Hello beautiful people Welcome to this program starts now and today is the day that we could say that the NFL is officially kicking off its 2025 season Now today just like many years in the past this season will start right here at a place that has been honoring legend since 1963 This is the home of the pro football Hall of Fame It is raining and we clearly don't have speakers for the crowd but what we do have is an excitement level beyond belief because football is back in our life and football will be on one side line MC-DC will be on the other and I believe we have a little bit of breaking news for the Detroit Lions fans Tonight starting for the Detroit Lions according to Source Sidis Kyle Allen will be getting the start but we will be seeing Hendon Hooker from what we have been told Now for the Chargers we do not have any inside Source Sidis but as that information rolls out today we will certainly keep everybody updated Tonight's game will not be littered with superstars and in a town that loves ball Wands ball We've only been able to be here for like the last 18-20 hours or so but as you drive through this town it literally emanates ball everybody is committed to the Hall of Fame and there is actually telephone pull wires that are two uprights field goals This entire city is committed to ball and we are lucky to be here It is not just me obviously the boys The toxic table is here at Boston Conner Not that and at Tai Schmitt the Hall of Fame congrats to him We will have a chance of chat with most of this year's class but the Hall of Fame beautiful thing lucky to be here cannot wait to walk through and see all the history of the greatest league on Earth Yeah without a doubt we talked about this a little bit I don't know if any of us have any of us I know us three we have never actually walked through and had a tour of the Hall of Fame It kind of seems like something if you are a fan of the NFL you absolutely need to do at one point in your life so really looking forward to that Obviously all the fans out here are even the weather but let's be honest this is the late row Pennsylvania for the Pittsburgh Steelers training camp fact that we learned from Jim President Bob the pro football fan whenever they were creating the pro football or some of the answers here for sure whatever they were going to create this Hall of Fame back in the 60s 1963 it was either placed in later. or it was going to be in Cantn Ohio so we just found that out this morning very cool football trip that we have been on over the last two days and obviously you can't come to this state without mentioning a man who's a former president of this state a college football national champion The all-time ladies, happy for the Packers. AJ Hawkes, everybody. Hey, AJ, with his uncomfortable and awkward point at a random kid in the crowd.
Right here this night's later. Okay, I'm going to start with the judges. Okay, I'm going to start with the judges. Not just a nice lady here.
There's been people that have been here since like 6 a.m. 7 a.m. and it's raining. We appreciate the hell out of you for doing this.
We would not have done that for this particular show, but we appreciate that you are doing as such. The State of Ohio has been great to us. I feel a lot of kinship with the State of Ohio as people that grew up in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, obviously go to school at West Virginia. These hills, these people, very similar.
Everybody loves ball, AJ. I think that is one of the fabrics of the State of Ohio, and why the Pro Football Hall fame in Ohio seemingly makes the most sense. Yeah, it makes sense. I think I think, like Ty said, this is football weather for people that actually truly care about football, not casuals.
Yeah, they're here around the set, but I think they would be here either way, going around checking out the festivities because this truly is the start-up. Wow. Okay, it's okay. I can't do my earpiece on that.
Yeah, the people from all over the world, I would imagine there's people from every university here. I would imagine there's people from every NFL city here. Don't you think? Yes, I would imagine this weekend so big for them.
Yeah, I would imagine this weekend. I would imagine that they would be like a big fan of the football. Yeah, the people from all over the world, I would imagine there's people from every NFL city here. Yes, definitely.
And imagine this weekend so big for that. Last night outside of the hotel, there was representatives getting autographs from every team. People traveling here. People doing annual trip out to the Hall of Fame.
I'm learning as we go. This is my first time here, other than whenever we played a game here, and it got canceled. Sure. Don't love that, that that happened.
Well, it was awesome to only play four pre-season games. Sure. Not for me, but for the rest of the team. I don't have to do shit in pre-season.
I was just a punter. With that being said, one of my teammates, nine-year NFL fans, one of the smartest guys in history, football, ladies and gentlemen, head to the football game tonight. He was back in the NBA. And the football is kicking off the game tonight.
We'll be on a field tonight. NFL uniforms will be on a field tonight. Sunday night football with NBC. It feels like we made a thing, but what a perfect time.
Yeah, you're making it work out. Come on. You know what it is? I don't want to say that.
You know what I'm not going to say? Okay, yeah, okay, yeah. Verrito. He's on the Eastern side.
He's on the Eastern side. I had the great time last night, you know, at the hotel, we have some food and just seeing all the legends out there. It's about the guys that are playing tonight, but it's more so about the four What's that? What the hell?
Sorry. Yeah, it's about the legends going down in mortality and football, man. They put so much on the line. I saw some of the players, coaches, contributors walking around the hotel, and I grew up looking up to a man so I'm excited about tonight.
And then obviously our future going forward. We'll have Sunday after Sunday after Sunday after Sunday with football on the screen. Okay, so there you just mentioned Sunday after Sunday after Sunday after Sunday. That's all the way until February.
We got it! Long time. We got it! See how I found this pen in David Baker's office?
I guess he left it around. That's why he's the former head of the Hall of Fame. Since we've gone. These big ass pencils might be the best thing you could buy at this, uh, Pro Football Hall of Fame.
But with that being said, the Mark store that I found outside, the merch that is here, the, the hospitality of everybody that has worked at this Pro Football Hall of Fame. It's a lot of, I think it's like 90% people that just live in this area. A lot of pride, very thankful for everybody that comes in. If you've not made a trip here, I think this is something you have to do.
Yeah, I think it's a good football fan. I think this building right here, we saw a cursive written letter from 1925 that had implications on how football would be run forever. So the actual letter that was sent from Lamar Hunt to Pete Rosel back whenever the AFL was going to merge with the NFL or whatever it was. And I'll tell you what, I don't know who he is.
But there's a guy named Larry, no, something. We'll know his name for a reason. He was from the AFL. He's the first thing Lamar Hunt talks about in this letter to the Pete Rosel.
Need to rid of this guy. Okay, I don't like what he's about. Then down there, number point, number five in this letter, he says we need something like the Grey Cup. We need something like Wimbledon.
We need something that's big. I have jokingly called it the Super Bowl, but we can obviously workshop that in this letter from 1960 something. And then obviously that would go on to become the biggest game in the history of any league. And it's like there's artifacts like that from our league and from our game littered all over this building that I didn't know existed until they showed it to us earlier today.
I saw my draft card, the one that was actually turned in whenever I got drafted. It's like, this is football paradise and it's the right spot to kick off a league every single year. Now, we're joined by a man named, well, he's one half of the hammer. That's a cowboys AP tone.
Turn are we gambling on the whole thing? What should we be looking at here? We are 100% gambling on the Hall of Fame. And as you said, you know, two teams with NFL helmets are playing tonight.
So we're definitely gambling on it. The Lions are favored by point and a half. So I basically call pick them. So you just pick the winner tonight.
You mentioned that big news tonight that Kyle Allen will probably be the starter for the Lions. And then heading to hooker will see some time. Kyle Allen was really good in the preseason last year from the Steelers. He was 17 and 23 and they get one game that he got.
And then the charger side they have announced. Trae Lance will be the starter for at least a half. And then you get DJU. Ooh, he hung a little like that.
I'm in that home. So you'll see DJU late. I normally side with the quarterbacks who I would give the advantage Kyle Allen and headed hooker in this spot. Trae Lance threw five interceptions in one preseason game last year.
I don't know though. The Harbaugh record is a lot better in preseason games than MCDC. Alright, so it sounds like you know what it sounds like. We didn't really get an answer.
I'm a charge. You might have to call the number. No, that's my. It's not about NFL football.
It's so long. This is March Madness. They're playing the rookies too. I'm already on Hampton's play.
Trey Harris is going to play. It's going to be exciting to see this. Yeah, it's like to watch gambling on it though. He's pretty wild.
We have no idea what's going to happen out there. Andrew is going to run one place. Joining us now. Ladies and gentlemen.
Senior Insider at ESPN. Ladies and gentlemen. in front of the program. Michigan man.
Adam Schecker. Yeah. Let's watch the world. I love you.
I love you. I love you. I love you. I love you.
I love you. Oh. I love you. It's good for baby.
We're going to do it. It's going to be good. All right. Chef Lee's traveling from one posh event to another.
We understand how Michigan operates. Chef Lee, can we get a couple quick updates before we get a chance to speak to these Hall of Famers? Trey Hendrickson has come out and said, hey, nothing's changed. Where do we stand with Trey Hendrickson over there in Cincinnati?
And the boys are very disappointed in Trey Hendrickson. How is everybody else kind of feel about this? Well, listen. They have near agreement on the length of the value of the deal, but not the guarantee money they're dealing.
Let's speak to the point. All right. I see a Shafter. I don't know if that was just the entire state throttling, Chefie there.
I don't know if that was the Cincinnati Bengals, the throttling, Chefie there. But I do not know what I couldn't hear a word he was saying. But it sounds like from what Trey Hendrickson has said, nothing has changed. And in my eyes, the only thing he would be trying to do is extend an all-apprange.
You guys, you, definitely, you're on SportsCenter yesterday saying this guy talked his style. He started it. You should have definitely said it. What if the deal gets done here?
I think that would be considered a success. But it seems like everybody's thinking that Trey Hendrickson looks like a coward is what we said yesterday. But I don't know what's going on. I don't know what's going on.
He said not everybody else said that. He's trying to get back in the ball. He wants to get a deal done. That's what I think is a good thing.
But business-wise, I don't know how this works out for him. I hope it gets done. But every day he's done on a field, a new D-coordinate or a new D-line coach, new everything. Is he getting traded?
How do we see this ending? If we can just put kind of a bow on that Trey. I see him just eating $350,000 in fines and then playing. And then hopefully he has a great year.
And then next year he has a great free agency where he does get the money he wants. But coming in and saying, no, no, no, no, no, it's changed. I'm just here now. I'm just here today.
I'm just here today. I'm just here today. He deserves $35 million a year. So because of that, if you and other people believe that, which a majority of the people do, then you stay.
It reminds you of the Chris Jones thing. When Chris Jones was going with the Chiefs, he was eating all those fines, but he still stayed strong. He missed the first actual game against the Lions at home. On Bander Knight, he was up there with the Cats Brothers in the suite.
And then he got paid a bunch of money. And then after he got paid a bunch of money, he got an extension. So it's like, hey, Trey, you did the exact opposite thing. You bent the knee to Mike Brown, who's basically shitting on you for three months.
Katie Blackburn was saying stuff about you for three months. And then after this started in February, it's over in July with you basically just looking like an absolute clown. That's from your point of view. From my point of view, because you deserve $35 million and you're going to play for 16.
Well, we'll see. Maybe they'll give him a little bit of a raise. Maybe this other branch will be nice. He was originally being talked about.
All I know is Trey Hendrickson back in football camp. It's because he's a football guy. Yeah. He's a good team guy.
He's talking to Shmoore. He's coming to the ball. Hey, he's going to hit you. He can't just run your shoulder and do an offensive line on your chest.
It's not going to work. Maybe use your arms a little bit. That's going to do this. Look at better things ever looked.
This is the best Joe Barrow that they've ever seen. Obviously, he's only had a couple of healthy training camps. The Cincinnati Bengals notoriously start very slow. Put themselves in such a deep hole that all they're trying to do is climb out of it the rest of the season.
Well, this year be different. And it's Trey Hendrickson starting week one. Ooh. Yes.
Because he has assigned three days before the game. He should start. Hey, Jay, how do you feel about being on Sports Center? Trey Hendrickson?
I miss that. You let me know when I got here. Exactly. You're a player.
You're taking out of context. I was speaking as if I was talking to me. Classic journalist. Ladies and gentlemen, it is time to celebrate the Hall of Fame.
It is time to celebrate this year's class. Ladies and gentlemen, joining us now is a man who is the old time leader in touchdowns at the tight end position. Change the game. Kent State Basketball legend.
Chargers icon. Now officially, Buffalo Hall of Famer. Ladies and gentlemen, Tonya. Careful.
It's slipping. It's slipping down there. It's slipping. It's slipping.
You're too. You're never careful. Don't lean back. Hey.
What you said it's going to be an athlete. Yeah, man. You've got to be a major athlete. You're going to be a business.
You want to run your shit today. I don't think we knew your history. We knew your Kent State basketball player. We had no idea that you were enrolled at Michigan State when Coach Saban was there.
Asked to play both sports. He said, no, not going to do that. I think you're going to defense aside. Then he transferred to Eastern Michigan or something like that.
I was on tour. I got it. Then you went to Juco. Then you went to Kent State.
I was committed to Kent State in high school, my senior year at spur point. I went on a visit. They have a whole mural about Antonio Gates up there. You're hooping.
It was like real shit. You were like a real hooper. Now the world knows you was the greatest tight end touchdown scorer of all time. What do you think back to those days?
Did you know that the cards were going to be football? Did you think it was going to be basketball? When you look back now as an official Hall of Famer, I think it all worked out well. Was there a lot of moments to wonder how it was going to go for you?
You always optimistic that things are going to go the right direction. But for me it was just all about basketball at that point. I think even when I went to Michigan State, me going to Michigan State was me having to play the game basketball. So never in a million years that I thought I'd be standing here in Kent, Ohio.
They're a hopeful ball. You're sitting right now. You will be standing later. But nonetheless it all remains.
We looked up your stats. The 955 catches. 11,841 receiving yards. 116 touchdowns.
Most in the history of the NFL. You and Philip Rivers had a great connection. But the way you played the position was so much different than everybody in the past. How easy was it transforming into a tight end in the NFL?
And then how easy was it transforming the position of tight end forever? Because if you look now, a lot more Antonio Gates is at tight end than it was before you got the league. You changed the game forever. Yes, I appreciate that.
Well, it wasn't easy because I got cursed out a lot. I did a lot of off platform things. And at the time I think that is what it means to redefine certain things. When you do things off platform, people don't agree with them at times.
I like to use the analogy of the enemy of great is good. So that was kind of what it was for me. I would see guys who get it the right way. And obviously as a basketball player, I had things that I was used to doing to create in separation.
And I was going against God 6916. So I had to find a way to get my shot off at times. So playing the game football, I would do that. And God said, Coach, go to 16.
I'm like, well, he's sitting in the 16 coach. I'm going to 14. You know, I got it. I'm not going to get hit.
I'm not going to 16 coach. And I think what happened is that they started giving me the ability to make the adjustment. I think when you think of a good athlete, you think of his ability to adapt in the actual space at that moment. And so when I would run around, I really don't really know what I'm about to do.
I just make the adjustment at the right time. And I think that's what gave me an opportunity to be successful in the game. So on that note, we were talking about you earlier today. AJ Hawke was a rookie.
And I'm pre-seasoned. Yeah. I don't know if you remember the rep. He does.
You were on. I think you were at the end of the line. Then he motioned out a little bit. And AJ Hawke linebacker has you.
AJ was trying to disguise that he was not covering you. You knew. You guys did a skim milk check on this guy. And he said you hit him with how many moves did you say?
It felt like 15 moves within the guy. And obviously you got wide open. You got to catch. And then he said immediately afterwards you were like, hey, you got to look at my hips.
You got to coach him. I'm like, how much of that? What was your relationship like with the guys he played against? And at what point did you realize, I can get open against baseball?
It's a natural reinforcement when you make catch passes. So when I first started in NFL, I went against a guy named Rod Woodson. He was playing safety for the Raiders at the time. And I was a rookie.
And I had been playing video games with Rod Woodson my whole life. I remember Drew Brees was the quarterback at the time. And they called him to play. There's a slide about the slot formation.
It's backside. And it's one to one. I got a corner up. And my mind, I've been playing video games with Rod Woodson.
There's no way I'm going to get open against this dude. He's a whole favorite. So I went up and made a catch on Rod Woodson. It's like a third down conversion.
And I think what happens is that it sends a signal to your brain that I belong here. And I think ultimately the more plays I made, the more I felt like, okay, you know what? I belong here. I think you got to have it mentally first before you can obviously play it and let it come out in the game.
So you got to have it mentally to make no mistake about it. No matter how homo I see, when I play, I feel like I got this dude. I can beat him. You got to have that part in order for it to come to fruition in real life.
The conversation with the lads afterwards. That was Rod Woodson, bro. Did you see that? D-Bun has a question for you.
A lot of the play guys playing now look up with your Pat Mitchell. You changed the position. But who were some of those legends, some of those hall of fame? I don't tell them where you're seeing it.
I don't tell them where you're playing for the charges. Who was some of those legends you looked up to coming up at a tiny position? Well, again, basketball was my forte. I didn't really have guys that I would say I look up to an essential.
But I know the idea when you make things happen is the respect of guys who created the lane for you. And you name the guy like Caliwinso, Sr. You know, Marty Shonharnen would always say, you know, he would compare me to Ozzie Newsom a lot. Right?
I'm from Detroit, so I knew a lot about Charlie Sanders. Guys that just paved the way and created that lane. So, you know, when you think about the sport, and then obviously, you know, the Tony Gonzalez is in the Shandosh arms. The younger guys, not so there's so many guys.
I like to use that analogy because they always talk about, you know, who's the best height in, who's the best it is. And that's the comparison in sports. But the reality of it is that I treated like a four by one team. We all had to baton at one time and we ran as fast as we can.
And I think that's really what it's all about. It's now we pass it to the next generation and I see guys like George Kittle's, you know what I mean? Guys that's keeping it going. And I think that's what it was for me.
I gave it to me and I had it up one moment and I said I got to run my best race. Fast as I can. And then pass it to somebody else and hopefully Dave, hey, it's your turn. You got to run as you can.
And I think that's what it's all about. And I hope, you know, now you see the generation and constantly growing at the position. So, I'm happy to be a part of that. How do you feel about side-down university and everything?
I can't talk about changing the position. I mean, that was kind of the goal of that. I think it was financial business talk too. Like, hey, we're starting to catch up a lot more and they're trying to talk about us as tackles.
We're actually wide receivers as the market kind of change for everybody. But also like give an inside game to everybody. You talk about passing the baton. It feels like they're trying to do that.
Have you witnessed that from before? Have you gone? What are your thoughts on it? I was invited to it, but I haven't been here.
But I do like what they're doing. And I was like, you missed the Taylor Swift platform. Yeah, yeah, I'm glad you were mad about that. You don't want to learn the Swift platform.
Yeah, I do like what they're doing. Because I think that's really what it's about, right? It's serving a purpose in being and having a platform to be able to say, all right, well, I had this opportunity to do X, Y, and Z. And this is the space that I was in.
Now, let me tell you what you should do and what you should do. And I think that's a great idea for the tight ends and next generation. Hey, Jay, how's the question for you, Isaiah? I'm a guy that's born as your wife.
I'm like, you mentioned, it's fascinating. Listen, you talk about running routes. And I would assume like you had a lot of freedom to run, you know, work off the leverage of your defender. Like, was that always the thing when you were young, getting into the league?
And obviously, how do you build up a port with true breeze and obviously fill up rivers with solar connection? How do you earn that trust in the quarterback and the coach to where, hey, I'm going to get open. You throw it right there. Yeah, well, you got to earn it.
That's for sure. You know, I think what happens is that is repetition. It starts with underneath the surface. So they would know that at the end of the day, I'm working beyond my mean.
So it means more to me to have success than it does to the coaches, staff and everybody around me. I think that's just something that you build. That's what the training cat is for. Right?
You start with them all days. I found a thing. You're working hard on the last one to leave. I'm running extra.
I'm doing extra. And ultimately, when I get out there, it means just as much for me to do it right than anything I was depending on me. So that was my philosophy going into any games that man, these dudes believe in me. The game plan is surrounded by them 85.
I'm gonna make sure I deliver. And I think that meant the world to me that guys will believe in me to that level. So I would always make sure I would do the best I can. You know, set the tone, you know, as fast as I can.
Science, much for you. All the fame internally. Yeah, so just just curious he just He just mentioned Phil Rivers there in terms of like whenever his name gets brought up, it's always saying is this guy all fame. Obviously we see his numbers.
They're incredible that the Super Bowl discussion always comes up. What was it like having him as a teammate? the video is like his person. I truly believe he's one of one in terms of like his personality.
When you look back at your career, like how thankful were you to have a guy like that as your quarterback and you're supposed to like the teammates of him. Wow, I mean, you're talking about a fiery passionate, his IQ was unmatched, man. I always knew that he was gonna come compete. I think that's what we had in common is that our ability to go out and compete.
I knew he was gonna get his own. And he's gonna trash talk along the way. So I mean, you know, so you gotta be prepared because he'll be trash talking to guys that you gotta block. So, you know what the hardest thing is that, you know, got, you know, Richard Seymour was a big dude, Philip.
So, you know, you keep talking to him. I got a trade block, Richard Seymour, and he's mad at Philip. You know what I'm saying? It's the greatest, it's the greatest feeling in the world to have a guy like that on your side because it makes the game fun too.
Because at the end of the day, we play the game for all the other stuff, Xs and Os and my, but you kinda keep that same kid energy that 14, 15 year old kid. That's cool. I can't have fun, man. We play in the NFL.
That's, I mean, huh? You got the best job in the world. We get to play games and get paid. That's what he loved to do is he loved the playful ball.
He loved pretty jocks though. He loved pretty jocks. I don't know if that's just gonna be for you or if you're still gonna have to or not. You think you're dunking enough credit for being able to block?
Nobody ever mentioned your name to block. No, I know. People don't know this, but in order to start from Marty Shineheim, you gotta be a block power counter, man. So, I started with Marty Shineheim and the reason why I started is because my ability to block power and trade black goes to backside back and ability to block counter.
So, people really don't never say that. But the athletic part came later on. I had to block power counter because they were team was getting the baller. You know what I'm saying?
You could say you cut your teeth. Yeah, yeah. I earned the passes. Nobody ever said that.
I got six. I got six. I got six. I got six.
I got six. I got six. I got six. I got six.
I got six. I got six. I got 11,841 yards. Holy shit.
They don't talk about it. Yeah, that'd be tough too. That's how you get the ball. That guy looks still jacked and obviously always going to be athletic.
Oh, now Connor's microphone is off. Oh, no. Oh, no. Connor's microphone is here.
There it is. Okay. That's okay. Obviously Antonio.
You know, you play basketball. Can't say that's part of it. I don't think any of us new. I mean, not that you are, you know, Hall Famer in the NFL.
It is there, congratulations. It's incredible. Is there a shot? Maybe you now turn back to basketball.
Join my guys cute big three. Have to get back to look at are you still looking or no? No, I'm not hooping, man. Football is the way I tell your body.
So I can't really go out and play as much now. I do watch my kids play. I enjoy watching a play, but I do not pick up the basketball. I had to pick it up probably about six years.
Six years? Six years, like six years. I have to go back. Yeah, I still have four.
I mean, I'm like, yeah, I'm laughing. You know what I'm saying? You can't shoot. I mean, you got to have the ball and you got to have the ball.
I love that. You got to have to take a seriously interview. We got track, guys, you know what I'm saying, there's a lot of folks here at Spotify about yells. We've got to have the ball.
You got to have the ball. You want to have the ball? You got to have the ball. You got to talk foul.
You got to have the ball? You got to have the ball tonight? Right on that? Yeah.
I've got to light thepson report. Go on. He's got, he's got. You got to have the ball.
You got to have the ball tonight? He's going out theurn tires All the same weekends. We have a chance The Los Angeles Chargers ownership spent $300 million on a practice facility in 2024-2025. That never happens anymore.
It's Spanish. It feels like they are trying to move the chips in. Top division out there. We all understand that.
What are your thoughts on the state of the Chargers and what it could be out there in Los Angeles? Well, I was like, you know, the more they beat together, the more continuity that it would be. Last year was his first year as a head coach and we were super excited. And to see the situation with what I thought was going to be a challenge to change the style of what the West Coast ball is normally like coming from the West, the running style.
To see that, you know, West Coast, they like to go to football. To see that, you know, you start building the foundation from the office of line and start building out. And to see that happen in us winning games is refreshing to say the least. So I'm super excited about what they're going to do after a year under hard-boing and the guys being together, you know, collectively for a whole year.
Who wins tonight? In my head. I got my shirt on, man. I got my shirt.
You got to ask him for questions. We got some real degenerates around here that are going to gamble on tonight's dance. You have any insight, information on the Los Angeles Chargers tonight? Yeah, they're going to play.
Okay. All the famous, all the famous, all time leading touch round score at the tight end position in the history of the NFL. That's it. And you have to say, you have to say, you have to say it.
That's it. You have to say it. Thank you. You've got to say it.
Thank you. I appreciate your attention. I appreciate your attention. I'm not elected.
What was that, dude? He was talking jump. I had no idea. He was elected.
I showed a slip straight there. He got a nice little jumper. A quick answer on the visit. Great time.
Great time. Oh, yeah? Great time at that. We had a good time.
And a mural of him. Down on the road. Yeah. We had a good time.
And a mural of him down the whole hallway. And every one of them was nasty highlight pictures. It was crazy. Look at him.
Get off me. And now he's all the favorite here in Kando Hia. I'll tell you what, the weather has certainly been a factor. Lost a couple of speakers.
We lost the microphone. But these football people have been standing at a parking lot. Oh, yeah. I can't hear things at times.
I don't think they can either. But what an honor it is to kick off football here in Kando Hia. I also appreciate the truck drivers. They're role by a hit the old, how do you do it?
Because they might be watching while they're driving. We'd like to tell you, keep your eyes on the road, right? Yeah. But also both of you up and on right.
I think we saw him on the way in. Keep your eyes peeled. Laser German, the Hall of Fame train continues. Antonio Gates is first.
Laser gentleman joining us now. I'm into a 54 interception in his career. 787 tackles. Five four spumbles.
Nine tenes. Three time all-pro. Six time all-buller. Eagles legend.
Eric. Now talk to John with a beer. Good play. Good play.
How are you doing, man? Thank you for coming. Hell yes. Thank you.
Congratulations. Congratulations, man. Hey. Yeah.
Congratulations. We were in the hotel last night down there in the lobby restaurant area. Right. And we saw you hanging out over there.
We saw everybody trying to roll them through there. How has it been to just be at the position of the same exact place as all the legends that have basically created this league? Was last night a cool moment? Whenever you get told, obviously, you're going to Hall of Fame.
Very emotional. Has it all settled in, especially after now you've got here to Canton and see the other gold jackets? You know what? It really has.
I think the knock on the door with Randall McDaniel kind of solidified it. Me and Randall went on recruiting for the college together when we were 15 or 16 years old. So obviously, Randall wanted the best guards in the history of the National Football League. So they did a pretty good job hiding from me.
But when I opened that door and saw Randall there with that gold jacket, man, it just kind of like cemented everything. You know, all the hard work that sacrificed. And that's what this is all about. You know, that journey here.
It's nice to be acknowledged too. Yeah, for sure. And I think finally getting the acknowledgement. Was there a sense of fulfillment?
Was there a sense of I knew all along? Or what is like kind of the mindset of it? No, not for me. Not for me.
I think validation for the family members and all those teammates and that support and coaches who all believed in me. I was given like a piece long ago that, you know, it was just about time, right? And I was never really tripping word about it. I would get here.
I knew it would be a time I'd be here. It was just about validating all of those people in my corner, right? The coaches, the players, the fans, you know, who always had the stats and was talking about, yeah, you should be there with Joe Green and Prime and those guys. So I just grabbed to be on the same team with all my brothers.
That's awesome. That's my question for you. So along the way, you mentioned the coaches teammates. Who was that coach that you would say had the biggest impact on you on your game?
And who was that moment or the biggest thing that you figured out? Do you know what I'm saying? You know, the players, players, fans, young kids who want to be where you are. So what was that thing that you learned that kind of took you a long way in your career?
Well, let me tell you, man, coach named Willie Shaw and David. He's David Shaw's dad, coach that Stanford, but Willie coached in this league a long time. And it was about preparation, kind of understanding that to be a great player, it was about playing from your neck up, you know, you can have all the speed and the height and all that stuff. But my deal was I'm going to be where the ball is at the end of the play.
I can care less about what Jerry or Michael or with these great receivers doing the line of scrimmage, I'm going to be where the ball is going to be at the end of the play. And to be able to get to that point, you have to have great preparation, you have a great understanding of what not just the quarterback is doing, but what the offensive court name is doing. So on the off season, I would take whoever's offense is that one. And usually it was the West Coast offense.
I would take that offense in off season and I would be Jerry Rice. I would run every route that Jerry Rice is going to run. I would take that was Cowboys offense and I would run Michael Irvin's routes. I would be the Buffalo Bills.
I would run Andre Ries routes. I would be the Lanna Falcons run Andre Rice and routes. So when I got to the game and it was a important situation, hey, man, it's just going to be a quick slam. Jerry, you know you're going to run.
You're going to be in the right spot. So it didn't always work. But of course, when you're going against someone like my buddy, Sterling Sharp. Yeah, Sterling's a big time.
He's a different dude, man. He's like a T.O. before T.O. big strong physical.
And if you get impressed in front of Sterling, he's going to grab you and move you. I'm going to get rich in this place. Let's talk about how football used to be. I know the O.G.s.
I was talking about it. I see you got some busted ass fingers. Always. Obviously, it's obviously a helmet.
What you view today's game and today's DBs. I mean, we got guys running 4-2-4-3 out there and they're not allowed to grab as much. They're going to be like very tricky with it. What do you think of the state of DB play right now?
I love it. I love it. As many of you know, I work with the Raiders. So, you know, I do post-game, pre-game, interview players.
And my deal is I love talking to the receivers, the Fontaine Adams and those kind of guys. They kind of get an idea of what the DBs now have to deal with. And men, not being able to get your hands on guys now. Not even a dissing.
You're panking on this guy. It's a whole different game. So, man, so for the corners who are balling today, man, they're really cerebral players now, right? They have all the athleticism and all the measurable that you have to have.
But I love the fact that these guys are cerebral. They're all these young players come approaching me and talk to me about the game and how they can get better. So, that's really what stands out now. These young guys having a great idea of kind of what's happening and what's going on.
Hey, Jans, a question for you also has some terrible figures. Yeah, when you watch these the game now, do you think the game is always evolving? It feels like we had, hey, we're spreading out, we call it basketball on grass. I feel like now at least the game is getting more physical.
We were at Steeler's training camp. They were tackling to the ground. So, what, the Browns are tackling to the ground. I feel like when you're Ben Johnson makes comments about the Bears having their longest toughest practice to the game.
You see, who's going to survive? Do you think the game is coming back even to a more safer, but even more physical form than it has been maybe the last five or eight years? Without a doubt. And the big reason why is because the Bears are the Eagles.
The Eagles are a physical football team, right? And they're the champions right now, right? So, whatever that champ mentality is, that's what everyone else is going to try and copy. I imagine this year, everyone's going to try and get a running back, right?
And try and figure out a way that you can get through some third and short situations. But, as you know, there's not going to be more three days, right? We used to have three days. Not me.
I missed the three days. Oh, my goodness. Two days. Two days.