Charles Woodson Talks New Whiskey, Michigan, Raiders, Chiefs & More with Rich Eisen | Full Interview

he is a Pro Football Hall of Famer one of the alltime greats Charles Woodson good to see you Charles how are you good to see you rich man how are you I great uh right back at you look at look look at uh look at us uh you got the wine behind you uh I have right here Woodson whiskey team 144 bottle right there okay right there first ever uh spirit sponsor in history of the storyed athletic department team 144 that which won it all last year Mason blueberry lemonade and the Michigan mule are going to be served in the big house using this that's correct hey that's big time man this is this is the first this is the first of its kind at the University of Michigan you know as well as I do that they don't sell you know alcohol in our venues there and um you know it was just passed last year that they were going to allow um alcohol the spirits to be sold within the stadium and so I mean what what better way to introduce it than to have you know the the the first and only defensive player to win the Heisman that's right you know to be the first Spirit sponsor um of Michigan Athletics so I'm certainly so proud of of of you know being in this position having the support of my University a big shout out to my my my team you know Joel Jay and Chris uh for helping to make this thing happen and everyone at the University of Michigan you know I I sent a post out earlier I said man this is this is big time this is big time you know for us to be the first so extremely proud man and uh you know hope everyone in the stadium who decides that this would be you know their Spirit of choice you know when they're enjoying a game um to think of think of Woodson whiskey uh but please drink responsibly as well I love it Charles Woodson excellent message right there excellent news as you could see Team 144 bottle right here back on the Rich Eisen show radio network to the Roku Channel audience Charles Woodson uced once again we just showed off team 144 Woodson whisky team 144 bottle inspired inspired by the national champions indeed but Charles you didn't win the Heisman Trophy just because you played one side of the ball you are more than just a onedimensional person onedimensional whiskey maker it's not just this bottle right here wait for it I have the limit wait for it as they say in the game show but wait there's more limited edition 65th anniversary bottle in collaboration with the Raiders right there hey Rich usually they say hold my beer but I'm gonna say hold my whiskey look at that yes dude you're killing it you're killing it the official bourbon of the Las Vegas Raiders uh we started this partnership last season and uh as a part of this season being the 65th anniversary of of Raiders football and that commitment to Excellence you know this is one of the perks of being a partner and being able to come up with these commemorative bottles and you know on that bottle of course is that that that logo Raiders logo representing 65 but also throwing up to throwing up the O you know you got to give love to Oakland you know where it all started um where I was drafted as a young rookie in 1998 so very proud to um have that label and just giving that love you know to the to the city of Oakland um who lost their team to Vegas but we never forget about where we come from and so that is an old to to the Oakland Raiders um so of course big shout out to the Oakland Raiders the LA Raiders and then now the Las Vegas Raiders so happy 65th anniversary to the Raiders Woodson whiskey.com to find out where you can get uh these babies and and start uh drinking responsibly um I I I got to be honest with you Charles watching the first first half of Michigan uh Fresno State I was thinking of drinking somewhat irresponsibly and I greeted from my intercept line but you know these things these things you know take time what great great plug by the way thank you sir listen come on there's there may be an eye in rich in Eisen but I'm a team player when it comes to you so uh what what was your impression of Michigan's uh season opener Charles honestly I would say Rich about what I expected um I think coming into the season man losing you know the type of players that we lost um this particular year um being that we had like I think 16 guys that went on you know to the next level losing your quarterback starting quarterback who was 27 And1 I believe throughout his career corm has the most touchdowns talk about that offensive line um that played last year um we lost a lot you lost your head coach you lost both both coordinators um I mean how I don't know how it was supposed to look after all that I know that know this team is going to be well coached Chiron and the uh assistant coaches on Michigan would get this team rolling but it's hard to imagine that everything was going to come out and roll smoothly um you had a qu quarterback in Warren who came out who had his ups and downs throughout the game you know threw a pick had a guy who probably could have hit it um down the field for a touchdown threw it a little short so um he's going to have to go through his Growing Pains as a as a a quarterback the running game which you know we've always relied on at the University of Michigan you know was not there you kind of got things going a little bit late in the game but I mean I think this is to be expected you know from this team you know having so many guys that they have to replace um so I'm hoping that you know guys like Donovan Edwards who's a you know veteran on that team will Johnson who made a big play at the end of the game you know can you know get these guys you know each and every day as Veterans of the team ready to play and uh um you know do better down the stretch so then moving on to uh the Raiders what's your expectation level for the Vegas Raiders this year Charles man you know it's you know the quarterback situation is one where you know you had the the quarterback battle and M was the guy who's going to be the guy um at the helm for the Raiders so I feel like you know like most teams man you got to get the most out of that position and so I'm hoping that he can go out there and be consistent um you know from from start to finish if he's the guy the whole season um you know lean on lean on a running game of course um get the ball to your Playmakers like Devonte Adams um we got the young kid of course out of Georgia the tight end who I think is going to be a big weapon for us and and also May mayor the tight end last year so being able to run some two tight end sets so this this offense I'm hoping to get going uh but for me um you know the defense with with Max Crosby I think is a guy you know is going to have to um you know they got to set the tone I think the defense has to set this set the tone so for me I I I think for every team you got to see how how it you know how it looks early on you know just just to kind of see you know how how how it's going to play out um so I'm looking for big things of course I'm hoping for big things but you know things for the Raiders man you know you know how it is man it's been a rough go for us over the years so I'm hoping we can bring back a little bit of that Swagger that we ended the season with last year Well Antonio Pier uh it's it's wild that that what got him the gig the way they finished beating Kansas City in uh Arrowhead on Christmas Day the last team to beat Kansas City as as of this conversation um also caused them to fall a little bit too far in the draft to get a quarterback you know I I I guess it's it's it's a little bit good and bad I love the addition of Christian Wilkins to that defensive line and him and Max Crosby can do some serious damage but uh you have any contact with with um coach Pierce talk to him and figure out what what his philosophy is going to be as a an HC full-time now Charles well first I'm I'm I don't know if I'm happy about the win at the end of the season against the Chiefs because you know let them tell it that's kind of the thing that woke them up late in the season and then they went on you know to win the Super Bowl again um but you know with Antonio Pierce I think what what you know he brings to the table you know is a guy that you know kind of you know was was was groomed in that Raiders tough um physical tradition you know that is the old Raiders you know he he grew up watching this team and he knows the players uh that were a part of the team he grew up understanding what it meant to be a Raider and what it meant to uh what what it meant to wear the silver and black and so I think that he brings that tough tough-minded physical hard noos mentality to the rest of the team and I think all of those guys pick up on it if you're around you know Antonio Pierce he's a No Nonsense type of guy but also a guy who's been in the locker room so he understands the game understands the needs of the players um so he's gonna he's going to be on those guys tough um he's going to coach them hard but then also understands you know the toll that the game takes on you as a player you know and be and being able to understand what those guys need um at the right times throughout this season so I think he he he'll have the right approach I think he's got the right approach right now you know he he had a tough decision to make do you you go with a Young quarterback you know that you drafted or do you go with gam issues so you know you know that he's willing to go out there and make the tough decisions as a coach um but I just think that you know his intensity and the way that he's going to coach these guys man would get the best out of few minutes left with Charles Woodson Pro Football Hall of Famer all-time great from from the University of Michigan as well Woodson whiskey is on fire with a team 144 bottle and a Raiders limited edition 65 anniversary bottle go to Woodson whiskey.com to find out so um how do the Chiefs not three repeat Charles I mean how how about me just phrasing it that way yeah but walk me through it they they could be you know they would have to be Their Own Worst Enemy because I feel like every year you know you look at a couple of years ago they they they lose um you know Tyreek Hill and and then it seemed like you know they they don't miss a beat right they go out and win the Super Bowl um last year it seemed like they were kind of you know hitting the wall a little bit towards the end of the season and then I mentioned you know the Raiders go there and beat them and then all of a sudden they woke him up and lit a fire up under them and then they went to went to Baltimore and took care of business in Baltimore and then they G you know to win the Super Bowl looking at the draft you know this is a team that likes to get down the field and then there they have another guy like a Tyreek Hill that can stretch the field get you know get down the field and terrorize defenses uh down the field which helps Patrick Mahomes show off his the arm that he has so it seem like seems like this team every year um they lose an element of their team and then they just reload it with something someone else who comes in and can contribute right away um so the only only way that this team I feel gets derailed is is if they get complacent as a team or injuries which you know could happen to any team I think that's probably the only two things that knocks knocks these guys off because as long as 15 is back there uh Travis Kelce is still in the game Chris Jones is there on the defense this team is gonna be right back in the mix so your Super Bowl prediction would be what give it to me what do you got yeah it's hard for me to knock the the Chiefs off the mantle so I'm going to say say they're going to be back uh in the Super Bowl um and then I'm I'm going to go with my old team I'm going to go with the Green Bay Packers I'm gonna go with the Green Bay Packers really like what they did in the off season I love the fact of well I hate that that Jacobs went from you know the Raiders had to leave the Raiders to go to another team but he went to another one of my old teams old teams in the Packers and then uh you know bringing a guy on the defensive side of the ball like Xavier McKenna a ball hwk you know he's he's a young but still a veteran you know as far as I'm concerned been in the league for a couple of years U so having additions like that I feel like the growth of joy and love I feel like you have a young guy at the quarterback who you know gets to grow up with his young receivers you know aod older guy probably didn't have the type of relationships you know with those young guys that you would like to have between your quarterback and receivers but you think about Jordan love you know a young guy who does he hang out with he hangs out with the other young guys so these guys now I feel like the uh weapons that he has you know at the receiver position reminds me of when I played there when we had a Greg Jennings a Donald Driver um Jordy Nelson and um met jichael Finley like we had you know weapons you know all over the place and I feel like he has that now I feel like the Packers always do really well in terms of bringing in young talented receivers so I'm going to go with u a young Packers teams is hungry that that last year had a real shot you know at making it you know getting to the Super Bowl and getting and and having a shot at winning it again so I'm gonna go Kansas City Chiefs Green Bay Packers and then who wins it Gotta Give me a winner come on well I gotta go with the pack I mean if I got one of my teams in the so wow okay all right gota go with that team yeah well the Packers getting to the Super Bowl over the Lions or the Eagles or the Cowboys or the 49ers or any of the other teams that made the playoffs last year would be kind of surprising and then for those for them to be the ones to stand in the way of the Chiefs that would uh that would make you um you know one of one I imagine outside of cheese head Nation you know that would what I'm all I'm all about being first I know that if you ain't first if you ain't first you're last that's right that's right we we would have beaten Nebraska right if we played him back in the day 100% 100% we would would have shut we would have shut down that option and the passing game would have been null and boy we would have been all over that passing game so we' have shut it down that's exactly right Chris he knows his football know actually they would have got us rich you know I this guy down Syracuse gets one win and all of a sudden he's so excited thanks for admitting that yeah we would have got you we would have got you you could have got it I'll be honest I'm I'm a little nervous for next week with Texas are you going are you going to be there I'll be there I'll be there with uh big no kickoff that's right um I believe we got a three-hour show you know so we're there for the Long Haul and look forward to an electric crowd you got two big Brands going against each other um Michigan of course they they won the game it was a little rocky you know at first but we we we got the win we needed um Texas they looked good sure did you know they came out especially that open opening drive you know I think they're kind of where we were last year got a bunch of guys that are back and um I mean offensively they looked on schedule you know opening drive I think a turn over to the second drive but then the third drive it was right back down the field so absolutely you know going to be a a tough matchup for us and I look forward to um Michigan Texas on all right I look forward to seeing you there I'll be watching uh in advance of that game and Charles congrats on everything going on here with Woodson whiskey uh got team 144 bottle the limited edition 65th anniversary bottle of the of the Raiders love flying American Airlines and choosing the intercept by the way at 40,000 ft it goes down well by the way it's 5:00 somewhere nice glass nice glass right there very good go right back at you go Blue thanks again Charles you be well right back at you the great Charles Woodson check him out on Fox and then obviously check out his spirits Woodson whiskey.com there we go Charles Woodson everybody what we got there the pride of oh Lake not yeah shout out to my Lake not Lions man I'm coaching my helping coach my son's high school team man so I got to give him a give him a shout out man let know the Lions baby okay are you calling anybody into your office like Lord Carr called you into his back in the day anybody been called in your office Charles I've been I've been close I've been close Rich I've been close you call anybody's anybody have call your call somebody's mother on them like he called yours right back in the day I love that story that's one of my favorites no I I I I can see it happening I can see it happening isn't it amazing you know these the kids these days I think a little they might be a little worse than me Rich I may be call I may be calling some parents sometime soon full circle stuff that's Charles Woods and everybody right here on the Rich Eisen show catch the Rich Eisen show every single day on the Roku Channel 12 to 3 Eastern for free