JAYDON GRANT TALKS ABOUT PLAYING FOR THE CALGARY STAMPEDERS, HIS COLLEGE JOURNEY, AND HIS FAITH

speaker-0: you
speaker-1: Hey, what's going on everybody? This is Deep Ball, Keenan Curran, Samuel Kim. We got a very, very special guest, Mr. Jaden Grant with the Calgary Stampeders. How you doing, my boy?
speaker-0: I'm doing good. doing good. How y'all fellas doing?
speaker-2: Doing well, man.
speaker-1: ⁓ I know. man. Yeah, man. Appreciate you for coming on. I know we've been ⁓ going back and forth with times and, schedules and, you know, people get grown up and things get things get, you know, we just got to find a way to get it done.
speaker-0: having me on here. It's all good bro, I the same way so I probably had to reschedule this as much as you did.
speaker-1: ⁓ yeah, ⁓ yeah. ⁓ So first things first, ⁓ how's offseason been for you, bro? I know, you know, in the CFL, the offseason can be a little different, but you know, how has it been?
speaker-0: It's been great. It's been great to be back home in Portland. know, I haven't been back in Portland and been able to stay here and train for, you know, more than two weeks since high school, really, because college was only a short break. So I feel like the off season has been, it's been great. It's been great to be around family. I got married in February, so that was a blessing. thank you. And yeah, it's been a really good routine working out with Maury and some of other guys, Katan. Yeah, it's been awesome.
speaker-1: Okay, okay. Who you guys training with? Who's who's who's the guy?
speaker-0: My boy, Jim Aaron, he runs a gym fitness in a Tiger, Oregon. So we've been there, shoot, five times a week, in the field a few times, you every week and just kind of building up and getting ready to go. Like, like you said, though, like CFO, all season is a little different because you, it's like a true six months off. Yeah. So there's no LTAs, no nothing like that. You know, when you, when you come back, you're straight into training camp. Two weeks later, you're playing preseason and then, you know, and month of training camp, you're, you're into the regular season. So. You kind of got to be ready to go right when you get back.
speaker-1: So how does that work to be an out like you're obviously back in Portland now, but do you guys, do they pay for your housing or do you get an apartment out there? What does that look like for you?
speaker-0: Yeah, yeah, yeah. Like when you're out there, you get housing money, but it's not like they pay the housing directly. They just give you check. So you basically, you get your full year salary or whatever in the six months that you're there. And then, you know, some guys can decide to stay, you know, for the off season and continue paying the housing on their own, or you can go back and, a lot of guys go back to the States as well. So it just really depends person to person what their situation is.
speaker-1: For sure. ⁓
speaker-2: What is that like, because I know their rules are a little bit different. Someone can start on the run, right? And I think you are first CFL guest, if I'm not mistaken, right Sam? So this is a new kind of, like their football is as much as it's the same, there's that, like you said, the guy that runs and starts, how is that? Like, does that change how you cover at all?
speaker-0: Yeah, I mean, that took some getting used to for sure. know, especially one on ones, man coverage, things like that. honestly, when I first got up there, I didn't know how to play it. You know what mean? I didn't know if I should be off. I didn't know if I should be more low. I try pressing it, you sometimes. Yeah. So that really does take some adjusting too. But once you get in the season, you know, I was playing in a deep defender role, hand to back, which would be, you just safety here in the States. But once you get in those regular coverages and stuff, it's a lot easier to kind of read certain things based on the tempo of their waggle. And that's what that motion is called, the waggle. Yeah. And different things like that. But there's a bunch of other rules that I didn't know about that kind of makes the game different as well.
speaker-1: Break them down. What are they?
speaker-0: So there's only three downs instead of four. that's one of them that obviously kind of changes up the play call and stuff like that. Absolutely. The line of scrimmage is like the defense has to defensive line or the defense has to be a whole yard off the ball. And so like when you get to those like second, third downs and quarterback sneaks and stuff like that, it's kind of hard to stop those types of plays. And then like one of the biggest things that I first originally noticed was how wide the field is.
speaker-1: Yeah.
speaker-0: think this feels like maybe 20 yards wider if I'm not wrong and 20 yards further.
speaker-1: End zones are 20 yards, right?
speaker-0: Anzones are 20 yards, yeah, but the goal post is at the front of the Anzone, but they just made a bunch of rule changes. I'm actually not 100 % which ones are actually going to be, you know, intact for this upcoming season, but they did make ⁓ some rule changes and stuff like that.
speaker-1: Yeah, so one thing I do know about the CFL because I have a had a Canadian teammate Kenan Kenan. I was about to say Kenan Kern Keelan My teammate Keelan White, he was the third overall pick last year. He pays for the red blacks. ⁓ I know that like an American player has a less has a... How am I trying to say this? Their chances of making the team are less than a Canadian player. So how was that when you first got to the Stan Peters? Like, what were your chances of making the team and how did you, you know, get on that roster and find a way to stay?
speaker-0: I mean, I don't, I don't really know exactly what, I don't want to say the American players have a less likely chance. just think that there's so many American guys that come every year as rookies. You know what I mean? And there is the whole thing of the roster limit of Americans compared to, you know, world players and then also Canadians. then there's a certain snap count. it's like, I don't really want to call it politics, but like the politics behind it is kind of necessary because They have to keep that stuff in mind. ⁓ that's honestly one of the first thing I noticed. Like I saw a lot of good players, you know, get cut early on and it was like, it was pretty cut though. Like guys were, guys were coming in and like it seemed like every three days, every five days, you know, it was like a series of cuts and stuff like that. You know, within the month. So, I mean, for me, I try not to focus on, on that. I just try to focus on what was in my control. Absolutely. That was my approach to the game and kind of just been how I always been and that's really what's allowed me to be successful in every area that I've been, every level that I've been at.
speaker-1: Yeah.
speaker-2: So yeah, that's a good approach. You gotta have that approach, right? Especially with all the things that go on and it could be the same in the NFL as like, know, salary cap numbers and guys are getting, they're a casualty of just the front office politics. That's kind of what it seems like with some of the snap count stuff and the mindfulness of like world players, like you said, and then like American players and Canadian players. Sometimes people are casualty of that. you can't control that, right? You can just control how you play, man. ⁓ Which is great. It's a great, great mentality, great approach to have. ⁓ Do you have a favorite stadium up there or a favorite environment that you've played in?
speaker-0: Yeah, I would definitely say Saskatchewan. Their stadium reminds me most of like big time college football environments. You know, they're going to sell out every game. The fans are going to be crazy cussing at you and stuff like that. And like we were supposed to play a night game there. And I think it was supposed to start at like 7, 730. But there was like there was too much smoke in the area from like fires around. Yeah. So like they kept delaying it delaying it delaying it and they didn't even end up calling the game off until like damn near midnight or something like that and the fans were still in there. It's like and so it's like we were we was ready to go literally from like 5 3m all the way to like 11pm until they finally like caught it off and then we just had to play the next day. But yeah. That was a crazy environment. The next day or something else going on in the city. it wasn't as many people. It wasn't as crazy as like it would have been playing on the lights and stuff. But ⁓ definitely that was definitely part of my favorite environmental plan.
speaker-1: Yeah. Saskatchewan is that a province or is that you know is that a province? I know BC is one of
speaker-0: I think they are, I think it might be a province, but it's also the name of the city. ⁓
speaker-1: Yeah, yeah, Okay. Okay. It's weird for me trying to figure that stuff out because I know like their provinces are basically. But it's like.
speaker-0: I stay
speaker-2: I was surprised when I watched was there's a lot of people with like French names
speaker-1: ⁓ yeah.
speaker-0: Yeah, yeah, because there's a of it. Yeah, yeah, there's like Montreal is a French. Yeah, yeah, speak like everything's in French. I mean, they speak English too, but yeah, I mean a lot. Everybody talks speaks. ⁓
speaker-1: speaking right Quebec is French speaking also, right?
speaker-0: Yeah, that's in Montreal. I mean, I mean, I mean, actually, think Quebec might be the province.
speaker-1: ⁓ yeah.
speaker-2: Did you guys
speaker-0: I've been up there a year.
speaker-2: ⁓ Did you guys play Montreal this year?
speaker-0: Yeah, yeah, we played them twice. ⁓
speaker-1: There's nine teams. Everybody played.
speaker-2: No, I know. Did you guys, when you were at Oregon State, did you guys ever play against Portland State?
speaker-0: We did play Portland State in 2017.
speaker-2: Was Davis Alexander there?
speaker-1: I
speaker-0: Yeah, Davis wasn't the quarterback at the time, but I had known Davis since those days. I had some friends that played for Portland State. Okay. Okay. pick with them sometimes. So I knew Davis. Yeah, yeah. They beat us twice this year. Once early in the season at our place. That kind of kicked off like a bad little losing streak for us, and then we lost to them. towards the end of the season as well at their place. And that was a cool environment as well.
speaker-1: Yeah.
speaker-2: You feel like there's a lot of, ⁓ cause he's a type of quarterback, right? Like he's like the Vernon Adams, like quick can move. Is that kind of the norm for a quarterback in the CFL is like a quarterback that can move and what, how does that change your game from a defensive stamp?
speaker-0: I mean, I think the same way that it does in the American game, you know, I I to account for those quarterbacks in scrambling. But yeah, I mean, it's definitely something you have to you have to think about. But ⁓ I wouldn't say that every single quarterback is is mobile like that. But there's like some guys like there's a guy named ⁓ Nathan Rourke. He was the MVP or the M.O.P.
speaker-1: Indiana, right?
speaker-0: I think that was his brother that went to Indiana. But Nathan Roark, and the first time we played him, I obviously knew he was really good. He could really throw the ball, but was like, dang, this dude could kind of run. And we played him three times a year. We played him later in the year, and it was the same thing. I think he busted a 70-yard run versus us. And then it was like, guys, I didn't really know was fast, and then ended up really hurting us on some. some scrambles or design runs or whatever it may be. But I wouldn't say that every single, that's just the typical quarterback. Because there's some good pocket passers. But it depends though, a lot of the top quarterbacks like Winnebago's quarterback and even Saskatchewan who won it last year, are older on the back end of their careers. So maybe back in the day, they were more mobile than they are now.
speaker-2: Now that makes sense.
speaker-1: Okay, let's go back to your college career for a second. Originally walked on at Oregon State and ended up spending seven seasons there. What did that feel like by the time 2022 came around, like that full seven year career?
speaker-0: Yeah, ⁓ honestly, it felt like it felt like a ⁓ blessing, like when I really reflected on everything that came with it, you know, the entire journey. Because there was times in my career, especially those first three years, I was just injured, injured back to back to back surgeries, know, fraction of my vertebrae my third year. And there was times where I didn't know like, if I should keep playing, you know what I mean? I even would think back to like, should I have just kept playing basketball? know what I'm saying? Different things like that. And then after that third year, bro, was just like a total 360. You know, I'd never really had any serious injuries after that until like a freak accident my very last season. But yeah, so was kind of like a tale of two careers, like hurt my first three seasons. And in the last four seasons were healthy and, know, team captain years and. really when we turned it all around at Oregon State. And was one of the most rewarding things to be a part of. know that I have contributed, even in a small way to changing the culture and really having one of the better years that Oregon State has ever seen.
speaker-1: Yeah, that actually that actually leads us to our next question. ⁓ Obviously, the transfer portal was an integral part when our latter years in college mean you started the same year 2016. ⁓ Was that something that led you to stick around was like, know, trusting the process, sticking at Oregon State or you know what? Talk to us about why you didn't transfer away from Oregon State.
speaker-0: I mean, for me, was, I mean, Oregon State was the school that gave me the opportunity, you know, and like I said, once I got to that third, fourth year when I had coach Smith, ⁓ I don't know, just the respect that I had for him, the appreciation that I had for him as the head coach, you know, how we all contributed to really changing the culture around, know, creating that positive environment and high standard for success. That was just something that I never really thought of leaving, you know. or not being a part of or not finishing what we had all started. I mean, of course you have those thoughts like, right, and I yell and this is that and other things, but overall those things never moved me in any way close enough to think about leaving my brothers and also the people at Oregon State who helped me be in the position that I am. But that's just me personally. And I don't look at anybody's decisions because at the end of the day, You know, it's their life, it's their career. In this football window, whether you play high school, whether you play college, whether you go on or are enough to play pro, it's so short in the grand scheme of life. You know what mean? So I always respect people making their own decisions. And ⁓ yeah.
speaker-1: Was one more on top of that was coach Smith there at the beginning of your career?
speaker-0: No, Coach Smith was not there. I had a coach named Gary Anderson for my first one and a half years.
speaker-1: Okay. So part of that, which you kind of just spoke on below, you know, you know, coach Smith came in there, you know, when new coaches come in and this was my thing with coach helped like when new coaches come in, like they don't necessarily have to like keep you around. Like they could tell you to move around. They could tell you, Hey, you should probably look for a different spot. But part of was part of you staying like, Hey, he, he trusted, believed in me and kept me around as well as, know, just like you said, like we built this thing together. Um, I'm sure that was super special.
speaker-0: Yeah, yeah, no, for sure. And ⁓ yeah, to your point, there is usually some type of, you know, kind of exodus or mass kind of cutting that happens. ⁓ But I think it's really like more with a guy like Coach Smith trying to find guys that he can build with and guys that embody the things really off the field and who they are in a person to build that right environment. And so like we just had a bunch of good guys, you know, on the team, good guys that really care for, one another, you know, care about the success for one another. And so, ⁓ yeah.
speaker-2: ⁓ nice. Well, you mentioned this a little bit ⁓ and not really caring about it and it causing you to not transfer. But NIL became a thing while you were in college. ⁓ Did the Oregon State take care of you at all? Did you get to cash in on that and kind of talk us through that when things change? Right. Did maybe steak and lobster get bigger, right? More gas in the gas tank. I don't know. But those are things I think of.
speaker-0: I mean, I would say my very last year, 2022, I mean, we got a little something from the collective, right? And it was like, but that was the only thing that we got through a collective was this one thing. And there was other things that I had outside. Like I had my own smoothie with Jamba Juice. Did some things. did a little, me and my roommate did something with McDonald's. Different little things like that. And so it was cool. kind of knew going into it though that it was going to be for the next generation. You know what mean? And in the following years when I would say Oregon State really, they try to become on par as much as they could, you know, with the rest of the conference. But yeah, I mean, probably never like Oregon State might never be the place that's going to be on an equal playing field in terms of funding and things like that. And I, know what I mean? So.
speaker-1: we'll catch up.
speaker-2: Yeah. I don't know man, Marcus Sheppard, is Marcus Sheppard right? Might be able to raise some funds boy, cause he got the juice dog, he got the juice.
speaker-0: Yeah, yeah, He does. I have no doubt that he will get more support from boosters and whatnot and innovative ways to get more money. But I think that he's more so the right guy for the job because he understands that he's trying to build something. Something that the lessons that you learn in the locker rooms transcend just your sport but carry over into life. And I think those are the types of teams that you see. you know, have success at Oregon State before NIL and also I think after NIL. Yep, for sure.
speaker-2: gotta be a galvanized locker room.
speaker-1: Originally and you kind of brought this up originally a Hooper and decided to play football during your senior year in high school What led to that decision bro? Like that is such a late time to make a change bro Like you only like that at that point a lot of times because I remember when I was in high school I remember the story was like you want to have the decent amount of offers like between your sophomore and junior year and you want to kind of have that decision kind of made up and like senior years when you really when you should be committed and like you're just Head head head into your senior season What made you to make that change, bro?
speaker-0: And I mean, honestly, me actually wanting to play football that that senior year, it was just like a thing like, man, this would be my last chance. Like I haven't played since seventh grade, sixth grade. And so I went to the very first game because I really just planned to be like, I'm going to make the most out of my senior year. You know, I'm going to show up to these games home or away and, you know, be there for my friends that are on the team. And then when I was watching him in the stands, was something about the team element of football, right? So many guys on the team, so many different roles, you know, there's 11 guys on the field at the same time. And it was something about the team environment. think that just drew me to it. I'm like, man, I want to be a part of that. Like, this is my last chance in my life that I'll get to be a part of it. Yeah. So I had texted, long story short, I ended up texting the coach, you know, later that night saying like, if it was possible, if I came out. And then he said, yeah. And then a bunch of different things had happened. Like I was originally supposed to join right away, but then some, I think I had messed up my ankle. So then they were saying I might be out too long. And then I didn't end up getting to play until week five, five or six. Yeah. So was like, didn't even get a full senior season either. It was like, I joined super late.
speaker-1: So then when it came time, because I'm sure you played basketball that winter, correct?
speaker-0: Yeah, yeah, I play basketball. like the story of how football even became a thought in my mind, right? I was on a visit to Portland State for basketball with my dad and they were playing Montana State that night and I was going to go to the bathroom and when I walked over to go to the bathroom, I seen Houston Lillard and he had always mentored me and told me to play football long before I ever did play football. Yep. And I was always like, nah, nah, you know, I'm a basketball, I'm a Hooper. And he waved me over, I went over there and he introduced me to this guy, this like quarters at Portland State. He was like, I'm Andre Roberson, defensive coordinator at Portland State. And I was like, ⁓ nice to meet you. then he was like, yeah, Houston's been telling me to check out your tape. Like I'm not going to promise you anything, but I promise you, I'll give you a look in my head, in my head in a respectful way. was thinking like, I don't care if you look at that tape at all. You know what I mean? Like I had no interest in playing football in college. So sure enough, the next day we were in Tacoma, Washington for like this MLK Day exhibition team against this team up north. And I get a call like dang there before the game or the night before the game. And it was Andre Roberson. And he was like, we want to bring you on a visit and offer you a scholarship to go to Portland State. And that messed my head up. Like that confused me. know what I
speaker-1: is during your senior season? is during your senior year? You got D1 off of it just like that?
speaker-0: This is Darren senior basketball.
speaker-2: Five games, ten games, or six games, seven games.
speaker-0: man and so but when I look back like and then I so signing day was like the next Wednesday I took a visit I didn't feel right in my heart to commit I wanted to go play football and basketball but the football coaches weren't down with that so I don't know I just didn't want to commit to anything right there so lost the scholarship right now it's kind of like dang what do I do and then that's when I started getting hit up like I had originally committed to walk on at Oregon and I switched to Oregon like a month after that.
speaker-1: ⁓
speaker-2: Ta-da!
speaker-0: I mean, I got to give the credit. I don't know how like it used to confuse me so much. Like, how did I choose at that age to play football and just switch up like.
speaker-1: The lineage says basketball, bro.
speaker-0: And I trained for basketball though. Like that's I had trained for. it was basketball. I thought it was going to be, but I really got to give the credit to God. Like he obviously had a plan for me and he obviously moved me in a way that allowed me to make honestly decisions that you wouldn't have guessed me at that age would have made, you know? So yeah, I thank God for that.
speaker-1: Yeah. Absolutely. Absolutely. Now we do have to get into it because you your dad played in the NBA for a while. Were you nice at hoop? could you, was the school looking at you for hoop for real?
speaker-0: Like Portland, Portland State was one of them. ⁓ Liberty, UTEP. ⁓ No schools like I didn't, the only school that I was going to be able to go there and like have a scholarship was going to be football and basketball combined at Portland State, right? That was the only thing I had that signing day. And so when football said no, I was like, I don't want to go play, you know, just football or just basketball at Portland State. For some reason.
speaker-1: That's it.
speaker-0: It didn't really... But yeah, I mean...
speaker-2: No, their basketball team is solid though. Like in the big sky, they have some good years.
speaker-0: Yeah, they definitely were. mean, and I think if I would have got like a full basketball scholarship, like then that would have been a done deal. You know, it was kind of like had a lot to do with the football scholarship too. Yeah. You know, was going to be like this do a thing because football, think they can give like 50 % scholarships at the SES level.
speaker-2: You did not want play for them.
speaker-0: And I remember, yeah, and I remember when the coach told me that like, he told me like, you know, he was just saying like, kind of like, you need us more than we kind of need you. Like you're really raw and we're taking a chance on you. That's why he didn't want me to play. That's why he didn't want me to play basketball.
speaker-2: behind closed doors, there was like, need him. We need him. This is the type of guy that slips through the cracks that we need. Oh, good on you for making a smart decision. obviously, I said, give God all the credit because sometimes he leads us in directions that we don't really know what's going on. But obviously, it's worked out tremendously for you. you know, hats off to you for making that decision at a young age. Um, so I guess you would talk about this. Do you ever like, I guess this is a further question, but like, do you ever wonder what if you had played football all four years? I mean, you ended up where you want to be.
speaker-0: Yeah, I mean, I definitely do because I mean, I definitely did at my earlier years at Oregon State because like being a walk on, especially like, I don't know what certain status it was like, it was was political, like, yeah, you know, and it was this like, but also I wouldn't change it because like, going through that as a walk on and improving it to two staffs, and you being worried about the second staff like, It teaches you like, I believe that like sports when you do the right way, like when you do sports the right way, you know, especially at a high level, like football or basketball, D1 football or basketball, even any level, you know, football or basketball. I feel like the lessons you learn really transcend just more than your sport. You know what saying? And so I don't think if, I think if I had a different journey, I wouldn't be who I was today. Yeah. But I definitely was in those earlier years, like thinking like, man, I I for sure would have got to offer somewhere, know, if I had played football for years or went to angels camps or did whatever. But like you said, everything happens for a reason and God had a plan for
speaker-2: Yeah.
speaker-1: were those biggest early growing pains for you, like getting into football? What was the biggest thing that you had to adjust to? And did you look offensively or was it always defense for you?
speaker-0: It was always defense. You I was, I would try to what I was best at, you know, basketball was defending, you know, and for me, I never really thought to play office. I just wanted to play defense. And then I didn't, I joined so late that I wasn't going to play offense and defense, you know, in high school or anything like that. But yeah, some of those early pains is that, was that part of your question? I think.
speaker-1: Yeah, what were those early growing pains?
speaker-0: I think so for me, like, I just went in with a super humble approach and mindset to football because I knew that I was so far behind the eight ball. So like, just tried to have a sponge mentality and like, thankfully, like my head coach, Chris Miller, played in the NFL. He played at Oregon in high school. My position coach, Alex Molden, he played at Oregon, was a first rounder. Yeah. You know what I mean? And so it's like, I only had good coaching when I first started. And so when you're a sponge and you don't question or try to do things your way, you try to just listen to what they're saying to a T that actually helped my learning curve kind of accelerate. Even compared to some of the guys who were a lot more talented than me or higher recruited than me when I first got to college, because it was the same thing when I got to college. Like I would always get love from my coach for doing exactly what he said exactly. And that's the only way that I knew. I actually had a lot of early success at Oregon state.
speaker-1: Yeah.
speaker-0: Like I made the travel, I made the travel team my true freshman year, like 175 pounds came in at six foot, 163 pounds, gained like 12 pounds over the summer or whatever. But getting hurt was the, was the, was the, was the biggest things like showing promise, getting hurt. Next year I come back, I have like seven picks and eight, eight total turnovers in spring ball. And then I turn both my labrums, know, training camp the next year. And then the third year. Same thing, I'm balling and leading in interceptions and takeaways in camp. Then I have a high ankle sprain. I'm out for the first two weeks or whatnot. And in that spring ball, my new position coach comes, coach Smith's there. I fractured my vertebrae running to a steel fence at Oregon State. So that was like my first three years, you know? It was just super like injury prone and I felt like anytime I got some momentum and like I really started like feeling it like an injury or something like that would kind of... take the game away from me. And so those were those moments where I was questioning like, did I make the right decision? Because I knew that like I could play and that I've shown I could play, know, teammates and coaches, they knew as well, but I never got to show it. You know, I never had the chance to show it because of injuries or whatever it was. ⁓ But yeah.
speaker-2: I got a two part question. obviously Westland, if for Sam from Oklahoma, he don't really know much about the PNW. Westland, good football school, right? Got to give credit where it's due, right? But do you feel like because you didn't have bad habits, because you just didn't play in high school, that helped you? And obviously you went to school with Elijah Molden, who was like, you know, really good. Even to this, I think you still playing to this day, but, ⁓ do you feel like that helped you being able to watch good things in practice in high school? Like, Hey, I got a coach that's really good. Did this at a high level. I got another guy here. That's like pretty dang good. It's doing it at a high level. Do you feel like that? Like, was like, okay, this is great. This is how I do it. And then moving to college.
speaker-0: Yeah, I would definitely say so like watching how Elijah moved on the field and how he got in and out of his breaks and where he lined up and you know, really being more of a student of the game. Like that was the first thing that kind of really appealed to me is like, okay, like I'm not saying you have to use your mind in basketball, but like the way you use your mind in football is completely different than any other sport. ⁓ it's really what's allowed me to have success. Like even in high school, like I can remember the first time that I really understood like, this is what film study can do. You we played a game earlier in the season. was like my second game playing and we were in covered three and this, this, this offense was like a wing tee offense. ⁓ So like we were running a bunch of covered three and they kept running five yards out, out, outs on me. Right. But in my head, I'm like, I'm a deep thirds defender. You know, I'm just a deep thirds defender. it's like, they told me like, you know, just don't get beat deep. Anything they, they catch in front of you short route, just. tackle it. So I had a few big hits and stuff like that. But then Alex Mullen always told me like, it's like if the quarterback does a three step drop, you can play that three step, you know, you don't have I know I'm mad and it says deep blue zone, but you can go and make a play on that ball if you get you know, a read on the three step. And so I watched the film, they did it the whole rest of the year. We play them again in the semi finals, first play of the second half. They're like kind of close to our own end zone. boom, it gives me the three step. read the split, everything I had saw on film and I picked it off and picked six steps. And so that was the first time it kind of clicked to me like, dang, I can really use my mind and I can study film. And it's kind of like a chess game and then it becomes a process of an elimination. And then, you know, that's what really gives you the opportunities to make your plays when you're looking at it from like an IQ perspective. And I think that's what really like gets me going about football.
speaker-1: Wow. Yeah, that's special.
speaker-2: It's like not a lot of kids. because like that that is a good program that's got good coaches in place and it's like if you could take a high caliber athlete like yourself and then teach them the fundamentals and they already have advanced athleticism. It's like, okay, we could do something with this right? Yeah, case in point. Now the second part of the question is you talk about, you know, your career early on a lot of the injuries, right? but you from seventh grade to senior year, you are primarily a basketball player, probably training like a basketball player. Do you feel like that like was some of the reason, right? Because two labor rooms, you're not really training shoulders as much as a basketball player. Yeah. Right. High ankle sprain. There's nothing really you could do against that vertebrae. There's nothing you really do against that. But do you feel like you're training once it caught on? your third, fourth year at Oregon State, you were like, okay, now I'm cooking. My body matches the sport that I play.
speaker-0: Yeah, yeah, no, you're 100 % right. And you know, the crazy thing is, I had a chiropractor and was kind of like a family friend, like in Westland when I was in high school. And I remember when I decided to play football, he was trying to talk me out of it. He was like, do you understand your body's built more like a sports car, like you're not built for all this high impact, like the body's going to give out. I'm like, no, you know, And then when I thought about it, You know, I'm like two years in and I've had three shoulder surgeries. You know what I mean? I'm like, okay. I, and when, I mean, it didn't take me long to realize, you know, once I get to college and I see these dudes who are freshmen who are built like robots and you know, shit like that. mean, like, like, you know I mean? So yeah, I would definitely say that that's when it clicked in, ⁓ in those later years, my body definitely better matched up.
speaker-2: like Andrzej. you ⁓
speaker-0: for what a football player has to be built like, because you need that armor, especially if you're going go in there and play fearless, how I feel like I play the game, then you do need that armor.
speaker-2: Yeah, and COVID almost was a blessing, right? Because it gave you extra time, like extra, okay, yep, let me get the weight room a little bit more, boom.
speaker-0: Yeah. Nice.
speaker-1: So you talked about that semi-final run. Did you guys win that game, and did you guys win state that year?
speaker-0: We won in the semi-finals and then we lost in the championship. It was like 14 to seven. It was like crazy defensive game. And I was like, man, like those were like, I had a couple, you know, PBUs that I could have went and, you know, intercepted that would have changed the game. And then the last drive where they scored a touchdown, there was a third and 10, you know, it was like kind of on the fringe, entering the red zone and I could have broken it up and I slipped out of break and it ran a group. worried about getting beat deep and I gave that up. So I kind of took that like I was messed up about that loss. Like I thought about that loss for a long time. man and it was like that was something that also I think drew me back to football like yeah I was just like dang this can't be how football ends you know.
speaker-2: Yeah.
speaker-1: That love started to you can feel the love inside. I'm like damn that was fun
speaker-0: Yeah, yeah. So I never won a football state championship, but basketball, we won it four times.
speaker-2: Damn was that was painting there when you were there? man ⁓
speaker-0: Yeah.
speaker-1: I seen his high school dribbling that dribbling fit that boy was probably nice as hell in high school.
speaker-0: He's been doing that since he was young.
speaker-1: It's like his thing though like he he he he knows how to work huh like he puts in the work
speaker-0: Yeah, I was about to say and it's like, it was almost like got to a point where I felt like I couldn't be his friend without like, you know, because I wasn't like my first few years when we were in middle school, like I wasn't working like that. Like, he was obsessed. be at the house chilling and like I'm waking up and like he's coming back from the workout. You know what I mean? And it wasn't until like, probably like my eighth grade really freshman year summer that I started like working hard. And then my sophomore year or actually that freshman year, my cousin Vinny, he moved out to train me. He had just got done playing and he moved out to train me and him, my mom and my stepdad at the time, it was no joke, bro. They got some bad habits out of me, bro. They got all that laziness and wanted to just chill and get, was like, if you want to do anything, like you're to get your work in first. And so that's why I'm saying like, I put in a lot of work for basketball. Like I was telling somebody earlier, that changing my habits at that age, you know what I'm saying? Like so late in the game and like becoming going from kind of being lazy and just doing regular and just being the guy that plays hard, you know, and has some talent to that guy that like is really working three times a day, early mornings before school, after school. Like that was probably the hardest time in my life, you know, in my sports career is to like break those bad habits. So I try to tell all the young ones now, like build these good habits early. You know what I'm saying?
speaker-1: Get it to us too late,
speaker-0: Yeah. And it's like, I haven't really seen many like, especially once you get to college, you know what saying? You got all that freedom. Like I'm just glad I got them out before college because you know, see a of And it's just like, yeah. So it's even harder to get through to them, you know.
speaker-2: With talent, you know what saying?
speaker-1: that money in college too.
speaker-2: Yeah
speaker-1: So I'm sure for you, not to stay on Peyton for too long, but after watching what he did through high school and like from a young age, you are not surprised at all to see the way he's dropping 30 in the NBA playoffs.
speaker-0: No, I'm not surprised at all. And I think that he was always driven, like everybody always, you there's a lot of people that always, he's got a lot of friends now, but like when he was coming up, there was a lot of people that always doubted him. You know what I'm saying? Like even you could tell how like dudes like, I mean, by the time we were really on the circuit, our junior, junior year, everybody knew that. You know what I'm But like when we were in middle school and stuff like that, and with some of those tournaments, it's like.
speaker-2: together.
speaker-0: people kind of looking at us, like underestimating our team and stuff like that. And then you just got a bunch of kids from Oregon shooting the shit out the ball and him leading it. it was just like, that was how high school was too. Like when we were going to in tournaments in high school, we go play them teams and nobody thought that we was going, you man, like, like we beat Jalen Brown in them, shoot, our junior year. And so Paisa, he always is talking to him about that.
speaker-1: Like he's not gonna do that. Wow, that's special, That's
speaker-2: Yeah. Okay, so from Westland to Oregon State to Vegas to Calgary, what has been the most satisfying part of your journey to this point?
speaker-0: ⁓ I think the relationships, bro. I think that's the most satisfying part. And honestly, when I was cut and didn't have a team and didn't know what's next, that's what I missed the most. It was the locker room. know what I mean? And everything that comes with it, all the people that you're blessed to encounter and build relationships with. ⁓ You meet a lot of good people along the way, you know, and a lot of people that really play a role in your journey in one way or another. And so for me, I would say that the most joyful part of this whole experience and all the places I've been is like the relationships that I've got to meet with people on and off the field.
speaker-1: Well, ⁓ what was your stint in Vegas like? Obviously, know, Vegas in itself is an experience, but you're playing football in Vegas. What was that like? us a rundown.
speaker-0: Man, honestly, it was a lot different than I thought it would be as far as like being in Vegas. know, because you always like here Vegas, Vegas is like the party and the turn up, you know, and the craziness you got the strip and there's a bunch of stuff always going on in Vegas. But I didn't under like, I didn't know me and my wife both talk about this all the time. We didn't realize how chilly it can also be as well. Like the different areas like the facility was in Henderson and we live five minutes from the facility and we're in a great new community and you know, these communities are constantly being built up over there. So there's a lot of like really chill areas of Vegas and we loved it. And then, you know, playing for the Raiders, ⁓ you know, we really had a state of the art facility and organization is, you know, a first-class organization. There's so much history behind it. ⁓ You know, they got people like Max Crosby was like, you know, one of the greatest teammates I ever played with, you know, as far as like bringing others along and like this is like, he's one of those like Colby Michael Jordan type of workers too. You know what saying? And so, yeah, it was a great experience. know, obviously, wish things would have went different as does everybody who has been in my position. You know what I mean? But I have really nothing but great things to say about, you know, the organization and my time there. Like, I really loved not only playing football there, but being in Las Vegas, living in Las Vegas.
speaker-1: So talk a little bit about that transition. You get cut from the Raiders. What makes you say, I don't want to wait for another NFL opportunity or a UFL potential opportunity. I want to go to the CFL. What was that decision? And I'm sure it was conversation with your agent and things like that. What went into that?
speaker-0: Yeah. And so it was really like, waited the whole season. Like you cut at the beginning of the season right after training camp. And then it's like, you're hearing from teams. Like it was just a roller coaster, bro. So much stuff happens that's outside of your control. Like it was probably three different times where my agents like, all right, you'll be there on Monday workout or Monday or Tuesday workout sign. And then, you know, the next day you'll be into practice on the, on the peace bar or whatever it is. And it was just like every single time something. happened or something. Yeah, you know, and so it was just it was just exhausting. like one thing that I never stopped doing was like being prepared the whole entire time. Yep. So like from the time I got cut all the way up until last year season, I was just working and it was just me, you know, at the field by myself. And so that was it was hard. You know, I'm saying I tell people all the time like
speaker-1: You know what I'm
speaker-0: 90 % of the time I did not want to go work out when I woke up. But then I'll just ask God, give me the strength to get in the car. And when I get in the car, it's like, all right, I'm going go to the gym. And when I get to the gym, you have no choice but to work or else nobody wants to be at the gym wasting their time. But it told me a lot of valuable lessons of like that was the first time I really had to train consistently, hold myself accountable, and it's just me out.
speaker-1: Absolutely. You're not really, you don't know what you're working for.
speaker-0: Exactly, you you don't and you don't know what you want to do. You don't know where you're going to be. You don't know, you know, all you can do is kind of like faith, you know, I'm saying just like a blind faith. Like so I used to look at it like sawing seeds daily, just not knowing what the harvest is going to look like NFL, UFL, CFL or no, no football. You know, but I was like, none of the hard work is going to go in vain. You know, I don't believe that our work goes in vain. I believe that it's going to help you somewhere along the line, you know, in something in your life.
speaker-1: Absolutely.
speaker-2: Man, that is, I love that testimony because I talk to kids about that a lot about just the faith of doing things for the process of who it makes you and not for the outcome, right? We gotta be process oriented, not outcome oriented. And yeah, well, I just think like your faith, your faith is so much bigger than any sport we play. And I went through kind of a faith journey when I stopped playing football of like, who am I? Right? And we all have this identity crisis sometimes. But I think if you have your faith rooted in the right things, ⁓ I meet Jesus, it is, ⁓ it lets you know that you are so much bigger than the thing that you do. And when you were in that period of time where you were training with nothing in sight, it was just like, I'm doing this because like, because God's given me the ability to do this. And the person that it makes me when I train, right, I'm ready for the opportunity if it comes. And if it doesn't come, I've learned something through this. that's going to make me better in whatever the next thing is or chapter of life. sorry, sorry for the sermon. So speaking of that, right? If Jane wasn't playing football, what would you be doing?
speaker-1: Thank you.
speaker-0: and
speaker-1: You got a master's degree,
speaker-0: Yeah, I got a master's certificate and then got an MBA in marketing analytics. But man, I can't really boil it down. Like, humbly speaking, you know, feel like God's equipped me with so much, you know, that I could be successful in a lot of things, you know what saying? Just based off of how I'm going to approach it and kind of trying to shift the mindset of like hard work and apply it to however it applies to whatever I do next. And so I think that above all though, you know, instead of thinking about success or anything, I just think that I would be doing something. I hope I will be doing something that I feel as much purpose in doing as football. You know what I mean? And like you said, like, like I was talking about, like a lot of that purpose that I find in the day to day is off of relationships. You know what I mean? And so, yeah, I think something that's kind of working in a team, something where you're kind of working with others, you know what I mean? I think. can't really call it exactly what it be, but somewhere along those.
speaker-1: You wanna-
speaker-2: You got great exposure to it. got, mean, your dad, like you talked about, I think off camera that maybe he on camera, but your dad being a liaison for the Blazers. And then obviously there's coaches that have made a lasting impact in your life. Like it's cool when you get to play the game at the level that you have, but also the connections and the relationships that you have that you see usually for someone in our shoes, it's like, I'm to go coach. But you now know, and you've got the education to say, Hey, I could go do something else and still have an impact and be purposeful. in life. that's super cool.
speaker-0: 100%. Even coaching, coaching would be another thing that would be very purposeful because I know I would approach it, like I said. I mean, like you were saying, and we've all been blessed with certain coaches that really make an impact on us on and off the field. So that's another thing. Coaching is just like, what I think about is this like, people don't understand how much time coaches are.
speaker-1: Last guest we had on was having the conversation.
speaker-0: ⁓ They don't leave bro, they don't leave they're there before you They don't leave until way after you and they don't get to play, you know I'm saying and they got meetings in all sorts of extra stuff all the day So it's like man. Yeah, not getting to suit it up and doing all that ⁓
speaker-2: That's why it's high school. high school is the level. It's like you can, you don't got to game play too much, right? You can be there, you make it a good. You got to work life balance, but yeah, the college coaching thing, man. It's glorified. Yeah, college and up. Yeah, it's glorified, man. Cause it's like, bro, they put in hours. They don't get to see their family.
speaker-1: Family life balance, work life balance.
speaker-0: Yeah, exactly. Tough on the family. Shout out to all the coaches' wives, because when they be giving an appreciation and saying their wives be holding it down, I mean, I'm telling you, they have to be, because they be in the building all day.
speaker-1: Yeah, man. All night. Yeah, As you know, Kenan and I played at Montana and your current head coach is a Montana legend. What have you learned from Dave since you've been in the CFL with the Stampeders?
speaker-0: Man, Coach Stiggy, I mean, he, I think, you know, how the organized, the vibes around the organization, you know, inside the organization and the locker room, ⁓ the type of people that he brought into the building, you know, it was really, it really just, that matters a lot, you know, especially when you're in a situation that's new and a little bit uncomfortable, you know what I mean? And it was really like a breath of fresh air to. get to camp that we can see. I remember that first team meeting. I'm like, OK, he's a cool guy. know what mean? Serious about football, serious about winning football games. I could tell he cares. He cares about the players. And he's the true players coach. Takes care of us and whatnot. ⁓ And so that was really the biggest thing. was just like, he's really created a place that players that are there really enjoy being in. They really enjoy coming to work every single day.
speaker-2: Yeah, man. ⁓
speaker-0: ⁓
speaker-1: ⁓ Dave is a college football national champion, a great cup champion as a player and a coach. Did you like, you know, did you know how decorated he was when you first got there? And then like, you know, do you, do you ⁓ like, yeah, did you know how decorated he was when you first got there?
speaker-0: I mean, I had to do my own research when I first got signed and see who he is. Same with my position coach, because my position coach was a Hall of Famer in the CFO as well. So there's another D-line coach who's a first-belly Hall of Famer as well. I kind of got to know him. And was like, yeah, obviously you have an intrigue and an interest to kind of have more conversations with those guys and really be a sponge as much as you can, because the ultimate goal for anybody who plays the team sport should be to win a championship. I don't care if I'm in the CFL, UFL, XFL, NFL, college, that was always what I wanted, was to accomplish that team goal. That's so much bigger than just anything that a personal accolade or anything like that can get you. yeah, definitely. I'm blessed to have a coach that understands what it takes and has lived it. it's really easier for players to buy in, especially when it gets to playoff time and talking about trying to accomplish that goal as the season progresses.
speaker-2: Nice. Well, speaking of good players, ⁓ I want to take you back down memory lane and then into current day. Name your the player, the best player that you played against or the best matchup that you had in high school, college and at the pro level. It could be either. All right. One from each. Yeah.
speaker-0: One from each. Okay, I would say... Man, it's hard. Like, high school, I mean, I played against some good, some good high school. Nah, we didn't play Westview.
speaker-1: Did you guys play Westview in high school?
speaker-2: You guys play central catholic and Jesuit?
speaker-0: I never got to play them. So I would have like, I got to play like Jesuit, actually we played them in the championship, we lost to them. They had a running back actually, Jason Talley, who he had like 50 touchdowns, 50 rushing touchdowns or something crazy that year and was kind of big six, six, two, six, three, kind of like big running back like that.
speaker-2: They love the big running backs.
speaker-0: Yeah, so high school is a little bit harder. I mean, I think I would just say Elijah Moulton, he was on my team, you know, could have played running back in high school. He was so raw on offense. It was nice. I would say college, man, it's hard because like you gotta give me position.
speaker-2: Yeah, like a receiver.
speaker-1: You are a DB.
speaker-0: receiver. Yeah, Drake London, think. was he was nice, bro. And he was physical, bro. And he caught everything contested, bro. And his yak. And it was like, he was smooth. You know what I'm saying? And it made sense to see that he was like a high level Hooper as well. Yeah, he kind of moves like that. It's kind of like natural like on the football field.
speaker-1: And he played it, SD, did he?
speaker-0: Yeah, he played at se. Damn, I would say him him at him at receiver for sure.
speaker-1: Okay. And then the pros, whether it be NFL or CFL.
speaker-0: I would say, I say Devante
speaker-2: That's a good one, that was a good one.
speaker-0: But also Hunter Rempro was tough in the slap bro. Rempro was super tough. yeah, Devontae was like, that was a guy that I was like, okay, like how he runs his routes is like art. You know what I mean? It's like, really like, everybody's not doing it like that.
speaker-2: Yeah. Yeah. He got freedom bro, he got freedom like he knows where to get to in what timing Yeah, and it's like we gonna trust that you're gonna be there and do what you got to do to get there
speaker-1: ⁓ I always tell people this bro, because I was a big Devontae fan when I was in college and when I was growing up, like, just go look at that man's Fresno State numbers. He left as a sophomore, a redshirt sophomore. People don't do that. And he was a second round draft pick, bro. Like, just go look at his college numbers. Derek Carr was his quarterback, by the way. Dude left after two seasons. He was ready. He was league ready, bro. Dude is nice. Been nice.
speaker-2: Nice legit. Well, that's a good one, man. Obviously, Elijah Moldin in the league, Drake London in the league, Devontae obviously, probably big jacket guy. So you got to see some good, some good dudes, man.
speaker-0: Yeah, no, for sure. For sure.
speaker-1: ⁓ Feels like through your entire football career you've been doubted the whole time. What would you say to someone who may be getting overlooked like you? What would be your message to them?
speaker-0: And it's like my answer would have been different a few years ago, you know, because a few years ago, maybe even a little bit before that, like that's what really used to drive me. Like that's what used to like motivate me. Like, people think I can't do it. Like people are doubting me. Like first three, like I said, like first three seasons, like I'm balling, but people, don't know. my high school head coach is like, Hey, you sure you still want to play and stuff like that? And it was like, I used to take things like that and hold on to them, you know,
speaker-1: Yeah. Now that makes me want to play more.
speaker-0: Or everybody, anybody that ever said I couldn't do anything like that. And then it got to a point where that didn't move me anymore. You know what I'm saying? Like that wasn't sustainable for me. And I didn't want to continue to put my energy in like the doubt and would rather like put my energy in the people that believed in me and supported me, you know, and match it with the same work, you know? And so that's kind of where I'm at a place now. And so I would say like for anybody who's looking overlooked or like
speaker-1: Yeah.
speaker-0: doubted is to just like find your confidence in your preparation and your work. You know, knowing that you left no stone unturned in your preparation and your work ethic, that gives you a different feeling. Like it's like whatever happens, you know, like you can't control making every single play, you know, that you get, but you can control how you approach the game and how you approach life. And so for me, it would be that I guess to. kind of
speaker-1: that bro. I like that. I like the mindset shift and I like the fact that like, you know, in the beginning, yeah, that is what drove me but then like I had to shift that because well, well, go a little deeper in that though. What was it that spoke to you in your head to say I don't want to let the doubt drive me and I want something else to drive me now.
speaker-0: I think it was honestly my faith, right? It was like the same time I was coming into my faith. I didn't, like it was just kind of so opposite from how kind of Jesus lived his life. You know, and it was like, I think that's what kind of resonated with me. was just like, it just stopped motivating. Like it didn't do the same thing to me. and like I remember, you know, somebody close to me, ⁓ like when I was a senior in high school, like gotten the kind of like argument or whatever. And ⁓ they told me like I wasn't never going to like, you know, make it, you know, I wasn't going to like, I wasn't going to make it to the pros or you know, stuff like that. And I held on to it, you know, and I was kind of like, so like never had no hard feelings over it because like the person obviously apologized and we made up and stuff like that. But like I remember on my draft party, like I'd held on to it for seven years, you know, when I finally like did get that opportunity to go to the next level, like I was kind of like, yo, and joking, well, you remember this? Like when you said this and they were looking at me like, what are you talking about? And it was like, it did not like they didn't remember like, and so it was like, that didn't hit this. didn't feel good that I did that. I'm like, dang, I wish I would have never even brought that up. I wish I never would have even held on to that. You know, I wish I never even like, and so that's when I realized like that don't move me no more. You know what I'm saying? Like, like, because it kind of creates this like,
speaker-1: remember. Yeah.
speaker-0: I don't know, this own kind of hating your heart a little bit. You what saying? When you're so focused on haters and you're so focused on people that don't believe in you, like it kind of does something to your heart a little bit. So for me, it was just like, I could still keep this same like, you know, kind of killer dog mentality while also only, while also not doing it for the people that don't believe in me. know I'm saying? Doing it for the people that do believe in me.
speaker-1: Yeah.
speaker-2: Because you're carrying that.
speaker-0: Exactly,
speaker-2: And it's like, it's such a heavy burden to carry like that feeling to prove others wrong when, it kind of, you talk about like faith. It's more of the love that you have for the people that believed in you and the love that you have for yourself, where it's like, I'd rather just prove people right. I'd rather just prove all the people that believed in me right than proving everybody else wrong because it's like, I'm just carrying the burden of hate. And that's not what Jesus would ever do, right? It's like three things will last forever, faith, hope and love. And the greatest of these is love. So good on you, man. Like I love hearing that because I think so many people live a life to prove others wrong. And it's like, no, man, like why can't we just live a life of love and loving the people that love us and trying to do our best because of that. ⁓ Yeah. It takes a lot further in life.
speaker-0: Yeah, and don't get me wrong, like, I'm still human, you know what I'm saying? Like, I'm still human. somebody, like, if somebody was like, you know, before the game, tell me I ain't nothing, you know, stuff like that, like, I can't say I'm not gonna have a little action, know, I'm not, I'm not, it ain't green like that. You know I'm saying? But it's like, it's just the overall mentality. And when I find myself, I try to catch myself and I feel kind of conviction over over kind of that mentality and I'll try to catch myself right then and there and kind of acknowledge it. know, absolutely.
speaker-2: That's a great question.
speaker-1: I'm sure that moment when you hit up dude who doubted you, you kind of felt like that meme where it's like, it's not that deep where the dude's in the water and it's not that deep. It's like, you thought it was so deep and then you try to get at him. He didn't even feel it the same way.
speaker-0: You're like, it was like exactly. And it was just like, and it was like the person never, and it was also not like it was set out of emotion, even at the time. And I knew that. So I never held it against him, but it was just like this other part of me made it like, was like, that was reality. You know, like that was how that person really felt. Or like, if that was even a thing when it was really just a heat of the moment thing, that was, you know what I'm saying? Yeah. So like, that's why it was like, dang, like they really don't remember that at all. Like, you know,
speaker-1: Yeah.
speaker-2: And anger drove them to that statement, right? But it didn't even mean that anger drove them to that, who are we to hang on to anger and like allow it to fuel us when it's like, man, it even that powerful. So this one, what is something that failure taught you that success never could? I think that's the way the question's written.
speaker-0: Exactly. Yeah. What is something that failure taught you? I think that it's just like, man, and this is, you know, this is just my testimony, right? Like, I think that like, I would say it took me for being like, it was this quote that I used to like live by when I was first coming into my faith, right? And it was like, it takes you hitting rock bottom to realize that God is the rock at the bottom. Wow. And so for me, that rewrote like finding God at my lowest and seeing how he's kind of transformed me and how, mean, obviously I'm still continuously every day I work in progress, like seeing that growth and being in that state of humility, learning what humility truly means, you know what saying? Knowing that I'm really like so small, you know, compared to the Lord. And to know that like all of my goodness and all the things that I gave myself credit for was all Him, you know, and then like giving Him all the glory in my entire journey, you know, like that was something that I think what the world would say personal failures and athletic failures taught me that success in that area, I don't know if I ever would have learned or how I would have learned it otherwise, you know what I mean? And so, yeah, I that was kind of...
speaker-1: to hit rock bottom to realize God was the rock at the bottom. Yo, that's a bar. Whoever told you that?
speaker-2: That is all.
speaker-0: I ain't right that that was a scene it there Instagram or something like that back in like five years ago, probably
speaker-2: It's dope. ⁓
speaker-1: When Jayden Grant's football career is all finished, what do want people to say about you?
speaker-0: Man, ⁓ first of all, mean, for my teammates, I just would want them to say that I was a great teammate, you know, that I genuinely cared for their success, you know, just as much as my own. And ⁓ I pray that I mean, I hope that they would say that I was a guy that did whatever it took, you know, to win or contribute to winning was selfless. And then on the field, like I've always felt like people know me for just like my heart, you know. and just like how I played the game. You know, I believe it's really only like one way to play the game and that's all out. And the moment that I realized that I don't play the game that way anymore, I won't be playing the game anymore. Yeah. You know what I'm saying? And so like really just the things that are in my control, you know, that I approached the game the right way, that I respected the game the right way and in its entirety, you know what I'm saying? And that I worked to try to accomplish that goal. of winning, you know, in everything that I did. And so I think more so than being a great player or, you know, I mean, like the individual things, how good can I be? I think is more importantly, like how you positively affect people that you're blessed to have your hands able to reach, like I was saying, all going back to those relationships.
speaker-2: That's awesome. So last question that we always ask. So what would you say to the young Jane Grant that maybe it's young Jane Grant basketball player young Jane Grant football player, ⁓ or just a young kid from Oregon that wants to play a college sport? ⁓ What do you say to that kid? How do they get into your shoes one day?
speaker-0: I mean, I think I would go back and tell myself, you know, I wish I would have known who Jesus was earlier, you but obviously you can't get time back. But I think that's the first thing that I would tell myself is to get to know Jesus and strengthen your relationship with the Lord because that's more important than anything in life. And also when you're in alignment with your faith, everything else just seems to be working out, you know, because you're kind of just walking how he wants you to walk. ⁓ That's the hard thing for a kid to understand at that age, you know, who hasn't gone through things that they need to go through, you know, throughout their college football careers and in life. ⁓ So I think I would also say keep those horse blinders on, meaning focus on your lane, right? Don't look at anybody else's lane. Don't try to compare yourself to nobody else. Don't try to want what anybody wants. Don't be jealous or envious or anything like that. Focus on you and control what's in your control. because there's so many things that are outside your control. At the moment you give your energy to those things outside your control, you're going to mishandle what's in your control. so that would be my biggest piece of advice. That's what I tell kids all the time. Just control what's in your control because there's already enough that's outside of your control that you'll never be able to control. You know what saying? So you might as well make sure that things that you can't control your approach to the game. How coachable are you? your character, how you treat people. Like you better make sure that you're doing those things right. Because like I said, those things will transcend far beyond sports.
speaker-1: slugve.
speaker-2: I love all the guests that we have on but this message by far my favorite message by far my favorite because of your your just your approach and your testimony and just how adversity has carved and shaped you and how it is like adversity is the greatest thing that can bring us closer to Jesus because it's an opportunity for your faith to grow and You being vulnerable and open about your you know your adversity and how it shaped your faith ⁓ I think is a testament to all young, like every young athlete needs to hear this.
speaker-0: Yeah, like I love when I read the Word, know, nowadays it comes up in Bible study, right? And I'm just like, it just starts to click in your life. Like the scripture, I believe in James, where it talks about adversity, right? Like you're guaranteed to go through trials. like trials and tribulations are the only way that you can build perseverance, you know, without perseverance, you can't be complete, you know, as a person. And so it's just like, man, that was one of those things that's like,
speaker-1: Yeah.
speaker-0: more I started to know that scripture, the more that God showed me how true that's been in my life.
speaker-2: Amen, man.
speaker-1: Amen. Amen, man. This is great, man. I appreciate you so much for coming on, I appreciate you. know it took us like a week, bro, but like, man, this was so worth it.
speaker-0: you guys.
speaker-2: It was worth the wait, baby! Worth the wait, dawg!
speaker-1: Appreciate you so much, ⁓ We're be watching your journey. Good luck this season. know how long you got till training camp, couple of weeks, right?
speaker-0: I leave on May 8th, yeah, so like a week and a half.
speaker-1: Okay, well good luck, bro. All the best to you. Thank praying for your health praying for a great season praying for success and just come visit us down the road when you guys win that ring, man.
speaker-0: Yes sir, thank you bro, I appreciate you guys. Thank you for having me on there. Absolutely.
speaker-1: Yeah, brother.