EVP/GM Nick Caserio Talks Bills Matchup | Texans All-Access

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Speaker 1: What is going on, everybody? Welcome into a Wednesday edition of Texans All Access from the Texans Radio Studio. I'm your host, John Harris, football analyst, sideline reporter for your Houston Texans. And it's game week! Yes! Oh, man, cannot wait. Now, we have preseason games, and those have been fun, being up in the booth. It's been great. But now it's time to get down to brass tacks, baby. Regular season, week one. Actually... starts this evening. The season starts. Real football that counts on the record starts tonight. Seahawks, Patriots, then tomorrow you got Rams, Niners, and then a full slate on Sunday. It is freaking awesome. It is back. So on this Wednesday show, as you know, during the season, we go for a couple hours. We go from six to eight. Friday, we'll go from six to eight plus eight to nine. Tonight's a little different because of that game I just mentioned, the Patriots and the Seahawks kicking off the season. That will kick at about 7.15, I believe. So we will go for an hour tonight plus a little extra. So we figured if we're getting that little extra in the second hour, just a little 10-minute little doohickey there, we're going to give you Aiden Fisher. Yeah, Mark and I had a chance to catch up with him in studio today. We'll have that for you the last... Little bit there right before we turn over to Westwood 1, and they'll have the game for you, Seahawks Patriots. So we'll go a full hour tonight, then a little extra, and then we'll go the full hour tomorrow before Rams and Niners, and then Friday we'll have the whole, we'll have the three hours. We'll have 6 to 8, 8 to 9, we'll have a blast in our final show of the week as we get ready for a Sunday visit from Westwood. The Buffalo Bills. Now, if you've been following us for the last six years in particular, you know how we kick off each and every Wednesday show. That's right. The executive vice president and general manager of your Houston Texans, Nick Casario. And I know it's already been posted online. I think our buddy Streston's put it out there. The scouting report. You know, I ask him every single week. I started doing that probably a couple of years ago. People like hearing it. It's a general manager that shows you he knows everything about the opponent, about his own team. It's pretty amazing. I love it. We'll have that in this conversation with Nick Casario. That starts right now.
00:02:34
Speaker 2: Here we go. Week one visit with Executive Vice President and General Manager Nick Casario. Nick, great to see you.
00:02:41
Speaker 3: Fellas, great to be here.
00:02:42
Speaker 2: Here we are. It's week one. And Nick, we had our last lengthy visit right at the start of training camp. So between then and now, how do you feel about the progress of the whole program, if you will?
00:02:52
Speaker 3: Yeah, for sure. A lot of work from a lot of different people to kind of get to this point.
00:02:55
Speaker 4: And it's hard to believe that training game is behind us and we're on the precipice of the first regular season game here. But A lot of work from a lot of people, support staff, coaching staff, strength and conditioning staff, medical staff, nutrition staff. You know, we've had a lot of player movement, you know, which that's kind of par for the course this time of year. So kind of work with a number of players here during the course of training camp. There's still a decent amount that are around. Some players aren't here. We know at some point we're probably going to need a few more players here as the season progresses.
00:03:23
Speaker 5: But overall.
00:03:24
Speaker 3: Been a pretty good spot. And I think everybody's excited for the opportunity in front of us.
00:03:27
Speaker 1: Nick, we always talk about each year is a different year, especially in the NFL. Every year is a different year. Every year is a different year. How would you say this team is different? Just 30,000 foot view. How do you, how would you say this team is different than maybe the two or three that came before it?
00:03:41
Speaker 4: Yeah, well, we have a number of new players that are, you know, we're incorporating into the program and a variety of different roles. Um, So I'd say that's probably the biggest thing. The staff, schematically, we've advanced in terms of our development. And I think every year, you're always looking to make tweaks and modifications to whatever you do, regardless of how it goes, good or bad. And we understand that what's happened the past few seasons doesn't really have any bearing on what happens here starting on Sunday. But overall, I'd say the foundation of the program has been in place here for a little bit. We're always trying to add and enhance some of the things that we do programmatically. So that's probably the biggest difference and the biggest change that's probably taking place.
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Speaker 2: Back in the offseason when we had the draft and free agency before that, player acquisition time, when we were talking about the offensive line, you said, well, we'll see how it all comes together in camp. And it did come together. Last few weeks you have this line. Seems to be solidified for now. Your thoughts on the development of the line?
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Speaker 3: Yeah, overall, it's a good group. Worked really hard. Cole and Alex have done a really good job. The players have responded.
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Speaker 4: It's a combination of young and veteran players, older players, even some younger players that have experience in the system. It's his second season. He's a young player, but he has experience. Big Red kind of incorporating him into the group as well. EB's done a really nice job with his opportunities. And kind of, you know, that was a key resigning for us in the offseason. You know, we kind of had competition there at right tackle between Trent and Braden. You know, Braden's going to be out here for the first four games or whatever it is. You know, hopefully Trent is available and ready to go, which it looks like, you know, he should be. And then, you know, probably have three or four players that if they are not starters, they're going to be available. We're going to take eight offensive linemen to the game, which we've talked about. But at some point, there's probably nine or ten different players that are probably going to at some point end up playing. So overall, you feel like it's a pretty good group, good attitude, good approach, good mindset, much smart, tough guys.
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Speaker 3: And, you know, we'll see how it all unfolds.
00:05:43
Speaker 1: There are times you say things when you're at a press conference and you say things and I'm like, yes, OK, got that right. You were talking about Blake Fisher and throughout training camp. I think you had mentioned Blake had improved maybe more than a lot of other guys, however you phrased it. But I remember thinking as I was watching training camp, this is a different looking Blake Fisher. And whether he starts or he doesn't, to see players improve year after year and to really see the growth he's made, I would think that's got to be one of the rich parts of doing this, Nick. But what have you seen from Blake and his improvement?
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Speaker 3: Yeah, sure.
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Speaker 4: It's really a credit to Blake and the coaching staff. And when we drafted Blake, he was a young player. He was 20 or 21 years old, and he'd only been in college for however many years. And sometimes it takes younger players. They go through different stages of their overall development. But I'd say his mindset, his mentality, he's matured. His weight's in a pretty good spot, and he's really taken to the techniques that we're teaching and coaching.
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Speaker 3: He had to work on both sides. We used him last year as a jumbo tight end. He was kind of the right tackle. That third tackle is really a swing tackle.
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Speaker 4: You've got to be able to play on both sides. He's really embraced everything associated with becoming a better player. He's still a young player and he's still improving. Like we just mentioned, at some point Blake's probably going to have to play tackle for us. Even going into the first game last year, we had to make some changes because the starter wasn't available. But Overall, for Blake to see his improvement, the arc of his improvement, it's a credit to him. It's a credit to the coaching staff. And it doesn't stop. You want to continue that growth and development third year in the program. So hopefully he's going to continue to press forward.
00:07:25
Speaker 2: Nick, with Higgins going down, you made the deal with Kayshaun Booty. And here he is. Now, we haven't been able to see him at practice with the full team.
00:07:32
Speaker 1: Nobody has.
00:07:33
Speaker 2: No media, no fans. Is that kind of an advantage? And how does he change or affect the offense being in there, being in the mix with the wide receivers?
00:07:41
Speaker 4: Well, you guys will see him this week because the media will be out there at practice. But, no, overall, I mean, Kayshaun's had a good attitude.
00:07:46
Speaker 3: He's worked hard.
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Speaker 4: The big thing is just kind of learning the system. There's some carryover relative to terminology to some of the things that he's doing in New England, but there's some things that are drastically different. And positionally, where we're going to play him, Maybe it's a little bit different than how he was used in New England. So overall, like those, I mean, the five that are on a roster, I mean, you know, those guys are probably going to all play in some capacity. They all have different strengths. They all kind of complement one another. But he's had a good attitude. He's been really good to work with. You know, so excited to see how the week of preparation goes. And then, you know, hopefully he can take advantage of opportunities in the game when those are presented.
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Speaker 1: Nick, I remember when trading for David Montgomery and Mark and I were sitting in the room, we saw the news. And I remember thinking at the time, not so much about David Montgomery, but I thought this might unlock Woody's, the Woody Marks box a little bit more. Might allow him to catch ball to backfield a little bit more. Obviously, he's a really good pass protector, but allow him to return kicks like Damian Pierce did a few years ago. Your thoughts about what Woody has done in this second year, because it looked like he came back with a vengeance, like, hey, this is the real me that you're seeing, not the rookie me that was here last year.
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Speaker 3: Yeah, they're both versatile players. They're both three down backs.
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Speaker 4: And I would say Woody's a good example of went through rookie season. There was some ups and downs. He had a lot of positive plays and he really committed himself in the offseason because you really have an opportunity to grow from year one to year two. He started training in February, March, April, May, had a really good offseason.
00:09:11
Speaker 3: He was out there. He was available. He was on the field.
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Speaker 4: I mean, he and Higgins were probably the two players from the rookie class who had made the most growth in overall development. So fortunately, what happened to Higg there with the Raiders practice. But Woody had a good approach, good attitude.
00:09:26
Speaker 3: He was in good condition. I mean, he looked strong. He looked explosive.
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Speaker 4: And those two players, Demo and Woody, We feel like they're kind of interchangeable to some degree, so we'll kind of see how it all comes together.
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Speaker 2: Nick, do we have enough tight ends? A bunch of tight ends on this roster. And when people ask me about the receivers, I say, hey, don't look past the tight ends because it might not be a volume thing in terms of catches, but an impact thing. How do you see the group?
00:09:50
Speaker 4: Yeah, I mean, the tight ends are involved pretty much in every phase. They're involved in a big part of the passing game. I mean, Dalton was our leading receiver last year in terms of reception. So, I mean, he's been a good player in the passing game over the course of his career. And we've seen what players like Brevin have been able to do with his opportunities. You know, Marlon's a young player who we feel can help us in the passing game. So, really, you have to look at the entire skill group. They're all involved in the passing game to some degree, whether it's route running, whether it's protection, how you're going to formation things. But it's a deep group. Kind of similar to the receiver group. They all kind of complement one another. They're not all the same type of player. So some of it will be figuring out, like, how do we want to play the game? And then who gives us the best opportunity to go out there and execute the game plan?
00:10:31
Speaker 1: OK, so I feel like I can check this box off, even though I'm going to ask you about undrafted rookie free agents. But the rookie box can be checked off here if I ask you about Sebastian Harsh. and Colin Wright. What did you see, Nick, from those two guys? And what I find interesting, undrafted free agents, it feels like they need every single second of time to show to you, to the staff, to everybody that they can make it. But both of these guys were actually hurt during different times of training camp, yet they both made the team. What can you tell us about Sebastian and Colin?
00:11:01
Speaker 4: Yeah, it's a combination of everything, like what goes on on the field, what goes on behind the scenes, and when they're actually on the practice field, what are they doing with those opportunities? Collin was a player who seemingly in the spring and even in training camp when he was out there kind of showed up every day. I mean, he was on D'Amico's highlight tape just about every day getting his hand on the football. And then Sebastian, when he was on the field, like he had showed the ability to sort of rep our style. Played with the right mentality. He was able to get to the quarterback. Played pretty well there in the last few preseason games. And even going to the Carolina practice when we were working against their group, he showed up quite a bit on the practice tape.
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Speaker 3: So it was a combination of things.
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Speaker 4: And at some point, we just have to make an assessment about, hey, what do we think we want to do? How are we going to keep as many good players in the building? What does that look like? But those are two players, really good attitude, had the right mindset. And to your point, Johnny, They didn't get in the building until May. So they had a short amount of time to potentially make an impact. But they're two really good young kids that have the right mentality, the right mindset.
00:12:03
Speaker 3: So we're glad that they're here.
00:12:04
Speaker 2: Nick, I do all these out-of-town appearances. And they're asking me about CJ. And they talk about the preseason games. And, well, we don't get to see the starters. But the joint practices is where so much evaluation is. And what did you make of how the offense and CJ looked in these joint practices? Very good against Carolina and the Raiders.
00:12:20
Speaker 1: Yeah, overall.
00:12:21
Speaker 3: I mean, really, as a team.
00:12:23
Speaker 4: Everybody's going to have moments like you're going to have positive moments the other team's going to have positive moments it's not going to be all dissimilar on Sunday when we're out there against Buffalo but overall offense a really a lot of really good things I mean CJ probably had his best training camp since he's been here so excited to see kind of how he plays and performs I know he's excited about the opportunity in front of him to get started here this season but I mean, he was elected captain for the fourth time there since he's been a Houston Texan. So it says a lot about what his teammates think about him. So looking forward to kind of seeing how it all unfolds starting Sunday.
00:12:58
Speaker 1: OK, it's great. Houston Texans are awesome. We're looking forward to week one. But this is what the people want. Let's give them what they want, Nick. Buffalo Bills scouting report. We faced them two years, 24, 25, now 26, all taking place in this building, which is always fun. Let's dive into the scouting report of a team that is really, really good, but making some changes, especially on the defensive side, your scouting report for the bills.
00:13:21
Speaker 3: Yeah, sure.
00:13:22
Speaker 4: It's probably more about what Johnny Harris wants than what the fans, but no, this is, this is an outstanding program. Um, starts at the top with Brandon beans, one of the best general managers, um, in football. They've consistently put a winning product together, have a number of good players, uh, made the change in the off season going from coach McDermott, who really did a great job with the Buffalo program. And, um, elevated Joe Brady, the head coach. Joe will probably still be the play caller, but Joe's a really good coach, good offensive coach. They hired Jimmy Leonard as a defensive coordinator. Jimmy has always been a highly thought of assistant coach, whether in college or even in his role with the Broncos. And Jimmy had a really good career. They're talking about going undrafted player. He had a 9-10 gear career, whatever he had. They hired Jeff Rogers as a special teams coach who was in Arizona previously. So really good coaching staff. And when you look at their team, I mean, they've got great players really all over the roster. Offensively, everything really starts with Josh and James Cook. I mean, they're two of the best players at their respective positions in the league. Certainly present a lot of problems. You know, Josh has been the MVP in a discussion almost every year, so we know what he's capable of. Really, offensive line has kind of stayed in place. The change, really the only change, was left guard with Alec Anderson. You know, Edwards left in free agency. but the core of the group is still in place, so it's a good offensive line. Very, I would say, diverse tight end group. Three really good tight ends in Hawes Knox and Dalton Kincaid. Same thing at running back, three really good backs. We talked about Cook, Ty Johnson, Ray Davis, who gave them a lot of plays as a kickoff returner as well, so kind of a dual threat. And the offseason acquisition of D.J. Moore, receiver, who's been a very consistent, very productive, very durable player to go with Shakir. Josh Palmer, Coleman. So this is a really good offensive unit. And then defensively, probably going to be making some changes schematically. Honestly, we really don't know what it's going to look like until we kind of line up there on Sunday. But really good front. Walker looks like he's made a lot of progress there in the interior defense. Not having Oliver last year because of the injury probably hurt them a little bit, but he's a really good player. The Chubb acquisition is going to be a very, I'd say, big acquisition for their defense. He had a really good year in Miami last year coming off the injury. So, you know, Chubb and Rousseau, they're on the edge. Bernard is one of the more instinctive football players we're going to play against. You know, Dory Williams, you know, gives them, I would say, a good compliment. And Elam's Orr, who they drafted from TCU, is at a really good training camp. So they're kind of three for two there at linebacker. The secondary, they kind of overhaul the corner position there a little bit. Benford's the one holdover. signed Alford to play nickel, drafted Igbenosin in the second round. You know, Hairston, you know, who was the third corner last year, looks like he's going to play. And the secondary, I mean, adding Seedy to the safety group, you know, him and Bishop are pretty versatile players. So, I mean, overall, this is a really good football team who are going to present a lot of challenges, and they've been one of the top teams, really, in the NFL for the last however many years. So you understand, you know, what's in front of us is a big challenge, but, you know, hopefully our players are excited about the opportunity on Sunday.
00:16:33
Speaker 2: Nick, everyone talks about the defense's success against Josh Allen last couple of years, but nine for 30 two years ago, last year eight sacks. These games come down to the wire anyway. He's that good. They are that good of a team. Which game stands out more to you as far as the nerve-wracking meter, Nick? Two years ago when you needed that Robert Woods mini return and then a quick little pass and then the field goal by Fairbairn, it was a long one, or last year when they hit the hook and lateral and And then Kalen had to make the pick at the end.
00:17:03
Speaker 4: Yeah, no, they're all the same. But I think, look, games are won or lost in the fourth quarter. And when you have two good teams, I mean, typically it's going to come down to who can make the play there in the fourth quarter. We were fortunate to be able to make those plays here the last few years. I mean, nobody really knows what's going to happen here on Sunday. So there's always a lot of newness, especially week one in the NFL. I mean, it's the first opportunity for everybody to play kind of a full game. There's some schematic things that you're going to have to deal with. So in the end, you have to go back to your basic fundamentals and your foundation that you have in place. And it's going to come down to which team executes better. And ultimately, in the fourth quarter, games are won or lost in the fourth quarter. So I mean, there's a good chance that the game is probably going to come down to who can play better in the fourth quarter. So hopefully, we're in a position where we can do that.
00:17:47
Speaker 1: Nick, you've been preparing for Josh Allen for the minute he came into the league. How have you seen him over the years evolve as a quarterback? making it that much more difficult to prepare for him. And like Mark said, 9 for 30, yeah, okay. Got sacked eight times last year, okay. Yet he's still one miracle throw away from winning the ball game. How have you seen him evolve over the years and making him that much more difficult to prepare for now?
00:18:13
Speaker 4: Yeah, he's become really an all-around quarterback. You know, I think when he was drafted, there was a rawness to him, you know, because of Wyoming completion percentage. Everybody talks about that. But you're talking about a big, strong guy who's smart, that has a cannon for an arm. And then each year, the more he's played, the more he's grown, the more he's matured. And he's understood, and he's talked about this. You've got to pick his spots where his playmaking ability, which is massive, kind of when you have to harness it a little bit and just kind of make the smart play. But he presents problems because he can get the ball to all three levels of the field.
00:18:44
Speaker 3: He can fit it into tight spots.
00:18:46
Speaker 4: And then if you don't maintain your rush lane integrity, he has the ability to make plays with his leg. And then on short yardage situations, I don't know what the percentages are, but nobody has more first downs on sort of quarterback sneaks or whatever it is, third and one, fourth and.
00:18:59
Speaker 3: One than him.
00:19:00
Speaker 4: And he kind of has a way where he kind of avoids the trash and finds a space. So this is a very smart, very well-rounded football player who's matured. He's seen just about everything. And he's played well in critical situations and critical games. So we have to prepare for his best, which is probably what he's going to provide. But I mean, there's a reason he's been recognized as an MVP in this league, which That comes with a lot of work and a lot of growth and a lot of development. And their coaching staff certainly deserves a lot of credit for his growth as well.
00:19:30
Speaker 2: Nick, can we put the spotlight on linebacker depth for a moment here? Because you lost EJ in the offseason. And then early in camp, Jake Hansen has that injury. But then we see him walking around. OK, great. He's on the 53. But what about the guys behind his ease in Henry?
00:19:42
Speaker 5: Yeah.
00:19:43
Speaker 3: I mean, they've worked really hard.
00:19:44
Speaker 4: I mean, Jake's worked himself kind of to get himself ready to go here for the season. You know, Jake Hummel, who we signed in the offseason, who's kind of going to have a key role in the kicking game. He's shown the ability to go out there and line up defensively as well. And then Wade has had his moments. Wood has had his moments as well. Everybody saw the interception there in the preseason game. But he's a big, strong guy who's smart. should be hopefully ready to play here coming off a thumb injury here from training camp. But we feel overall we have five scoops on a practice squad. There's our six linebackers. So we have six players that we feel, OK, if something happens to Aziz or Henry, that they'd be prepared and ready to go in there and maybe not play quite to the level of those players because we're talking about two really good players. But overall, it's a really smart, instinctive group that has experience in our system. And we feel comfortable with them on the field.
00:20:32
Speaker 1: Nick, what's the biggest week one aspect that you are most anxious about? Is it tackling because you really haven't tackled a whole lot with the main group? Is it being tackled? You know, CJ hasn't been– well, you know, Will touched him a few times, but you get my point. Guys haven't been tackled. They haven't been tackled in a game. Is it– schematically not chasing ghosts like you prepared all week for this but then they come out a different scheme what's kind of the biggest anxiety filled moments you have in week one what does it relate to yeah it's a combination.
00:21:07
Speaker 4: Of everything you articulated it and the other part of this which nobody really talks about stamina so nobody has played 65 70 plays offensively or defensively now typically 8 to 10 play drive or whatever it is but and we rotate a lot of guys in so you just have to make sure your depth everybody is sort of ready to go understanding that Might be some players that might be able to make it, 65, 70 players. So it's the things that you articulated plus combined with the stamina and always the unknown of week one. In this particular case, this is a new staff. Schematically, there's going to be some things that they haven't shown that they're likely holding that we'll kind of see in the first quarter there, and we're probably going to have to adjust as the game evolves.
00:21:47
Speaker 2: D'Amico said, hey, these TV commercial timeouts, they're longer than the breaks I give them in practice.
00:21:51
Speaker 1: We're good.
00:21:52
Speaker 2: We're going to be just fine. No problem. Nick, I wanted to ask you about artificial intelligence. And, I mean, the football side of it, yes, but also the Nick Casario opinion on where we are headed as a society, Nick. No, just in case you have any opinions on that.
00:22:06
Speaker 3: Yeah, society's not going to fall apart.
00:22:08
Speaker 4: I mean, I've viewed it, you know, we've utilized and incorporated some of the things we're doing operationally, but it's really an enhancer, and you're really just trying to become more efficient, and maybe you can do some things with artificial intelligence that you free up some time in some other areas. So, We're kind of experimenting with it a little bit. We're kind of incorporating it into some of our sort of week-to-week process. But, I mean, the reality is, I mean, it's here, and you have to embrace it to some degree and understand what the application is and how to maximize. And, you know, I think we're trying to make sure that we familiarize ourselves with the tools.
00:22:39
Speaker 3: I mean, I don't think society is coming to an end.
00:22:41
Speaker 4: There's a lot of, you know, doomers out there that think artificial intelligence is going to end the world.
00:22:46
Speaker 3: I don't feel that way.
00:22:48
Speaker 4: But all kidding aside, I mean, it's something that we can incorporate into some of the different things that we're doing.
00:22:52
Speaker 1: Nick, one of the things you mentioned earlier, I always think about because it's the one area it feels like the rules change almost every year to the kicking game. As you get into week one, familiarizing yourself with and not just yourself, but the staff and the players in particular. the new rules that happen with the kicking game in particular. Is there any, not concern, but just having to do that, getting ready for week one, because things have changed and continue to change in the kicking game.
00:23:20
Speaker 4: Yeah, I think the big thing is just making sure you educate the players on what some of the nuances are and some of the new things that you just have to be aware of more than anything else. So, I mean, whether it's a setup, whether it's where you feel the ball, whether it's where you catch the ball, even going back to the last preseason game there, you know, the penalty on the point after or the last play. And then you kick off from the 50. And then if the ball goes to the end zone, so then instead of starting at the 35 or 40, you start on the 20. So it's just really just educating the players about some of the different things.
00:23:49
Speaker 3: And the league does a good job.
00:23:50
Speaker 4: They bring the referees in during training camp and talk about, hey, here are the points of emphasis. Here are the things that are new. And it's our job to just make sure we internalize and we understand it so we can actually apply it on the field on Sunday.
00:24:00
Speaker 2: How has Kai Kroger done for you? I noticed the net punt average. in the preseason, would have led the league last year.
00:24:07
Speaker 3: I didn't know that. Yeah. No, Kai's done a good job. Really good attitude.
00:24:09
Speaker 4: I know we had a competition there with him in Stonehouse, and then we kind of made a decision we're going to.
00:24:14
Speaker 3: Go with Kai. But he's done a really good job. He's improved. He's kind of taken to the coaching. Frank and Will have done a really good job with him.
00:24:20
Speaker 4: So really, punting is about field position, and you're just trying to control field position. So whether it's kicking on a long field or a plus 50 punting and some of the nuances that are involved in that, some of the directional punting that's involved. So, but he's had a really good attitude. He's got a good demeanor. He's done a good job of working, you know, with Austin and Kaimi in their respective areas. So, you know, hopefully he can continue to do some of the things that he's done here in the preseason.
00:24:44
Speaker 1: Now, Tuesday, last Tuesday, I think it was, we ended up going to Charlotte. Maybe it was a Tuesday before. We went to Charlotte.
00:24:50
Speaker 2: Yes.
00:24:51
Speaker 1: And in the morning. The uniforms were unveiled, the rivalry uniforms. And there is nobody, nobody's opinion.
00:24:59
Speaker 3: I'm the expert on that.
00:25:00
Speaker 1: We wanted more as to what you thought about the uniform. I know you were sitting there. You're refreshing, refreshing, refreshing, refreshing. Are they out yet? How'd you know? I actually didn't, I didn't have it. I didn't have it on.
00:25:10
Speaker 3: So no, they look pretty slick.
00:25:12
Speaker 2: Actually.
00:25:12
Speaker 3: They did a really good job.
00:25:13
Speaker 5: Yeah.
00:25:14
Speaker 4: And it seemed like the fan response has been very positive as well. And it sounds like the sold out in the, in the pro shop. So no, it's, you know, our, our, Marketing team, creative team.
00:25:24
Speaker 3: And honestly, they did a really good job.
00:25:26
Speaker 4: You know, the players had their spin on it as well. But they look pretty slick, look pretty cool. We're not going to wear them for a little bit here. But, you know, it has a nice touch. And, you know, it's nice to see the positive response that we received.
00:25:36
Speaker 2: Look good, play good, right? All right.
00:25:38
Speaker 1: Nick, thanks a lot.
00:25:39
Speaker 2: Good luck.
00:25:39
Speaker 3: Thanks, fellas.
00:25:40
Speaker 1: I've realized in these six years that Nick and I are actually very similar about things. I remember when the jerseys came out in 2024, I was kind of like, yeah, you know, okay, great. New Jersey is fantastic. Oh, I like the H-Town blue. It's great. But for some reason, and he had kind of the same feeling about it, but for some reason, man, these rivalry jerseys, they've struck a chord in all of us. We've all been very, very happy with them. They are just beautiful. And I was glad to see that Nick was able to answer that question with a positive statement and not, well, you know how I feel about jerseys, John. Because I know how he feels, because I feel the very same way. All right, coming up next, let's get the opposing view. We call it men behind the mics each and every week, Mark Vandermeer. sits down with the play-by-play voice of the other side. It's our friend Chris Brown, the play-by-play voice of the Buffalo Bills. He will join Mark and us right here on Texas All-Access next. Stay right where you are. Welcome back to this Wednesday edition of Texans All-Access from Monday Texans Radio Studio. I am your host, John Harris, football analyst, side-line reporter for your Houston Texans. And it's time to go men behind the mics. Chris Brown is the play-by-play voice. In fact, he's been the play-by-play voice, I think, for the last couple of years. John Murphy, who had been a long-time play-by-play voice there, became sick, and Chris filled in, and then when it was made permanent, Chris was going to be the guy. He's a guy we've known for a long time, gotten to be friends with him. This radio crew I've known for a long time. Sal Capaccio was a sideline reporter. He will not. They changed affiliation, and so Sal, unfortunately, will not be on the sidelines, but he will be in Houston, so Looking forward to catching up with him to discuss all things Buffalo Bills and Houston Texans. But Chris Brown knows this thing inside and out as the play-by-play voice of this team. And he sat down with Mark Vanderman, the voice of the Texans. Let's go man behind the mics with Mark and Chris.
00:27:41
Speaker 2: Joining us is the voice of the Buffalo Bills, Chris Brown. Chris, great to catch up once again. And let's start here. How is training camp? How did it go for the Bills? How would you characterize what the preseason and camp, the two-a-days, everything was like leading up to this moment?
00:27:59
Speaker 5: Yeah, I mean, I would say the headline on offense through the preseason was D.J. Moore, the trade acquisition from Chicago. He has exceeded expectations and has firmly established himself at the top of the pecking order in the Bills' receiver room, which was what they were hoping for. But the on-field chemistry between him and Josh Allen, has been noticeable each and every day, and it only got better as camp and the preseason wore on. So I think the expectation is he is going to be a major component and hopefully a major improvement for Buffalo's passing game after it took a little bit of a step back last year. So that's probably the highlight on offense. And then on defense, it's the new scheme under defensive coordinator Jim Leonard coming in with a 3-4 front. And changing this defensive system for the first time in a decade. And the early returns have been very positive. And the Bills have a lot of young players that are going to have important roles in this defensive system. I mean, the Bills drafted 12 defensive players in their last two classes. So a lot of those guys are going to be on the field playing one role or another. And they're going to trust their young players because they made a conscious effort this offseason to get younger and faster and more athletic on defense.
00:29:19
Speaker 2: Chris, tell me, how does Joe Brady being the head coach change things, if at all? You mentioned Leonard being the defensive coordinator, no McDermott, obviously, overseeing the whole thing, but the defense always had his stamp on it, even if he wasn't the coordinator. But then Joe Brady becomes head coach. What is the leadership going to be like? What do you think the impact will be, at least in the short term? What are your thoughts?
00:29:41
Speaker 5: Yeah, I think if you look at some of Joe's mantras, they're on walls throughout the building. It's put the ball down and be you with us. He's encouraging individuals on this roster to be themselves. And he's also reminding this team that when they have a formidable opponent like Houston here in week one, for example, he's reminding them that team has to play us too. So let's just put the ball down and whoever it is, we're going to go play our game. And I think there's a, from the part of the players, there's an underlying, uh, simmering of anger. I think, uh, frustrations about how they haven't gotten to the promised land. Um, and reach the Super Bowl. And I think a lot of these players that have been here year over year are of the mindset that's enough is enough. And we're not going to take a week off. We're not going to have a poor performance in any given week throughout the season. Certainly easier said than done, Mark. But that seems to be their underlying, I guess, attitude, for lack of a better term. And it's certainly different and in contrast to what we've seen in recent years.
00:30:54
Speaker 2: Chris Brown joining us, voice of the Buffalo Bills. Chris, we always talk about Josh Allen here in Houston and how the Texans have done a good job against him statistically in this building. And I know the Bills fans and Bills media, everybody's aware of that as well. I am quick to point out that look at all these games with Josh Allen, especially the last two, which are the most relevant to the conversation. It took everything the Texans had to beat the Bills at the wire, basically, in both of those outings. How do you see Josh Allen versus the Texans and that dynamic of it?
00:31:27
Speaker 5: It's tough sledding. I mean, I don't think there's any question about it. You cannot be anything close to one-dimensional against the Texans' defense or they'll eat you for lunch. The Bills, I thought, ran the ball pretty well last year. I mean, James Cook even had what was it, a 40-plus yard touchdown run when he hit a crease and then just beat everybody to the end zone. And people forget that, yeah, Josh Allen steals the spotlight, but the Bills also bring the rushing champion from last year into this game and had the number one rushing offense in football. The Texans probably had one of the better days against the Bills' run game, but I expect them to try to be two-dimensional against this Texans defense because they know If they get stuck doing one thing or the other only, they're in trouble, just like any other team would be against that Texans defense. It's just too good to even give them an inkling as to what might be coming. So I expect them to mix it up with great variety in this one.
00:32:27
Speaker 2: Chris, what are they saying, at least people around the program, people around the Bills organization, maybe fans, media, whatever? about the Houston Texans and about what the Texans might bring to the table here in week one. What's the buzz at Buffalo about this game and about the Texans?
00:32:42
Speaker 5: Oh, I mean, I think there's a healthy respect for the Texans, particularly their defense. I think they garner an enormous amount of respect just by virtue of what they've done to the Bills the last two years. I mean, yes, they were tight games, but there were times in those games where they made Josh Allen look like a regular quarterback, not some superhuman phenom, which is what he is most weeks. So they make him look human. And that's kind of startling sometimes for bills fans who are used to seeing, you know, the superhero with the Cape. So they certainly have earned their respect in the last two seasons, having beaten the bills, you know, down there in Houston, the last couple of times, I think bills fans want to hope that, you know, with the new defensive system and Joe Brady, maybe being a little bit more aggressive now that he, you know, calls all the shots as the head coach and he'll still be calling the offensive plays, you know, that they might be a little bit more aggressive, take advantage of Josh's arm a little bit more, but you got to be careful with that and make sure you're balanced out because I don't think you want Josh dropping back 35, 40 times against his team.
00:33:49
Speaker 2: How much does Josh Allen, to your knowledge, collaborate with Brady on the offense, play selection, game plan, that kind of thing? What are your thoughts?
00:33:58
Speaker 5: I think there's a healthy amount of it. I mean, this is their fourth year together now from the time that Brady came in as quarterback coach and then got promoted to OC and now head coach. So I think there is a healthy dialogue there. And I think there is very good back and forth. And I think every coordinator, whether they're a head coach or just the coordinator, I mean, it's smart to do that, right? Give your quarterback plays that he feels confident in and likes the most based on the personnel he's got around him. So I think there's a very healthy give and take there where if Josh doesn't like it, it's not in the game plan.
00:34:35
Speaker 2: All right, what about the AFC East? We're talking with Chris Brown, the voice of the Buffalo Bills. What are your thoughts on what the Patriots did this offseason, how good they might be? It's weird that these two teams are matching up because they both finished second in their respective divisions.
00:34:50
Speaker 5: Right, yeah. I think the Patriots are still a formidable opponent. I might give the Bills a slight edge to retake the division title, knowing a lot of their games are similar. And now the Patriots are playing a first-place schedule, not a last-place schedule as they were last year. That changes things. And the Patriots are going to taste of that. But I do expect them to be Buffalo's most ardent competition.
00:35:16
Speaker 3: In the division.
00:35:17
Speaker 5: Not that that's saying a whole lot because the Dolphins are in full teardown mode. because of all the dead cap money that they have on their books, about $ 175 million. And the Jets are still trying to crawl their way back to respectability. And they're trying to do it with a 35-year-old quarterback who they drafted 13 years ago and then led walk and now are bringing him back at age 35 in Geno Smith. So I think it's very much seen as a two-horse race between Buffalo and New England because those other two teams just aren't ready yet to compete.
00:35:51
Speaker 2: Chris, what about the other AFC contenders? How do you look at the Ravens, Broncos, Chargers? Are the Chiefs going to be back? What's the conversation that you're having about the rest of the AFC contenders?
00:36:04
Speaker 5: Yeah, it's interesting. I think the AFC West is really tough. I think a lot of people think there's a chance that three teams could come out of that division and make the playoffs. If the Chiefs can bounce back and Mahomes looks healthy, I don't know that you can ever count them out with Andy Reid as their head coach. The Chargers, everybody's waiting for them to finally break through, but it hasn't really happened to the degree that people anticipated. Maybe it's different with new offensive coordinator Mike McDaniel, who I think will be a breath of fresh air for that offense, particularly Justin Herbert. And then Baltimore, it's interesting because they're one of the other nine teams with a new head coach, but I don't think they have quite the same continuity, you know, that the Bills enjoyed just promoting Joe Brady from within. You know, they got Jesse Minner, who's brand new there. And sometimes all of that turnover takes some time to get it all to gel. So I'm very curious to see how Baltimore comes out of the blocks here and whether or not they get off to a fast or a slow start, because that could largely determine just what kind of contender they can be.
00:37:17
Speaker 2: Boy, I'm looking at this Bill's schedule. This is no picnic here because playing the NFC North, all those teams did well enough last year. I know nobody was outstanding. The Bears won 11 games, but everybody's right there with them. And then you look at your other game against the NFC, and that's against the Rams on the road. That's very tough. What do you make of the rest of the schedule for the Bills?
00:37:38
Speaker 5: Yeah, the first five weeks are probably the toughest stretch, obviously starting with Houston, but then Detroit at home. what many people feel is an upstart chargers team, um, you know, that should probably make the playoffs again this year, you know, and then, yeah, you got, you got the Patriots at home followed by the Rams on Monday night football away. So, I mean, those first five weeks are a tough road to hoe. And, you know, you mentioned the division they're facing. So in the NFC North as the cross conference division, so it's, I think it's the eighth toughest schedule in terms of opponent winning percentage from last season. So it's, Yeah, they know what's in front of them. But like I said, they're just going to, you know, the proverbial one week at a time thing. But they know what's in front of them. They know it's a challenging schedule for sure.
00:38:26
Speaker 2: Okay, so the last time the Bills went to London was, what, three years ago, right, against the Jags?
00:38:31
Speaker 5: 2023, yeah.
00:38:32
Speaker 2: Yep, and the Texans went in 2019. But anything you can share with us about the Bills' trip to London? International ball is a big topic this week with the game going on in Melbourne and the Texans. are going to play the Jags this year in Week 6. What can you share with us about that trip, do's and don'ts, if you have anything, Chris?
00:38:50
Speaker 5: Yeah, it was interesting because, you know, we've seen what the 49ers and Rams have done. They're taking complete opposite schools of thought as to the travel. The Niners spending pretty much a whole week over there to get acclimated, and the Rams leaving at the last possible moment to basically roll off the plane and get in a uniform and play and stay on schedule. What for them will be Pacific Coast time and a 5.30 p.m. start in their heads. The Bills, when they traveled in 2023, I feel like they kind of middled it. They left on a Thursday night for a Sunday game, which kind of left them caught. in the middle. Because I remember we landed and it was four in the afternoon or two in the afternoon, England time. And they were trying to tell everybody to go to bed. And it's a bright, sunny day. I mean, it was just it wasn't happening. And I think it just went downhill from there. And it came out really flat. against Jacksonville and lost that game, a game they probably should not have lost. And there's always a game or two every single year for the Bills where they just are not there. They don't show up for whatever reason. And I think the travel was the biggest detriment in that performance three years ago.
00:40:05
Speaker 2: Final thoughts on this matchup, week one, Texans hosting the Bills. Chris, what do you got?
00:40:11
Speaker 5: Yeah, I mean, I think they got to get James Cook rolling to keep their offense two-dimensional just to kind of keep the Texans defense guessing a little bit. You can't give them the opportunity to just tee off because they know what's coming at them. So any slight millisecond of hesitation that you can put in the minds of their starting 11 on defense.
00:40:31
Speaker 3: The better off you are.
00:40:32
Speaker 5: I want to believe that DJ Moore is going to be able to make some plays in the passing game. So I think if those two elements are present, I think the Bills are scoring maybe not 28 a game, but it's pretty clear they've got to get over 24 because they're They've been under that total the last couple of times, and it wasn't good enough for victory. And then I think defensively, you know, it's got to start with stopping the run. This team was 28th against the run last year, 30th in yards per carry against. That's just flat out not good enough. Joe Brady said, I don't care if our team gets a single sack this year, you're not going to run on us. So that's clearly the priority. You know, and David Montgomery's a hammer. So they're going to have all eyes on him and Woody Marks first and figure out the rest after that.
00:41:18
Speaker 2: All right, Chris, outstanding stuff. We really appreciate the time, and have a safe trip to Houston. Look forward to seeing you on Sunday.
00:41:24
Speaker 5: All right, we'll see you this weekend.
00:41:25
Speaker 1: Yes, we will see you this weekend, Chris Brown, right there at Reliant Stadium as the Bills take on the Texans. All right, we've got to go around the NFL. We'll do that next before we hand it off to Aiden Fisher in our final segment of the show in the second hour. But we've got to go around the NFL. And we got to hit that injury report, which we always do on Wednesday. It's the first injury report of the year. It's the first injury report of the week. It's always an important one later in the year. But what about earlier in the year? Well, if there's good news, it's coming out of this injury report. We'll have that. We'll go around the NFL. We'll do that next right here on Texans All Access. What's happening, everybody? Welcome back to this Wednesday edition of Texans All Access. I'm your host, John Harris, football analyst, sideline reporter. And I got this text from someone you know earlier today when the injury report was released. And it just says, that is so not the injury report I was expecting. The author of that text was one Mark Vandermeer. Now, you know, as we're getting ready for each game each week, Wednesday is when we start looking at injury report. Now, as the year goes on, That Wednesday report becomes really interesting because which guys made it out of the weekend? Who's going to be questionable? Who's going to be limited in practice? Who's going to be full? Who's a DNP? All those kind of things. It becomes very important later in the year. You keep your fingers crossed that at the beginning of the year that the injury report is not going to be a big deal. You hope it's not. You'd like to see not a lot of guys you know, listed on the injury report. This is one of those injury reports. Four-year Texans. No DNPs. I don't think I've ever seen an injury report with no DNPs. No DNPs. Limited. Caden McDonald with an ankle. Full participants, Trent Brown, Wade Woodhouse. Now, I remember seeing Caden at practice, so maybe this is something that happened during practice. We'll keep an eye on that. But a pretty solid all-round injury Injury report in that there are only a handful of names and only one of them is in the limited participant category. Now, for the Buffalo Bills, they had two DMPs, a DB, Jordan Hancock, kind of a key special teamer and non-starter. And then Ty Johnson dealing with a hamstring is one of the three backs the Bills have. And they use all of them. Ty Johnson, along with Ray Davis and, of course, the chef, James Cook, one of the best, if not the best, running backs in the league, and then limited participant TJ Sanders. So they've got a couple in the DNP category, and we'll keep an eye on it. Of course, as I always say, it's Wednesday. There's a lot of time between now and Sunday. But to see an injury report that is not littered with names was kind of nice. I mean, as we're at practice, we're kind of just doing a mental checklist. Clowney, yep, there he is. Colin Wright, yep, there he is. All right, good. Running backs, oh, man, full house. Noah Whittington and Juar Jordan. Even though on practice squad, I've got a feeling with only three running backs, they might use one of those guys as an elevation. Don't know. But it was at least good to see them back at practice. Brevin Jordan back at practice. It was nice to see a lot of guys back at practice today with only a smattering, is that a good word? Smattering of players on the injury report itself. Tonight, Patriots- Seahawks NFL opener. Wow. Here we go. Football is back, baby. Takes place in Seattle. They'll unveil the banner. The Seahawks will have their moment. And then they will smash the Patriots again. Yes, you heard me. They will smash the Patriots again. You will hear that game coming up. I don't even want to do the math. Coming up in our second hour, we'll talk to Aiden Fisher. We'll turn it over to Westwood One. And then you will hear the broadcast of Patriots v. Seahawks on Wednesday. Then you've got Rams v. 49ers tomorrow in Melbourne, Australia. And a really interesting dichotomy in how these teams are arriving in Australia. The 49ers, they got there like three or four days ago. The Rams, I think, are actually in the air right now. So it's... I think, yeah. And then they play on Thursday. So it's 10.30 Friday time in... I'm not even going to try and do this because it just gets all kinds of kids. I mean, Mark pulls that stuff with me all the time. Like, oh, it's game week Tuesday. And it's... And I'm like, no, I just... Just, I know what time it's going to, you know, here in Houston, it's going to be seven 30 kickoff Thursday night. So tonight Seahawks Patriots, like I said, coming up on Westwood one right after we're done. And then you've got the 49ers and Rams tomorrow at seven 30 central time. Don't care what it is out in Australia, because I mean, they'll have to figure they have to figure that out. Um, But from that standpoint, it should be a fun battle between NFC West teams. The Texans ended up playing last year. And no Aaron Donald. But we're kind of holding our breath to see whether Myles Garrett is going to play. He's dealing with a little knee thing, apparently. But I would imagine if Kyle Shanahan somehow found a way to face the Rams without Aaron Donald and Myles Garrett, he's a magician. Absolute magician. Okay, I mentioned Aiden Fisher. He's going to kick off the second hour, our only segment in the second hour before we turn it over to Westwood One. Aiden Fisher, the rookie linebacker, joins us next right here on Texans All Access. What's up, everybody? Welcome back to Wednesday edition of Texans All Access. I'm your host, John Harris, football analyst, sideline reporter for your Houston Texans. Let's jump right in with rookie linebacker Aiden Fisher.
00:47:36
Speaker 2: Aiden Fisher in the house, rookie, but really rookie no more. You've got some water under the bridge now since coming in. How's it going so far?
00:47:45
Speaker 6: Oh, it's been great. A lot of learning, a lot of growing, and it's been a great experience so far.
00:47:50
Speaker 2: A lot of reps in the preseason, not only joint practices, the games themselves, and that's a lot of activity so far because it's got to be tough for you guys pre-draft. You have the post-draft stuff, the rookie camp, and then everything you've done in the preseason. What about... The wear and tear, for lack of a better way of putting it, Aiden.
00:48:08
Speaker 6: Yeah, I mean, coming in as a rookie, you know, you're not handing anything. You got to go out and earn it and work for it. And that's just part of the process. You know, you got to keep your body, you know, along for the ride as you go. So, you know, having guys like Aziz, Henry, really the whole linebacker room teaching us, you know, how do you take care of your body, especially your rookie year? Because everybody knows, you know, the rookie year is the longest one of your career. So you just got to be able to manage it, take care of your body. We have great vets all in the locker room that are helping us along the way.
00:48:34
Speaker 1: So, Aiden, how cool is it that you could just go out and do football stuff, come back and do football stuff, and not have to go to any classes after that? How does that feel?
00:48:42
Speaker 6: Oh, it's been great. You know, the whole no class thing is awesome now. Doing this full time as a career, you know, it's a dream come true. And it's a lot better without classes, for sure.
00:48:50
Speaker 3: Yeah, I can imagine.
00:48:51
Speaker 2: So tell us about Aziz and the kind of leader he is, because we've.
00:48:54
Speaker 1: Talked to him a lot.
00:48:55
Speaker 2: He came into the league as an undrafted guy, and he is who he is today. What about his leadership and what it's meant to you so far?
00:49:01
Speaker 6: Yeah, I mean, he's not somebody that's going to tell you what you want to hear. He's going to tell you what you need to hear. And that's kind of the thing that I appreciate the most. You know, he told me kind of his background, his story of how he got in the league and, you know, how he got to where he is now. And that was important for me to hear, you know, coming from almost a similar space, the seventh round to an undrafted guy and just hearing, you know, the trials and tribulations that he went through, how he responded and how he managed different things along the way. It's been huge for me, you know, the success I've been able to have so far. You know, a lot of it has been learned, you know, the techniques that he's taught, The way to handle things and take care of your body, I can't say enough about him. He's been great for us.
00:49:43
Speaker 1: Aiden, everybody's got a superpower. I'm not sure what mine is. I know what Mark's is. What would you say your superpower is in a game of football?
00:49:53
Speaker 6: I would say the intangibles. The things you can't see. I think it's no secret I'm not 6'4, 250 and running a 4'2, or anything. But I think it's the things that you can't measure. How hard I play, how much time I put into this game. and the mental side of things, for sure.
00:50:09
Speaker 2: Okay, so compare and contrast the coaching styles D'Amico Ryans versus Kurt Cignetti.
00:50:14
Speaker 5: Oh, boy.
00:50:15
Speaker 6: Yeah, first thing that's very different is Coach Cig is an offensive guy, and Coach Ryans is definitely, you know, defensive, you know, hands-on, which has been great, you know, as a linebacker, learn from him, which has been an unreal experience.
00:50:28
Speaker 2: You're wearing his number.
00:50:29
Speaker 6: I am, yeah. A ref in our first preseason game reminded me of that, so... Yeah, it's been great, though. Both of them are, you know, extremely, you know, honed in on the details that make things go, you know, make a program go. I think, you know, with D'Amico, we had a little bit more fun. You know, he's a very bright character that, you know, he brings out the best of everybody, but he has fun along the way. Coach said we were straight to business, you know, at all times.
00:50:58
Speaker 1: Yeah, seemingly at all times. One of the things I'm intrigued by is communication in football, always. You wear the green dot. Now, you got used to that in college a little bit. Now you come here, you wear the green dot during the preseason games, etc. What does that sound like in your helmet? I mean, can you actually make out what's being said? Maybe on the road, maybe it's a little tougher. Maybe at home when your crowd is getting going, it's a little bit tougher. What's that like hearing all that communication in your brain, like right in your helmet? How do you like that? How have you adapted to it? Do you like it now? Did you not like it before? How do you like that little green dot, the little communicator coach comm in your helmet?
00:51:37
Speaker 6: Yeah, I love it. I think it's really cool to have to be able to communicate, especially with your defensive coordinator who's getting the call, but also can throw in a little something here and there that you need to hear. Um, there are times, you know, back when I was in college, um, you know, me and my DC, I would tell him, you know, you got quiet down a little bit and I can't hear you a little too loud.
00:51:55
Speaker 3: So, so he gave me the call.
00:51:56
Speaker 1: I just keep chirping. Yeah.
00:51:57
Speaker 6: It just keeps going. He forgets that, you know, it's not on mute or anything, but, uh, it's been a great thing that I think helps more than it hurts anything. Um, obviously when it gets to a loud environment, it's kind of hard to hear.
00:52:06
Speaker 4: Yeah.
00:52:07
Speaker 6: Um, but I think it's something that's definitely great for, you know, the sport.
00:52:10
Speaker 2: What about special teams? What are you doing now? And how much did you do in college? I mean, you're a two-time first-team All-American, so were you playing a lot of special teams at Indiana? I'm thinking no.
00:52:21
Speaker 6: I started out with special teams when I was at James Madison, and then I stayed on the punt team every year of my career. So that was something I took pride in, being able to stay on the punt team, play special teams. And I think that kind of shows– the team how much you care at times right um you know we had guys that were starters that play special teams for us at indiana i think our teammates and you know especially me look at my peers like this guy cares to keep playing special teams even when the coach has told.
00:52:49
Speaker 1: Him you know maybe you don't have to yeah who blocked the kick last year in the championship game was that is that kyle kamara yeah yeah his starter came off the edge blocked the kick that was kind of nice.
00:52:58
Speaker 2: It's got to be interesting though rookie camp we see out here and Introducing Coach Ross.
00:53:03
Speaker 1: And now you're going.
00:53:04
Speaker 2: To learn the basics of what we're doing here on special teams, right?
00:53:07
Speaker 1: That's a baptism. Yeah.
00:53:09
Speaker 6: Coach Ross, he's been great. I've never met somebody with that much energy all the time. But the way that he's able to kind of harness it and get the details across, it's been so much fun to play for. Big adjustment with new rules. Even the punt is a little bit different. But the kickoff and the kick return, which I actually like a lot better, I think is great. but it's been so much fun to play under Coach Ross and learn from him.
00:53:33
Speaker 1: So in preseason, you guys don't do a lot of game prep. You might discuss Carolina joint practice or whatever, the Raiders, but you're really in-depth preparing for I don't know the right way of asking this, but the last time you did that, you were preparing for the Miami Hurricanes in a national championship game. Now you're preparing for Josh Allen, former league MVP. That's a pretty wild swing in getting ready. What's that been like to start getting ready for the Bills, Aiden?
00:54:00
Speaker 6: Oh, it's been great. To me, this is the best part of football. When you can sit down and game plan, and you're playing chess pretty much. And how much time are you going to take to study, to put the time in, to be able to know your opponent? This is the part of football that I love most. And it's been cool to kind of adjust from the college setting. Now it's the NFL. Be able to see different things and different, you know, schematics. It's been great. And, you know, we have great vets and Coach Billy Davis as well. Teaching football has been, you know, important along the way. Because at the end of the day, it's still 11 guys on the field. You're still playing football. But being able to understand new, you know, language and different ways that, you know, the NFL sees it compared to college. It's been so cool. You know, it's been exciting.
00:54:42
Speaker 2: So I read, so you're a Virginia guy, right?
00:54:45
Speaker 5: I am.
00:54:45
Speaker 2: And you were deciding between James Madison and Old Dominion, right? Yep. And you go to JMU, obviously. But if I tell you during that process, hey, you're going to be a national champion one day, would you have believed it?
00:54:55
Speaker 1: No.
00:54:57
Speaker 6: No way. I would not have believed that.
00:54:59
Speaker 2: What was it like, though, when Coach Cignetti gets the job and you go over with him to Indiana? What was that process like? That must have been really interesting.
00:55:08
Speaker 6: Yeah, it was weird for sure. Because at JMU, that's a school that is just the whole tradition is winning. It's a winning football program.
00:55:18
Speaker 2: The Dukes.
00:55:18
Speaker 5: Yeah.
00:55:19
Speaker 6: And you get to Indiana, and that's not the case at all. They're the most losing program of all time. So you talk to the guys, and it's like, yeah, if we win three to four games, that's a solid year for us. And we're coming off of JMU. We were 11-1 and winning a lot of football games. So it was such a different atmosphere around the team and the program. Obviously, it changed pretty quick, but it was so weird to go from James Madison to Indiana, which Indiana is the bigger school that has the Big Ten tradition. It was weird, though.
00:55:50
Speaker 2: What was it like when you saw your Indiana friends when the Raiders were here? Oh, man, there was a ton of them.
00:55:55
Speaker 6: Oh, it was great. I love those guys. Being able to talk to them and just kind of see where they are, not only in their careers and what's going on, but how their lives have changed. We spent every single day together for a year. And now just, you know, being able to talk to them and play against them, it was weird, but it was really cool to do.
00:56:11
Speaker 1: What's it been like for your family, Aiden, as they're kind of watching your progress, going from JMU, going to Indiana, winning a national championship? What's it kind of been like for your family now to watch you as a Houston Texan? Are they all wearing number 59 jerseys and making sure they say Fisher and not Ryans, of course? But what's it been like for your family to watch you kind of continue to grow and become the man you are and a player you are for the Texans?
00:56:34
Speaker 6: I think for my sisters, they would tell you it's been really fun. We've all been able to travel to so many cool places with football, and it's taken us to some incredible venues and different places across the country. But it's really brought my family really close together. I have uncles, aunts, cousins that will travel, and that's just more family time together. So to me, that's awesome. Now, if you ask my mom, it's been emotional. She's been up and down, but she's loving it. She's so supportive of me. That's who I lean on all the time. She's always so positive, but there are times, I think the Panthers game was the first one she was able to, or the Raiders game she came to, and she said she had been emotional all week, crying and stuff. It's been really cool.
00:57:17
Speaker 2: What you guys do is very intense, but in the linebacker room, who's got the best sense of humor? Who's the cut-up when needed? who can keep the atmosphere light enough?
00:57:26
Speaker 6: Oh, Jake Hansen for sure. He's hilarious.
00:57:31
Speaker 1: Yeah, I think that would probably qualify for sure. We talked about Aziz. Henry's been in that room. He's been in here for four years. And Henry was not a first-round pick. He's a guy that, you know, a day-three pick as well. He's really grown into that type of linebacker. What has he meant to the linebacker room? What's he meant to you, Leonard, from him?
00:57:47
Speaker 6: Henry has been great. He's kind of took me under his wing as well as Aziz just You know, having those similarities, you know, we're both day three picks. Nothing's ever going to be handed to us. Like, you're going to have to compete day in and day out. And just sitting and talking to him every single day, picking his brain, so cool to just see the way that, you know, he's gone through his process and different things I can pick that he does and, you know, put it into my routine, you know, my regimen, see what I can take from him and improve as a player and a person. He's been great.
00:58:18
Speaker 2: He's meant a lot. Excellent. Aiden, thanks a lot for joining us. Good luck to you this year.
00:58:21
Speaker 3: Thank you, guys.
00:58:22
Speaker 1: All right, that's going to do it. Pats and Seahawks are up next. We'll see you tomorrow, bud. And as always, go Texans.