:40Chad Johnson:Mm-hmm.

30:41Shannon Sharpe:He knows that ball's coming up.

30:42Chad Johnson:Hey, so Jacksonville are probably going to play a lot of – they're probably going to send a lot of pressure at Deshaun, right?

30:50Shannon Sharpe:Because first of all, I don't think his offensive line is good even if we don't pressure. Now, there could be a situation, Joe, where they don't pressure because they feel they can get home with a customary four-man rush. And now we leave guys in coverage. But you know what? I don't feel like Deshaun is as athletic as he once was. I think his body has been through a lot with the shoulder injury, the Achilles injury. yeah I'm going to take my chances I'm going to give him a heavy diet but I'm going to see I'm going to see how well he handles the pressure not only how well he handles the pressure how well do the receivers be able to get open if they sit in pressure you know they're going to have somebody right up man to man right in your face can you beat me man to man if you can't beat me man to man and you can't get open Joe well it's going to be a long day if you can't beat man to man you're either selling cards or coaching all the coaching staffs are filled up i don't know any general manager they know some general managers that'll give them a job as a salesman so guess what you out of the league yeah you you if you cannot beat man coverage as a wide receiver nfl there are two choices for you selling cards or coaching now which one do you want to do yeah i mean they they're gonna have some plays, Joe, where they scheme people open, help them out a little bit.

32:12We're going to see.

32:14Chad Johnson:I'm saying they got some talent over there. I know them guys young as far as Concepcion, Boston, Fanny. Yes, yes. What's the running back? What's the running back? They got some talent, right? They ain't got no talent.

32:30Shannon Sharpe:The problem is where you're least talented might be the offensive line, which is where you need the most talent because you need to be able to protect Deshaun and you need to be able to create lanes for your running back to run in. So the problem that they might have, Joe, is that where they're least talented is the offensive line, which in turn will cause you the most problem as an offense. To honor our country on its 250th birthday, this can of Copenhagen goes out to those defending the free American soil that our tobacco has taken root in for over two centuries and counting. Here's to the calloused hands of freedom.

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36:28Shannon Sharpe:It would have been interesting to know. That ball came out like I don't know what Deshaun was thinking. I mean, whatever you got called on and that blitz comes, it's automatically adjusted. Everybody got to adjust. You can't run that same route. And the ball came out so quick, it definitely couldn't have been that quick out. Oh, no. Hell no. I mean, but the ball came out so fast. He hit his hands. He hits, then he let it go. Run that. Rewrite that. Let's see. Because that might have been, that ball had to come out.

37:07Shannon Sharpe:He's in gun. Oh, no. That's, that's, that's, he's in the gun. That's three steps. That's a phase.

37:18Shannon Sharpe:You see, he's already in the gun. So he's already – because normally a go route is five-step and let the ball go. We threw it 42-4, 42 yards deep, four yards from the sideline. That play right there, he's already in the gun. That's if you're on the center. Five steps, no hitch, let the ball go. In this situation, you're already in the gun, so you're already three yards back, three steps back. And you see Deshaun, he catches the football, basically one, two, boom, ball's out. Well, you might have been trying to back shoulder then. That's what I was thinking. But I don't know. And like I said, Ocho, you want a 20-yard completion or a 40-yard touchdown?

38:00Shannon Sharpe:I think I know what you want. Yeah. Yeah, yeah. I think I have a pretty good idea of what you want. It'll be interesting to see. I mean, look, I'm sure that's something they can go back and go back over. It's like, look, we got to make. I've always believed this. if you're mad enough to bring pressure, I got to be mad enough to punish you for that pressure. I got to make you pay the ultimate price for being disrespectful. My receivers, I need you guys locked in. I need you to make these guys pay the price for blitzing us. If a team blitz you, they're telling you they don't really care about you.

38:36Shannon Sharpe:They don't really think much about your receivers. They don't respect you. That's a shot at the receivers. That's a shot at the receivers. All you got to do is make them pay once, huh? Oh, I'll stop you, yes. All you got to do is make them pay once. Hey, hold on. Not only make them pay once, not just that game, but hold on. That lets everybody else know, oh, yeah, you know what? We got to be careful. We got to pick and choose when we blitz. We got to pick and choose when we allow our defense to be vulnerable because they can hurt us. I might not can stop them from doing it, Joe, but I'll break them out of habit.

39:06Shannon Sharpe:My grandmother said, well, I can't stop you, but I bet I'll break you out of habit. I'll break you that blitzing. hey they gotta they gotta come out hey i'm with them boys star two and oh boy hey i'm ready for

39:20Chad Johnson:the season start nah i'm ready to see it i'm ready to see it i'm ready to see i'm serious man because i feel like deshaun watson got a chance now you know he really got a chance outro you was right the whole damn time i just couldn't see it bro hey it's like give giving this opportunity yeah but because this might be your last one bro you get for for real like if you you know i'm so hey man that boy gotta go balls to the wall man i don't i don't i don't see how joe couldn't see it he got two eyes i only got one come on man come on man come on hey you know you can't let it be the only one here the whole damn browns community couldn't see it here they pissed off

39:59Shannon Sharpe:they are everybody seemed to be very upset and very shocked by this decision yeah i think they're I'm very shocked by this decision. I think the thing is that, you know, he says, hey, the most conceited, more consistent in practice and so forth and so on. I think getting him in and out of the huddle, getting the ball out of his hand, reading the defenses. So, look, all we can go by, all we can see is what transpired in the games and the stats that they posted. But like Ochoa said, football is more than stats because I can make the stats say what I want them to say.

40:35Chad Johnson:Yeah.

40:35Shannon Sharpe:but Cleveland Browns, your quarterback to start the season is Deshaun Watson. Surprised a lot of people, but Todd Munkin seems to be held bent on being able to say he felt very comfortable here to staff at very comfortable based on the entire body of work from OTAs to training, to mini camp, to training camp, to here we are in these preseason games, the joint practices is where we are. Following the boos during the preseason matchup, Deshaun Watson gave a two-minute apology for his comments Saturday. Here's his apology in its entirety. Let's take a listen. First off, I want to address the comments from Saturday after the game.

41:19You know, I think just, you know, human nature, just myself being very emotional, putting a lot of time these last two years to, you know, get back and, you know, Spent time in this facility in the city meeting a lot of different people in the community You know, I thought I was gonna get a you know a little different response, but uh, you know, I think you know, my emotions got the best of me and You know I was in my comments wasn't attending to go at any of the fans around in the city Because there's been a lot of great fans that have been supporting me and I know the frustration This organization have put a lot of investment in coming to get me back in 22.

42:05And things haven't been going the right direction that we thought it was. A lot of injuries, a lot of time off, and not putting the best football in my foot forward. So, again, I understand the frustration. I understand everything that kind of goes into that. And moving forward, I just want to focus on football, making sure that I'm putting the best product out there, having the best ability. Because I thrive off the energy. I thrive off the energy of the fans. I thrive off the energy of the community. I thrive off all that stuff. I think looking back in my history at Clemson and previous at the Houston organization, I was a big community guy, big city guy, big fan guy during the game.

42:47So again, my emotions got the best of me. I'm human. I take full responsibility of that. And just moving forward, I wanna make sure that I put the best part up for the team, for the organization, and for the city so we can put a lot of wins and make sure that I celebrate and put Cleveland on the map.

43:06Shannon Sharpe:Joe, I'm gonna go to you first. If Deshaun Watson doesn't get the starting job, also the question is for you, Ocho, if Deshaun doesn't get this starting job, does he make this apology?

43:17Chad Johnson:No, I think this was a stipulation of him getting a starting job. Okay, Ocho, me and I, okay, look, we're gonna announce you the starter, but you gotta make an apology to these fans, partner. That's just how it's gonna go. I don't care how you cut it or slice it, bro. I can kind of tell I ain't no body language expert. I ain't none of that, Ocho. But I do pay attention to everything, man. Hey, I may not say nothing, but hell, I see everything. I pay attention, and it just didn't really, really, and I ain't saying Deshaun a bad dude, but it just didn't really seem that authentic to me. To me. It just really didn't.

43:52Chad Johnson:It seems like, hey, man, we're going to give you this starting job, but you gots to go apologize to them fans. That's what it's giving. There you go.

44:01Shannon Sharpe:Now, you remember just Saturday, what was it, the other day, he had no regrets for anything that he said or anything that he'd done. Two days later, he's giving an apology, Ocho. Now, didn't he say that? Yes. Ash, can we write that? Can we find the clip? Would a reporter ask him? give us a couple of minutes chat give us a couple of minutes but go ahead Ocho what do you think do you think Joe believes this was a part of the stipulation of him becoming the starting quarterback is that he had to make an apology no absolutely not it had nothing to do with that he was going to be the starting quarterback no matter what now I think being the face of the franchise being the starting quarterback he felt in his own right is the right thing to do you know being there left a bad taste in everybody's mouth everyone was talking about some of the words some of the things that he did say and all he did in a sense is make it worse for the fan base that's all he did you know but again mentioning all the stuff that he's doing and thought he would have got a better uh a better result when he was on the field man they don't care about that you know what you're in the community that's a great thing joe uncle joe but when you're doing that stuff it's a great thing you know but they don't care about that them people care about the wins and losses and all you're producing all you're helping us win they i mean you know i i hate to say it I'm just being honest.

45:18Shannon Sharpe:Yeah, I believe you. Yeah, you are being honest. You know, you in the community. You know, you being an activist. You know, all that. All that's cool. You know, fine and dandy. You know, it's like having a cake and throwing, you know, icing on top and a little cherry. And people don't care. Man, we ain't winning. You visiting, you know, doing all that, man. I don't care about that. Help us win. Are we ready, Ash?

45:42Shannon Sharpe:Okay.

45:46Man, I didn't have an overreaction. I think the biggest thing is I think you guys know too, and I think the whole world knows it has nothing to do about the performance. It's a little bit personal than that. So I think that's a disrespectful thing. So yeah, I mean, I'm gonna keep whatever I feel with me and my family internally on how I feel about that. And yeah, just move on.

46:13Chad Johnson:But don't you think, Deshaun, that winning and playing better would eliminate some of that booing? Last time I played on this field, I tore my Achilles. And that same fan base, they cheered when I got hurt. So does that have to do with, what does that have to do with anything about performance? when a person get hurt, especially for your own city, and they cheer. Does any of that make you regret coming here? No, I don't regret anything in my life. You know, I think the Lord put me through situations for a reason, so I don't regret anything at all. But, you know, I had different thoughts on how it was going to be, but, you know, it is what it is.

47:01You know, sometimes, you know, the tables turn, and I'm patient enough because I'm a child of God to, you know, wait for that time to change. So, I'm not tripping on it. I'm not tripping on it.

47:13Shannon Sharpe:And when it happened, Ocho and Joe, I know you remember, Joe, you wasn't with the show at the time, Ocho and I, we talked about it. And we said that was classless, that's Bush League. You don't share anybody's injury, let alone your own players. Yeah. He's laying down there on the field. And obviously he's laying down there and he's not getting up. You know, there's something seriously wrong. So no matter what, just set that aside. And it's hard. It's hard to sit. Emotion is high. Logic is low. It's hard. If I feel some type of way about a person, it's hard for me when he's going through, he or she is going through something to set all that aside.

47:46Shannon Sharpe:Like, you know what? I'll dislike you tomorrow. But today I wish that hopefully everything's okay. So that's a part of it.

47:57Shannon Sharpe:Joe man Joe said I don't believe it I just don't believe it I ain't saying that it's not but I just don't believe it

48:06Chad Johnson:think about it think about his emotions in the press conference before this when he was talking about you know what I mean Saturday think about that and then you turn around and come on man it just ain't adding up to me you gotta put yourself in a cleveland browns fan you got to put yourself and use that idea you got you got to use that perspective right you know he talks about they booed him when he got hurt but before the achilles

48:37Shannon Sharpe:injury he still wasn't doing well and that's the best and that's what the reporter asked the reporter asked him oh joe and he said he he didn't acknowledge that he could have said you know what you're right if i had played better maybe they had cheered but i haven't played well at least acknowledge I have not and I am not playing well acknowledge that and then we can move on to the disrespect that they showed you when you were laying on that field by booing your in by booing you and you're injured now you have to now now you get a better a better clarification a better context on why they were going they're not me they're boon because even before you got hurt you were still playing bad nothing was right you know damn a monk.

49:22Shannon Sharpe:He was. I mean, even the great, even the ardent, the most ardent Deshaun Watson fan can honestly say, since he's been in Cleveland, he's been bad. He has. And that's okay to say. Two things can be true. He was a phenomenal player in Houston. He hasn't been close to that. Now, you can chalk it up to injuries. You can chalk it up to being out for an extended period of time because you've got to remember, Ocho, in 2020 was the last year that he had, he looked like he was Deshaun Watson. In 2021, he didn't play a game. In 2022, he missed the first 11 games. He comes back the following year, he gets hurt with a shoulder injury.

50:05Shannon Sharpe:He comes back the following year and he tears his Achilles. So he's played only 19 games in five years. None in 21, six in 22. I don't know how many, so seven. So you divvy it up over the next two years. He played 12 games over the next two years. I don't know if it was 7-5, it was 6-6, it was 9-3. I don't remember. So he has not played well. And anybody with eyes can see that. You can be the most casual of fans. You don't got to be the most, you know, oh man, I know X and O, I know offense, I know defense, I know when they were in a flood, I know when they did scat, protect it off. You don't have to be that.

50:47Shannon Sharpe:Deshaun hadn't played well in Cleveland. And at least he needs to acknowledge that, Ocho. It's okay to say, you know what? I haven't played as well as I like to play. And maybe he has said that. Maybe I missed it. But he's got to play better now, though. Boy, look here. And it seems like it's at least maybe if I could just find, like, it's just something about the boos that drown out the applause. You hear those boos? It could be two people booing, and they got 85 ,000 people cheering. You hear those booze on your phone.

51:21Chad Johnson:It's the booze, but it's being at home getting booed.

51:26Shannon Sharpe:I expect to get booed on the road.

51:29Chad Johnson:Yeah, yeah. But at home, in front of my own fans, my mama in the crowd, my lady in the crowd, you know what I mean?

51:36Shannon Sharpe:And they probably said, your son sucked.

51:39Chad Johnson:Come on, man. Come on, man. I would love that pressure, though. I would love that pressure. Would you? No, not me. No.

51:51Shannon Sharpe:That's my family. The crowd is my family. That's my home. I'm out in that community. And you think so little of me that you boo? Yeah. I mean, I've been booed as an offense. It ain't no good feeling. And you're talking about a guy that has success early on. It wasn't always like we got booed. But when we played bad, me, John, and TD, and Ed, and Rod coming off the field, they booing us.

52:14Chad Johnson:They let you hear it. Yeah.

52:15Shannon Sharpe:You're talking about the team. You think about it. We won 13 games in 96. We won another 12 games in 97. We won 14 games in 98. And they booing? Bro, we won 39 games in three years. Yeah. Two divisions and went to the Super Bowl. And we wouldn't play. Well, you better believe they let us have it. Now, hey, you can say it doesn't bother you. Yeah. It bothered me. Hey. It made me make sure I go out there. Hey, let's get this thing together now. Hey. They got it right to boo. As a matter of fact, y 'all didn't hear I was in there with them. Boo.

52:53I don't know. I just – I don't know. It's weird. But, Ocho, you got to realize you're in Cincinnati.

53:00Shannon Sharpe:You got a lot of that. Yeah, but I like the – think about this. Think about how I played the game, Unc, and Joe. Think about this real quick. The game of football is already hard enough. It's very difficult.

53:12Chad Johnson:Yeah. The best of the best is the one percenters. I talk shit every week, right? And Wednesday through the media. Okay, I make it more difficult on me because I'm playing in a dependent position, relying on 10 other people for me to even have success. So that's one aspect of it. That's pressure. I'm putting it on myself. Now there's a target on my back. On top of the target on my back, talking trash to the team, Joe, I'm sending them boys gifts every week when we play. What you sending them? What you sending? Oh, man, whoever I was sponsored by or endorsed by, Joe, I was sent to the secondary.

53:41No matter what it was. That's one thing. Joe, I made a checklist before the season started, right? Yeah. I put the checklist in my locker with everybody's name on it. Week to week, Joe. Joe, do you know how hard it is to go out there and perform every week after you're checking dude's name off and all they have to do is stop you one time?

53:58Chad Johnson:Yeah. Just one time. Yeah. Four quarters in the game, Joe. 65, 70 plays. You give me one time, boy, you're getting the check off. So in a sense, some people take it as disrespect. I took it as I have to do this. I have no choice but to add this unnecessary pressure to force me to play at a high level. It is weird. All kinds of gimmicks and antics. Let me ask you this. But I enjoyed it.

54:24Shannon Sharpe:It's weird. I don't know why. You enjoyed it because you're putting up 90, 1300, 1400 yards. If you're playing like you played in New England, are you enjoying the blues? Mm-mm. Exactly. See, when you play because see you know you're playing above the blue boos yeah see that's one thing you're looking at like yeah i'm doing what i'm doing it's allowing you to do that even if coach belichick would have allowed you to do that you wouldn't do that because you're not that integral of a part of the offense you're not now all of a sudden you're chad johnson again you're not even ocho you can't even be ocho so the use is because in cincinnati if they're booing you're like they ain't booing me because I'm doing my job.

55:08Shannon Sharpe:They booing y 'all. I just happen to be going out there with y 'all. I just happen to be, you know what it is, Ocho? I'm just happy to be like my grandma said, boy, you just with the wrong crowd. That's how you look at, see, that's how you process Ocho. I know how you think, being around you now, you like, they ain't booing Ocho. Ocho cooking.

55:30They booing y 'all. You know what else that comes from too, Joe?

55:33Chad Johnson:What was that? What else that comes from too, Ocho? What that? not only studying and being a student of the game because I was a student of the game no different than Tom Brady no different than Peyton Manning and understanding what I'm going to see and knowing every intricate part of what they're doing defensively that's the only way to pull off what I'm doing I was a student Joe when that whistle blew that was a character I flipped that switch let me go ahead and have some fun but I'm able to have fun and do some of the crazy shit I was doing because I'm locked in front of that laptop Joe I need to know everything down the distance.

56:07Okay, what are you doing? He lined up in front of me with that safety coming down. Okay He's not really blitzing that Joe everything when Joey got to the point Well, I was so good at reading defenses based on the office alignment Based on what the officer lineman doing and know what they doing when the back is shifting and the safety is rotating Joe I had it down to a tee and I was so comfortable the game was moving so slow to me It was moving slow. Yeah, you know why? because you said Sean has to have confidence. You said something very interesting, Ocho.

56:37Shannon Sharpe:You said you was a character on Sunday, but you was a student through the week, which allowed you to be a character. So you couldn't be a character during the course of the week and then be a student on Sunday. I love you. So that allowed you because you were a student of the game, it allowed you to play fast on Sunday. There was no hesitation in your game because like you said, you knew when they were rocking and rolling with those safeties, you knew, shut up. You got help over the top. You pretended like you got me man to man. You ain't doing nothing. Shut your mouth. So that allowed you. And that's why it's going to happen.

57:13Shannon Sharpe:There are going to be some times that we see something. We think we see a coverage. The quarterback see it differently. And then now we got to go to the sideline. We don't got to. They got to play in full. And they go to the tablet. And they look at their tablet. And they be like, oh, this is what it was. We had to look at a steal. It takes one second and you're like, damn. See, this is what I saw. This is what I'm thinking. Nah, but further on, you'll see the guy rotates and it's a different coverage than what you thought. That's going to happen. That's going to happen. And that's what I tell guys.

57:49Shannon Sharpe:If you want to play easy and free on Sunday, master. The game is not won on Sundays. People think games are won on Sundays. Games are won during the week. you just happen to display what you're doing on a Sunday. But the game is one Monday through Friday. I wish people just – I wish guys understood that. Yeah. Whatever you want to be. I don't want everyone to – because some guys, they need to be able to go out, Joe. Some guys need to – they got to go out, Joe. They got to. They got to drink. They got to. I don't care. As long as you know what you're supposed to do come Sunday, whatever you got going on Monday through Friday, that's between you and whoever you're dealing with.

58:34Shannon Sharpe:That ain't got nothing to do with Shan. Now, if it started impacting Shan's ability to get to the playoffs, now, I mean, you're going to have to have a discussion. We're going to have a sit-down. You're messing with the church's money. Yeah, yeah. Hey, who called the plays over there in Cleveland, huh? Todd Munkin's going to call them. Oh, you're going to call the plays? Todd Munkin, as a coach, you know your quarterback strengths. You've been there since March, OTA's training camp. You've had two preseason games. You're probably going to have a third one. You're probably not going to play the third game.

59:08You know what he's good at. You know what your team is good at offensively and what they're not. That play calling, you've got to find a rhythm. You've got to get the time and the rhythm early. I'm not talking about nothing deep. Get the ball out of his hands real quick so he can build his confidence.

59:24Chad Johnson:that's what they've been doing Ojo once you get that confidence you just go from there you keep on building on it keep on building on it until he's looking like himself again if he can ever find that

59:41Shannon Sharpe:Jaguar Gator 9 says watch the entire presser he never praised Watson outside of his ability to come back from an injury he praised Shadour a ton had glowing one minute answers anytime Shadour was brought up. He said it was an organizational decision when he asked if the call made was his. This was definitely not a Munkin call. What a train wreck. We have the sound from Todd Munkin addressing how Chadoo reacted to being named Deshaun's backup. Let's take a listen to what Munkin had to say. He was awesome. I mean, you talk about somebody that really understands the long game that really I think has come to understand the long game right what are we really in this for what am I in it for to have the Browns be an organization that people aspire to be right the long game right where do we want to be in the long term right whatever that and he understands that as well as a quarterback right where he was at where he's at now where he wants to get to.

1:00:49That is what's so awesome about Shadour understanding that. Really, he does. We met this morning for a good long time and all he had was a smile on his face because he understands what really is in front of him. Not really a short-term, maybe long-term decision. I mean, this is like a player, like, he's going to work his butt off to get better. And he has already.

1:01:13Shannon Sharpe:You can tell Todd Munkin definitely likes Shadour. I can just imagine and he's smiling kind of like his dad, like Ty would be smiling in that voice. Like, I did the best I can do. It's out of my hands now. Because all you can do is the best you can do. That's all I can do, Joe. And whatever decision, whatever you do, we do a lot of times with relationships, I can just love you as hard as I can love you. And if that's not enough, it's not enough. Okay, you told me I didn't do enough in the OTAs and the minicamp and in the games when I was in there to do enough, okay, I got to live with that and just try to get better.

1:01:51Shannon Sharpe:That's all I can do is try to get better.

1:01:54Chad Johnson:Yeah. Hey, if I'm Shadour, you just got to continue to prepare. As if you was a starter, Uncle Ocho, stay engaged. Obviously, I think he's going to do that. And, man, you just got to be patient and wait your turn, bro. It's coming. This time is coming, Joe. Oh, it's going to come. I can tell you that. There's one thing about football season. They ain't going to be 18-0, I don't know, Joe. Yeah. It's going to be that. It's going to be some ebbs and some flows. It's going to be some peaks and some valleys. It's going to be some highs and some lows. Yeah. You know that leash is very short. You know, I'm telling you, they got to come out that gate, either 2-0 or 1-1, coming to that third game.

1:02:36They got to. Ocho, did you start your rookie year, Ocho? Hell no.

1:02:42Shannon Sharpe:Remember, they had Darnay Scott, Ron Dugan, and Peter Ward. Joe, you didn't start. So we know what you're doing. I know because I'm calling my brother. I said, man, come on, man, Spank. Man, I'm ready, man. He said, hey, be patient. He said, one day, John Elway going to call your number. Just make sure when he calls you a number, you answer that call. Man, I'm cooking in practice, man. I'm giving these boys this work. He said, hey, be patient. Hey, Shep, your time going to come. and when your time comes, just be ready. That's all I'm saying. Just be ready. Hey, John, see you out there working?

1:03:22Shannon Sharpe:Then sitting down and talking to him, he saw me working. He saw something in me. I just saw how hard you work. I saw how talented you were. You did? You ain't tell me that. I wish you had told me that at the time, 40 years ago, but that ain't what you told me. So I understand what you do is going through as a guy that feel that like my rookie year. No, I wasn't ready. But my second and third year, especially halfway through my second year and my third year, I was completely ready. I felt I could handle more. I thought they could put more on my plate and I would be ready to answer the bell. And when they started to give me more and more, John started to have more and more confidence because I was the biggest, the biggest receiver that he had, even though I was a tight end.

1:04:11Shannon Sharpe:They lined me up all over the place. So I understand what Shadour is going through. He's like, damn, but I'm ready. But, hey, he believes, hey, God don't make no mistakes. At all. When your time to come, the only advice Shadour I can give you is that when your time come, shine. Hello. That's all I can give you. I definitely wasn't ready. I can't tell you how to play that position because I didn't play it at that level. I didn't play it at the collegiate level, and I didn't play it at the NFL level. So I can't give you any advice on how to play your position. But I will tell you this. When the opportunity presents itself, hit it at the park.

1:04:46Shannon Sharpe:When you get your pitch, hit it.

1:04:50Chad Johnson:Hey, I ain't going to lie. It took me three years to really figure it out, too, Ankin Ocho. I'm playing behind Penny Hardaway, Stephon Marbury, Sean Marion. These are all, I mean, come on, man. So as a youngster, I'm 21 years old, you know, and every time I do get out there and play, I was so inconsistent. and Uncle Ocho my first two years in the NBA because when I did get out there and play, I'm like, damn, I'll make a turnover. I know Penny at the score table. He coming to get me. You know what I mean? It's hard playing when you have to continue to look over your shoulder, especially when you got cats who you've idolized and you've watched, you know, throughout your childhood years.

1:05:28Chad Johnson:I grew up watching Steph play. I grew up idolizing Penny. I grew up watching Sean. So it wasn't until they traded them dudes, bro. When they traded Penny Hardaway and Stephon Marbury is when I felt like my opportunity really came, and I was gone, bro. I was gone. See, it's a difference when you get out there, and I know, boom, I can make these mistakes freely, and I ain't got to look back and see, damn, okay, pin it at the scores tape. You know what I mean? It's a huge difference, bro. It's a huge difference. You heard what he just said, huh? Hey, chat, you heard what Joe just said? And that's the one thing, even though Deshaun is a starter, that's the one thing that worries me.

1:06:04That's the one thing that worries me. being gun shy, being scared to make mistakes instead of playing freely. Yeah. It's hard. Instead of playing freely. You're not playing football. You're not giving your team the best chance to win. If you're worried about making mistakes, just play. I'm hoping that you got to be that confident. His confidence is shot right now. Yeah, for sure.

1:06:25Shannon Sharpe:And you can understand why. He had no confidence, Joe. He had none. I can see it, Ojo. I'm watching.

1:06:32Chad Johnson:I see it, bro. Yeah. It's going to be up to Todd Monk, man. And he got to get young bull in rhythm. He got to. He got to get him in rhythm early with some easy throws, crosses, little screen, just so he get to get that rhythm back on short stuff. I'm telling you, it's like riding a bike. Joe, something you fall, you fall, you fall, where you get to go into it enough, and you get that rhythm back.

1:06:55Shannon Sharpe:That's how it was. Hey, Joe, you said something here, Chris. You said it wasn't until. That's how it was. I mean, once they started moving out, a lot of those guys, all the tight ends that was there when I got there, Danny released them, started releasing them. The receivers in my third year, Wade released a lot of them. He brought Vijay back, but for the most part, I was like, okay. He tried to tell me something. He tried to tell me they believe I can be the guy. Strong hands built America and kept it running for 250 years. Strong hands also keep Copenhagen moving today. Here's to the bravery of linemen, the endurance of truckers, the skills of welders, the traditions upheld by farmers, and all American tradesmen sharing in our work ethic.

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1:10:58Yeah.

1:11:01Chad Johnson:And you get that opportunity, boy. That's what I wait for. I don't care how I look. Look, okay, Ochoa, I got my opportunity. We wasn't nowhere near in the playoffs. But, boy, I was out there doing my thing. You hear me? Yes. You did your one-two, Joe? Yeah, I had my one-two going, Ocho. Hey, all I want to do is be able to get out there, feel comfortable, and look like I belong, bro, period. Yes, sir.

1:11:24Shannon Sharpe:Yes, sir. All right, we got a very special guest joining us. He's tuning in right on time just like he always does. What are your thoughts? Jalen Johnson coming to the program. Hey, Browns, name it, Deshaun, the week one starter. Y 'all faced him in the preseason game. What are your thoughts? Are you surprised by this? Did you think they would go with your door? Did you like what you see from either quarterback? Is there any kind of telltale that you can give us? I couldn't give you a telltale. I would say I like Shadrido. I think if it's close, I think you always go young. But I think he's put enough out there on tapes to where I would say he should have got the knob.

1:12:00But I'm not in there camp. I didn't see what they saw. But, I mean, at the end of the day, I think he'll end up taking it over at some point.

1:12:07Shannon Sharpe:You know, when a guy like Deshaun was, Deshaun was a Pro Bowl player. having such great success at his own location, and then he comes to a new location. And it wasn't the fact that he went to a new location. Jay, you know when they give you money, the expectation is exponentially through the roof. For sure, for sure. You've got to have a fully guaranteed contract. $230 million. Everybody thought he was going to shift the paradigm that now everybody's about to get guaranteed. Yeah, no doubt. To this day, he's still the only one that has a fully guaranteed$230 million contract. And for whatever reason, we've talked about on the show, 19 starts in five years.

1:12:45Shannon Sharpe:He's played 19 games in five years. It's hard, and I tell people this. When you're a professional, you got to do that thing over and over. It's got to be monotonous. You can't take no time off like that and think you're going to pick up where you left off. Yeah, I think it's hard. I feel like not only the injury, I think the off the field things started to kind of seep in a little bit, yeah, mentally. Because, I mean, when he left Houston, he was a dog. So, I mean, I think just everything that happened there, I also don't feel like Houston wanted him to leave. So I think there was some things playing into that.

1:13:17And just to your point, just the mental aspect of it. So when you're going in, you're playing a quarterback and your mind's not right. You got all these different distractions. And then you add on injuries on top of that. I mean, it gets tough. Your performance has no choice really but to go down. But I think, I mean, overall, I hope he succeeds. I mean, I don't wish negative upon any man. But I definitely think that it's only a matter of time. Hey, JJ, y 'all obviously You've been through OTAs You've been Johnson's second year right now You've been through training camp Obviously played two preseason games up to date I'm sure the starters probably won't play in the third preseason game How has training camp been?

1:13:53How has the preseason been? Obviously a huge blow losing Kobe Bryant to injury Defensively, how do you guys feel so far Going with the regular season Creeping up on us in two more weeks Honestly, I think for me it's hard to get a feel because we got a lot of guys a lot of hurt whether they just got hurt or they're coming back from injuries I mean like you said we lost probably pretty early and now we got hopefully Kyler coming back soon we got Elijah Hicks coming back soon so I think it's really just been a lot of plug and play Tyreek Stephenson gonna come back soon I mean we got a lot of DBs and corners go down so I think the guys that we've been practicing with the last few weeks are going to look a little different when we get in the season so I think for us is just really picking up where we left off at and just really just keeping that communication keeping that cohesion going and really just playing with attitude and swag i think that's the biggest thing that dbs can play with but just overall as a defense i think we're in a really good spot i think the front seven is getting a lot of pressure and the thing that they're doing up front is is looking really good compared to where we were at some time ago hey jj uh after

1:15:00Chad Johnson:dealing with injuries last season, bruh. What did you change this offseason to get your body prepared for this season? I wouldn't even say I changed anything because I don't think when I got hurt, it was a lack of doing something or adding something to it. I think just, again, just continue to work on my body, continue to find where I'm weak at, and just really attack that. I think for me, like I said, I just needed an offseason to get my legs going, get my core, my growing, just all the things you need to be able to run and change direction going. But I think really just for me, it's just attacking like I do every other offseason.

1:15:37I know I have a big year ahead of me individually. And then as a unit, I think we got a lot of expectations and we can really do something. I think it's not unrealistic for us to say we can get to the Super Bowl. So for me, it's just trying to prepare my mind, prepare my body for that. And I think that's what I did.

1:15:53Shannon Sharpe:Hey, Jay, you mentioned that, you know, it's a big year for you. I know you've even seeing them contract numbers. I know you saw what Spinn got. I know you. I know you. You ain't got to tell up. You can't miss it. Hit that ESPN ticker. You can't miss it. It's a lot of zeros they got. Man, hey, did you ever think, I mean,$33 million? That used to be quarterback money. Wide receivers. I mean, you guys are still lagging behind the top wide receivers. Top DVs are lagging behind the top. But$30 million for a DV is something I never – I mean, I didn't really think the salary was going to ever get to where they got, regardless of position.

1:16:28Shannon Sharpe:Yeah, for sure. Kyrie's making$20 million. Running back's making$22 million. DB's making$33 million. Yeah. He was making$40 million. It's all part of inflation, man. All the numbers go up. Better than inflation. They move you. Bad inflation. Bad to genius. It's all part of inflation, man. The money, the TV deals, and where everything is at, I think is trending in the right direction. So, I think, I mean, really, that's just how it goes. I mean, when up top, when their money goes up, I mean, naturally, the players' money goes up, but I think it's definitely beneficial for the DBs, especially because the receiver market shot up so fast, so much.

1:17:01I think for us, being the ones to guard them, being the ones to really maintain and show that they go out there and try to put on, I think there's some value in that as well. Of course, you got a mixed Russian cover, but we know D.N.'s been getting paid for a long time. Yeah.

1:17:17Shannon Sharpe:The Bears finished first in the NFC North last season, beat the Packers 31-27 in the wild card game, end up losing to the Rams. But that game, the Packers game, I mean, you guys had two of the wildest playoff games that I've ever seen. Because you're losing the entire game to the Packers, and then all of a sudden you mount a comeback. And then you're losing to the Rams, you get the game into overtime. What was the wave of emotions that was going through you because you're like, damn, here we go, we lost this one, now we won it. And then the Rams have you at bay, and then all of a sudden you come back and get the thing in overtime.

1:17:49Shannon Sharpe:time what was the wave of emotions that you were going through standing on the sideline i think especially the game against green bay being down so quick by so much it's just like we gotta fight our way back i mean even if we did lose it's a it's a way to lose i think that's not that's not how you want to lose on your on your home field against green bay and you just get dubbed like that by 21 it's like nah i think at some point we had a we had to have some pride and some respect for what we were doing and we just went out there and we fought and then of course offense and Iceman went out there and did their thing and brought us back but really just for us it's just the composure it's just knowing that the game's never over it just takes one stop I mean we watched a lot of videos throughout camp last year um that show even the Tom Brady and the Falcons come back and just talking to Joe Tooney and talking um Grady Jerry because they played in those games and just where their minds were at some of the things they did on defense that kind of hurt them into some things they did on offense from a leadership perspective um and just from a calm poised perspective.

1:18:48So I think for us, we were, we were really trained for it. I don't think anything that we did was luck. So, I mean, for us, it would just continue to get stops on defense, get the ball back to offense. And they did that thing. You know what? I think also going into this season, you know, Caleb Williams, uh, with Johnson, them going into this, understanding the creativity and the aspect of schemes and creativity that Ben Johnson brings to the table and having a talent and skilled, a skilled player, who's also a dual threat like Caleb Williams that can do so many things from the quarterback and he can make something out of nothing especially as I think you guys are probably gonna be one of the top three offenses this year in NFL and how great does it feel knowing that most of the time in most games depending on who you're playing y 'all gonna always be playing with a leader where you can do it defensively I think for a defensive player you know they gotta put the ball in the air because it's not someone they and just run the clock out.

1:19:41I know for a long time it was difficult when we're playing from behind and they're just trying to get the game over when they're running the ball, running the ball, play action, kind of check the ball down. They didn't feel the need to force anything. So I think playing on the other end of that and knowing that our offense is going to score points and be in front, they're going to have to put the ball in there, and that's going to give us opportunities to make plays, whether that's up front or in coverage. So we're definitely looking forward to that, but it also, too, means that we're going to have to close out a lot of games because if we're up going in two minutes, we're going to have to close out games.

1:20:11And I think that's just the biggest thing. I mean, for a defender, you hope for a power off. Just putting up points to capitalize on the alternative and things like that. So, I mean, I'm just looking forward to seeing him dominate against some other people.

1:20:30Shannon Sharpe:Hey, JJ, you need to spend some of that money to get 5G.

1:20:38He talking about getting 5G. You can hear me, Mike.

1:20:42Shannon Sharpe:No, we got you. So the mindset coming into this season after you did it. You got me high. You won the division last year. Now you're coming into this season. You know what the expectations are because you have a second year under Ben Johnson under your system. Your quarterback has gotten better. He was so much better from his rookie year to his second year. And here he is going into his third year. So now with that being said, you know what the expectations are. You know what it is. I don't want to put – I'm not adding anything, and I'm not taking anything off this cake. You know what the expectations are for the Chicago Bears this year.

1:21:20Yeah, I mean, it's Super Bowl. I think why not? I think for us it's that time. I think we've been waiting for a powerful offense. We've been waiting for a head coach that can manage a game. We've been waiting for a quarterback that is a difference maker and a game changer, and I think we have all of those things. So, I mean, for us as a collective unit, why not Super Bowl? Why not get over the hump? Why not prove everybody wrong? So, I think for us, that's the biggest thing that we're focused on. I think that's been the biggest change and the biggest mind shift, I would say, throughout the building is Super Bowl.

1:21:54It hasn't been like that since I've been here. It's more so, hey, we're trying to get to the playoffs and trying to win the division. It's like, no, for us, it's Super Bowl. How do we get to the Super Bowl? We know we got to win the division, get the number one seed, get a home field advantage, and then, of course, just go from there. So I think really for us, it's just an emphasis. Emphasis is winning, going 1-0 each week, and then, shoot, we got to get to this bowl.

1:22:17Shannon Sharpe:How was Ben Johnson able to come in and train the culture so quickly? Because normally it takes time. Normally it takes a year or two, not his first year. Yeah, no doubt. Maybe the second and the third year. But he was able to do a 180 the first year, and you guys bought in. yeah i think presence is one i think presence is a big thing i think when you come in and you set excuse me set the tone the right way and you're walking in the things that you're preaching i think it's easy to buy in and when you have a competitor when you have somebody who doesn't mind challenging guys um i think that

1:22:54two we had we have the right guys in the building um we added the right guys and we already had a lot of the right guys in the building as well that we're just looking for that extra piece and then also too i mean sometimes people are just the it factor sometimes god just gives people a little something different that allows people to gravitate towards them that allows them to buy in so i mean that's just who he is taking the shirt off hey jaylin hurt

1:23:19Shannon Sharpe:he said what i said taking the shirt off in the locker room getting crunk ain't hurt you're like he wanna yeah no that's i mean yeah i'm about to say now he wanna and he looks straight though. He didn't take his shirt off. It was all saggy and stuff. He was straight. Yeah, yeah, yeah. He get there early, get on the stand. Yeah, no doubt. He get it in at least two, three times a week. Okay.

1:23:40Chad Johnson:Go ahead, Joe. Hey, Jayla, Anken Ocho always talk about cornerbacks being the toughest, one of the hardest positions in the NFL. I would say physically the most. What separates a good corner from an elite corner that fans may not notice on TV? Good from great. That's a great question. Good from great. I always feel like it's consistency. I think it's the guys who can do it the best, the longest. Because, I mean, just naturally with the job that we have, you're going to get beat. But I think it's who can get beat the less. And, too, the timing of when you get beat. I think that's very important and very vital.

1:24:24I think giving up a catch on first and 10 in the first quarter isn't as big as giving up a catch on third down and two-minute drill in the fourth quarter. So I think it's just the guys that can step up and be the difference maker. But also, too, to the point, if you're not seeing that person a lot either, if he's not making a lot of plays, if he's not involved, there's a reason for that. I think a lot of times people look at the numbers and, oh, well, he only had one or two interceptions and this and that. But it's like, yeah, that's because they're scheming away from it. And it's like, people can assume that, but I think being a top guy and talking to other people, it's like you genuinely know when offenses are going away from you.

1:25:02You start getting a lot of tight ends to your side. You start getting a lot of different formations, three by one. You got to cover the wide. And it's like, man, I know you're not really throwing him the ball. And I think a lot of times you can see and feel that. And that makes the biggest difference as well, too.

1:25:17Chad Johnson:Hey, so as a quarterback, do y 'all take it a little personal when quarterbacks test y 'all? Honestly, no, because you get to make plays, especially if you're not used to getting those targets where it's like, nah, please throw the ball over here so I can make some plays. I don't want to say boring, but you don't get to reward yourself when you have good coverage and when you're doing things the right way and then you don't get the ball thrown. So I think a lot of times it's you want that ball thrown so you can make plays, so you can showcase the things that you're doing. Go ahead, Joe. I've always wanted that.

1:25:49My bad. As one of the top corners in the NFL, I think having a player like you with your skill set and being able to play man to man, you can do a little bit more. Yeah, for sure. Running more knowing that you can handle one side of the field. How do you pick and choose when to take those chances and get an interception based on watching film? I'm assuming and the tendencies where they're in certain formations. Yeah, what routes are coming that way you choose to take chances and sit on balls and try to try to pick them. I wouldn't even, it's funny because I think, especially the offense guys, I think they get it confused when they say like, oh, jump it and do this.

1:26:26It's like, nah, you just get your, you just get your reads. You just, and especially having Al, it's like learning, learning a mindset of, okay, the progression of the offense. Of course, you get your read from the quarterback. If it's three-step, you're not expecting a deep ball a lot of the times. So it's like, I don't need to get out of there quicker. And then the stem for the receiver, am I getting a straight stem? He's stemming me in. He's stemming me out. He can get me to these different routes. So I think it's really just film, study for one, and then two, just trust in what you're seeing.

1:26:55The quarterback's going to give you his job. The receiver's going to give you his stem. And then at the end of the day, you've got to just be prepared, be confident for what comes with it. Sometimes you're going to be right, and sometimes it may scheme you as well and do a double move or whatever it may be, and you've got to live with it. It's just part of it. But I think a lot of times your eyes and your keys are going to get you to your place.

1:27:14Shannon Sharpe:So another word. Go ahead. Go ahead, Ocho. I have my top five receivers, right? But I just want to know, from a DB's perspective, who do you think is the toughest cover? The five or one? No, just top two. For you, based on who you play against, that you know you got – you know what, I got to be on my A game because I'm playing so-and-so. Mm-mm-mm. I'm always throwing Jets in there. I will go him. Oh, it's tough. It's tough. I haven't played a lot of guys in a little bit, but I'll probably go Jamar if I just faced him. Okay. Okay. You know what? You said something very interesting because also cornerbacks got to have amnesia.

1:28:01Yeah. You get up a touchdown, you got to forget that because you can't let that ruin your day. Yeah, 100%. It turned into two. I've seen guys give up touchdowns in the first quarter, and it ruined the rest of their day.

1:28:11Shannon Sharpe:Yeah, for sure. Because all they're thinking about is that play. Yeah. And you said, you know, you get your key three-step because now even keys are hard to read because now the guys that throw a damn back shoulder on you on a three-step drop whereas before yeah yeah for sure getting up with a slam on the smoke wrap yeah but honestly like to that point if i'm playing off i'm not getting the back shoulder fade playing off i mean so it's like a lot of the things you can kind of eliminate off grip now when you're pressed there is no getting a read from the quarterback that's more so on your receiver and that gets a lot trickier when you're trying to read his body language read the stems from press because a lot of times you're getting contact, you don't know what is his stem versus me jamming him to that particular spot.

1:28:53But I mean for the most part, you're not going to be perfect every time at the end of the day, you still got technique and you still got I mean a dog mentality that you just got to go out there and compete and get through the hard downs.

1:29:05Shannon Sharpe:Are you trying to read formation or are you trying to read down in distance? Because on the offensive side, I'm thinking about your defense, okay down in distance. You're going to play It'll be something like this. Once we get into a certain area of the field, you like to play this. Now, also, we like to get in the formation. Y 'all like to play certain this. A hundred percent. No, it's the same because, I mean, a lot of times, if I'm getting, let's say, a two-by-two on first down, you can still get play action. You can still get quick game. You can get drop back. You can get a lot from that. But if I'm two by two, third down or third and seven, you know, you're not getting booed.

1:29:48You're not getting. So it's like you can kind of eliminate certain things. But I think for me, it's definitely the down and distance. The personnel starts to play a big a big thing as well. I think when you start getting those big 13 personnel, those 22s, the route. Yeah, I was going to say you can kind of start eliminating certain routes and certain things they're trying to do. but I would say it gets more trickier when you're going against, I would say, the Shanahan's, the Ben Johnson's, the little floors where it's the run actions that now the receiver went from cracking and now he cracking and going and now he insert block and now he insert block and go.

1:30:25Those are the ones that honestly get tricky where it can be a third and two and he can insert, he can insert block, and that's where it gets hard.

1:30:35Shannon Sharpe:Jay, what do you think about it? You see this man the NFL players they're coming in They can't do that

1:30:44They can't do that they can't do that they what what happened you know what happened

1:30:49Shannon Sharpe:Joe tell me he want to go back to school. He got a couple of years of eligibility left. No, you can't do that man

1:30:56Chad Johnson:But y 'all talking about football here what I'm talking about basketball I can finesse these boys D-boy ain't talking about D-boy. Yeah, I'm finess them boys. Now, once you put that jersey, man, you can't go back. But I think, too, it's hard because it's giving you an out. I think, I mean, sports aside, I think just as a man, just in life, it's like, you're not always going to have an out. If it don't work, it don't work. I mean, you don't have to find something else. You don't have to do something a little better, a little harder. But, I mean, to me, it's just, okay, if I don't go to the league, I'll just go back to college.

1:31:27To me, it's like, it's just giving an out. It's just soft. I mean, the NIL stuff is already changing a lot of things, but I think that is really, that's really bad. I think that's taking away a lot of learning lessons from a lot of young men, if you let that ride.

1:31:40Shannon Sharpe:You know what's going to happen today. J.J., they're going to go back to college. What's that? They're going to go back to high school. Yeah, I was about to say, I mean, that's going to start messing up for the younger kids. Hey, they already doing that. Big old 19-year-old sitting as a sophomore. more. Yeah, no, because I mean, to that point, it's hard because even I think who was it, Coach? I think Lane Kiffin, he said if I can get that kid or that man, then why would not? Like, I'm not going to deny my team opportunity. Yeah, so it's like now that's messing up recruiting because if I'm a five-star and people coming back, he's going to get the spot but it's like, nah, I'm not trying to deal with that.

1:32:18I think that's messing up. That's going to mess up a lot.

1:32:21Chad Johnson:Hey, JJ, that's the loophole in it that they got to fix. We can't be mad at the players for taking advantage yeah for sure for sure it's not it's not the players fix it yeah no you gotta fix that loophole cuz cuz you know what hey

1:32:35Shannon Sharpe:if somebody find a way to walk through a loophole oh they go JJ man thanks for joining us tonight man congratulations hey stay healthy hey hey

1:32:55and then a little more.

1:32:58Shannon Sharpe:Yeah. You know what? I'm thinking about a situation like this here. By the quarter pole, you should have about three, four picks on your way to about a 10-pick season. Yeah. Don't even talk to me about that. We'll talk after, man. I got to put this work in and get these wins in, man. We'll figure that out. Bro, you healthy. You healthy. No doubt. You already know what you can do when you're healthy. Yeah, for sure. Last year, you came back late, and you show flashes of yourself. But now after a complete offseason, ain't no surgery, ain't no injury, ain't no limitations, you get to go out there and do what you do, what you know you're doing.

1:33:34Shannon Sharpe:Yeah, no doubt. Ain't no reason you shouldn't be, hey, one of them top all-pro spots at the quarterback. Yeah, no, I need one. There's four out there. I need one.

1:33:44Chad Johnson:Hey, I got one more question. I got one more question. Oh, you just said something about him having, you know, close to 10 interceptions or whatnot. Now, JJ, do interceptions get too much attention, you know, when they evaluate corners compared to just simply playing great defense and not allowing catches? I think so. Because I think, too, and it's funny because me and my wife will be talking ball and things sometimes. But I'll tell her, like, a lot of it is luck as well. Like, a lot of it, honestly, I would say because, I mean, if somebody overthrows a ball and you're off and covered through, it's like you were never going to make a play on the ball, but he threw it right to you.

1:34:19I mean, you still got to catch it. So, I mean, you can't ever downplay the ability to capitalize on the play. But I think a lot of it isn't just what it seems. If a guy just has five interceptions and he was beat on one and he got underthrown, he made the play. It's like, yeah, you made the play, but you were stressed out in that down. So I think for me, like, good coverage is always better than interceptions personally. But from the team perspective, you always want to get the ball back to the offense. So they put a lot of stock into that.

1:34:47Shannon Sharpe:Yeah, because y 'all be doing too much. The guy might overthrow the guy, and then y 'all do this right here. Yeah, nah. Come on, man. Stop that, man. Y 'all the hell. Y 'all the hell. You the hell. That man had your feet. Yeah, nah, you can only do that if you're in position and the ball gets overthrown. But if you're trailing, nah, you got to just jog back. I said, come on, bro. How you had that man strapped? No, no, no. The ball back just overthrew it. Not at all. Nothing. Not at all. Yeah. Hey, JJ, if you need a, you know, I'm available, man. You know, it's a 17, 18-game season and the playoffs.

1:35:22If you need a nutritionist, you know, holla at your boy. What tips you got for me, man, outside of McDonald's? I do McDonald's breakfast about once a week during season, every Friday or Saturday. What'd you get? What'd you get? Me, personally, I get a sausage, egg, and cheese McMuffin. I get the sausage, egg, and cheese McMuffin, and then I get some McGoodles for the guys. But, yeah, I take care of the guys. I get Chick-fil-A and McDonald's. They're right next to each other, so I'm trying to hook them up. Chick-fil-A You don't mess with Chick-fil-A? That's the day Are they open on Sunday? Nah Yeah, you know why they're open on Sunday?

1:35:59Why? It's the devil's food, boy

1:36:04Shannon Sharpe:He's crazy He's the devil's food Jay, we're going to get you out of here on this There have been a lot going around Because you see the rookie, Zachariah Branch He had to spend$30 ,000 On Rookie Night Out for the vets Nah, I didn't see that Yeah, yeah, yeah, he had 30 bands. Nah, that's wrong. He's not even in the first round. Bro, that ain't got nothing to do with it. That ain't got nothing to do with it. See, you're messing up the story now. You're messing up the story. My fault, my fault. Go ahead. So your rookie year, how much did you spend taking the vets out? Honestly, I lucked up because it was COVID, so we couldn't go out really anyway.

1:36:40So I was straight. And then the whole time we did it, it was my second year. You got to run that back, Jay. Yeah, nah. I got lucky. I'm not going to lie. And then my second year, pretty much a lot of the big dogs was out. So they wasn't really pressing me. Eddie Jackson, I mean, we ended up going out to eat or something with just a few of the guys. And it only came out to like 4 ,000 or something. So it wasn't. And even that, I split with one of the other rookies we had. So I mean, sure. That's what you're supposed to do.

1:37:08Shannon Sharpe:The rookies are supposed to split it. Yeah, no doubt. I would say I lucked up. But I take care of the rookies now, though. I mean, I've been trying to pitch in on a dinner sometimes. As long as they showing up and they doing what they supposed to do, I'll look out for them. Thank you. Bring in the breakfast sandwiches. You know you're supposed to bring them around. Yeah, yeah, yeah. You got to have the snacks, the pre-plane snacks and all that. Yeah, you take care of me, I'm going to take care of you. We all good. Thanks. Thanks. Yeah, yeah, yeah. That's good looking out. Hey, JJ, appreciate it, man.

1:37:37Shannon Sharpe:Stay healthy, man. Good luck this season. We'll talk to you. Hey, circle back. We're going to talk soon, for sure. Bet. All right, y 'all be easy. All right.

1:37:45Chad Johnson:All right, bro.

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