Daron Payne + London Fletcher + Mike Tirico Week 1 v Tampa Bay | Next Man Up | Washington Commanders

welcome in commanders family to the next man up Podcast we talked to your favorite commanders players we talked to some Legends we even talked to some big time commanders fans there's not so much EX NOS it's about the men behind the helmet and this week we got a fun one we got the big man in the middle donon pay talking all things week one match up against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers then we get a national perspective Mike too joins the show to talk about the offseason he seen from the Washington commanders and then we had to have the captain aboard yes that's right big Fletch London Fletcher joins the show to get y'all hype and to set the tone that's all on next man up Scrat so nice got to hear it [Music] twice the place be see what's good commanders family and welcome into the next man up Podcast our next man up right now is our big man in the middle Don pay brother how you doing man all right yeah man good to see you bro we happy to have you man and it's crazy because I've talked to Jonathan I've talked to Bobby I talked to everybody on this defense but me and you we've only wrapped about your car we haven't got to talk about all that man so let's get right into it cuz you know next man up we like talking about The Man Behind the helmet so first things first you're going into year seven what was different about this offseason for you uh I mean offseason for me is kind of the same like I just be training training hard uh getting getting after it the only different I had um I had a little girl in May so we welcomed her in and uh just been taking care of her but Sho I just been training yeah what has being a father done for you man like I know me when I became a dad everything changed you know I stopped being able to be selfish and it was like okay I have something to work for I have something to live for is that what happened with you um no I definitely like um L just enjoy just being able to come home and see her and um just love on her and and watch her grow up and change and just grow so it's going to be a fun experience and um a lot of sleepless nights you know but it's cool now I like it you think she gonna be a daddy's girl oh yeah for well she love her mama but she might so they say about daughters is that like you know they're the ones that's for the dads you know I got a son and he's all about his mama so I'm like man if one day I have a girl man hopefully she all about her dad man so congratulations on that man that's a big deal and I mean it's not just you having a daughter right like you could just tell there's energy about you that's just a little different man that smile on your face is just a little different what about this season is so different for you um shoot I just feel like we got a bunch going on for the team like we got a good good coaches like they they all about um just bettering us and finding ways for us to be better like players and they want to they want us to um like be at our top game like they they they give us time to recover and um just ask us like what what we think we can get better at and just whatever we need to be a better football play on Sundays they they try to help us so I feel like it's good for us and not every guy has been here as long as you right you're really an elder Statesman here you've been here for a while and you've seen the energy shift a lot of that has to be because of what Dan Quinn has brought to this right yeah no the coaching staff and all of the extra things that they brought in man I feel like it's going to be good for us like all the coaches they is kind of like they all are the same like they all are like on 10 every day like they bring the energy every day so it's cool to see and then Joey Jr a guy that I've seen he's always on T like he be turn he be cool in the Halls he be chilling but man when he's on that field it's a whole another thing how excited are you to play under a defense Ran by A guy like Joe Jr who has brought so much to the NFL man he give us the ability just to go out there and play with confidence and um just get after people man like he preached just running after the ball so like the intensity to the ball and like like it's always like they always say it's two plays like the initial like get off and then the play after the actual play going so it's like we get to the ball and trying to just create plays after the play so trying to just do things the right way now you mentioned all the other things going on that is also Daryl tap Sharee Floyd guys that have done it yep RK right Carrigan guys that have done it and excelled at a high level how much benefit is that giving you and you guys now that you have these guys that have done it before so it's cool man um just like I play with rkade so he knows like he knows how I like to rush and he knows the things I like to do so like just like this week we got something going in like he'll look he'll look at the LL and then he know how I Rush he'll be like oh I think you'll be good doing this this week or you probably can get after this guy doing this this week so it's like it's it's cool to see and you know he has so much success in his league so it's like he can um you want to kind of just get all the information you can out of him and hopefully it helps you and you're a guy that's giving out a lot of information now because you've also been the mentee where you have a Jonathan Allen you're here you're learning from a guy like that but then you have a Johnny Newton who is not only a rookie but he's also coming off of an injury he's trying to catch back up how have you been able to help a guy like Johnny get acclimated to the defense y'all running I talk to him a little bit it's hard cuz you know he not around right now cuz of the the injury and stuff but um like when he be working in and stuff he always listening and um trying to just ask questions and but once he get back to rotating in with us I know he'll probably just be wondering about how like little technique things and stuff and year seven is it sounds like a lot bro clearly you're still a very young man you're still in your Prime so how are you getting better how have you felt like you've gotten better oh I feel like just year seven is all about like taking care of your body and um being fresh on G game days and just all the little stuff outside of suting up on Sundays like training and Recovery like I just um I hit it hard on recoveries after I leave here like 6:00 to 900 p.m. so it's like it never it never stops man but I feel like it helps me become better like just like I said with RK man I learned stuff from him that I feel like I used in my game man I used to watch him come in and roll out and and stretch and train hard every day and it's like Sho he almost got 100 sacks is it weird though like now that you're that role model cuz people are watching you now is is that something that's really sit on you yet or you still feel like you that young man just trying to get it uh I don't know I I still be thinking I'm still like a rookie in the league well not a rookie but I still be feeling like I'm a young guy but I know I be I can see like when we get new guys in like they they be watching me and watching my routine and how I train and stuff so you definitely want to be on your like best so so you can uh give a did a good give a good example to those guys and you got week one coming up the Tampa Bay Buccaneers man what is the expectation for you and this defense when y'all go faing Tamp Buccaneers for week one sh run and hit that's what that's what we go to do on Sunday man we go get out there and try to execute the game plan but shoot going to go run and H some last question last time you saw next man up I asked you who's the best interior duo in the NFL you said DP and Ja who is the best interior duo in the NFL today we go we go man we go to put some on tape this year man I'm excited it's going to be a good year and we can't wait to see you man Don thank you so much for your time bro we know you a busy man and can't wait to see you ball out on Tampa brother appreciate you now commanders family for our next man up I feel like we need to get a national perspective you might have seen him on the Olympics you might have heard him on NB 's biggest Sports shows including Sunday Night Football even golf Andy winner Mr Mike too how you doing Mike right good to be with you happy football season oh man thank you so much there's no better time than football season but you might feel differently because you were just in par you were in Paris covering the Olympics first of all congratulations you killed it as you always do talk to us about that experience yeah our team killed it it was a wonderful experience to be in that with our entire group it was really exciting I think to see the Olympics resonate with American viewers again for a lot of people of a certain age who grew up on the Olympics and watching the Olympics and had lost a little bit of luster for a variety of reasons uh could be because of the last two were Co no fans uh really haven't had a city that has been one of those telegenic magical cities since London Rio could have been but zika virus other things kind of took a little bit of the luster from Rio but Paris was a Star Team USA was a star we had you know everybody from Martha Stewart to Kelly Clarkson and Snoop Dogg and Jimmy F hanging out with us and I think you just see the broad swwa of America that loves being around the Olympics and it was nice to see our country unified around something for the first time in quite some time well Mike I have no doubt you being involved in La will make it just as good as Paris it was great hearing you do the broadcast you're so great at this and it's about football though now you hit the ground run the ground run as soon as you got back from the Olympics it was football time I actually just saw you on the field at commanders field which is now Northwest Stadium you were there doing our final preseason game against the New England Patriots you were on the field you caught The Vibes you felt the environment and you've been around a long time what was different about this time being back in the DMV yeah two weeks and the stadium name changed already right it happened fast changed F year it it does uh you know I I like this team a lot every new team has a new energy a new juice the building is excited for a variety of reasons but Dan Quinn got an Atlanta franchise to the Super Bowl right we all know how that ended up but Dan built a really good locker room and good team and in Dallas you watch his defense play the last three years he saw the same thing very together group very connected group and those traits we assumed would carry over to this team and they have and then I think the biggest part is one you found a quarterback we don't know till the regular season starts but Jaden looks outstanding in every aspect of leadership and play and all that stuff Terry mcen a good receiver added to a good running back at Robinson with with Eckler have have an offensive line we've brought in some experienced guys to steady especially a center who knows the division and biis who can help the Young quarterback with all the stuff that you do at the line of scrimmage and the defense Dan Quinn knows his defense and brought in a lot of veterans and some rookies like Mike S still is gonna I think be terrific in that nickel position or corner period for this Washington team and all of a sudden you look up and you say this team's pretty good I I think this team really has all the ingredients to surprise people I me the the prediction game is silly youd have real no really no idea who's going to stay healthy but if I look at Washington right now and their team I would say this is a team that can certainly be 500 and if you're in that neighborhood that means you're a game or two away from being in the playoff mix and that would not be not be out of the question from what I see with this team going into this year Mike I don't think fans will be mad at that and you mentioned guys like Austin Eckler Bobby Wagner you've seen them right throughout the years because of what you've been able to do in broadcasting you see guys like that that have accomplished so much with their teams right and they decide to come here from a national perspective what does that mean to you go when you see these veterans that have been around saying you know what we want to go play for Dan Quinn that says a lot I think it's a really good point especially if Bobby wagon who played for Quinn in Seattle in 12 and 13 and knows him and he's continuing his career here an Austin Eckler who is a player who obviously has had success but finds not just the right football fit but also the right personality of a locker room and it it Vibes and jives with what we've experienced interviewing these players in production meetings over the years they are guys who very much will buy into Dan's vision of a Brotherhood and bringing the team together so I I think there are a lot of strategic Parts I think one that really stands out to me as a guy I mentioned before in Tyler bies obviously a couple of the guys who were Edge rushers in Dallas come over that makes sense Dan knows them they know Dan but then you have somebody on the other side of the ball who went up against that defense and saw the way the defensive coordinator handled the team and set a tone with that group and he was willing to go in free agency and be a part of that that says a lot about Tyler first off because Dan knew exactly what he was trying to get and that type of leader but it also says a lot about the way Dan has handled his team so I think those multiple veteran signings tell you right there Dan's respected around the league and it was was respected by the people in his building there when he was working in Dallas he use the word set the tone and and I know you're very familiar with the great London Fletcher Mister set the tone now you're a national guy and I talked to London about it my man deserves a gold jacket he belongs in the Hall of Fame do you feel that way and what do you think about London Fletcher from a national perspective because that's what we look at right when getting these guys into Hall of Fame it's not just what we feel about him in the BMB the national perspective has to be there so talk about London Fletcher and why he deserves to be in the Hall of Fame first class individual involved in so many tackles Dependable showed up all the time uh you know from where he came in from to where he ended up he's certainly in that very very small group but to sit here and say snap the finger he's definitely a Hall of Famer without going through the rest of the linebackers is is tough for me but that's somebody who's certainly in the conversation and that matters to me a lot like I I fight a lot for Rodney Harrison a guy who I work with who was part of multiple championships in New England and was a great tone Setter there and Bill bich almost all the time talks about how Rodney should be in the Hall of Fame so there are some that I've looked at and studied London I haven't specifically but certainly as a person and as a guy who performed at a high level for a long time absolutely a guy whose name should come up at the table and in the conversation on a regular basis and I'm glad that guys don't get in just like this it's not the Hall of good it's the Hall of great right and um if you're in the conversation for it that there's no embarrassment that you're not picked in the first term or the second time around I think there's a lot of opportunities together and Mike somebody that we hope can put together a Hall of Fame career here in Washington is our rookie quarterback Jaden DS you got to see him up close you got the cover him and we know you you study when you do a broadcast you study unlike anybody I've ever heard of and I've just heard about that through the business so with your studies what you seen from that little short clip of Jaden just seeing him warm up on that field how are you feeling about our rookie quarterback well you know I I lean on the experts like Chris Collinsworth who I get to work with who you know spent a good part of the draft buildup looking at all the quarterbacks and I know how he how high he was but speaking to Brian Kelly about Jaden Daniels before the Heisman last year and then watching how he performed I was really impressed and then the preseason sample was great but I think also meeting him and talking to him and you understand the things that he learned at LSU and the things he accepted Brian Kelly is a hard grader on quarterbacks he toughens quarterbacks up not just by challenging them verbally if they make a mistake but also with what he asks them to do and Jaden Daniels comes into the league having Mike the know Mike the linebacker um having change of protection having an understanding of what's going on not just taking taking hand signals from the sideline and regurgitating a play so I think he's got an awareness on the football field that is above where maybe some of the other quarterbacks are coming out given the way college football's being played right now so having come through that you know he's going to be at a different level and then talking to him and hearing the stories of how they had to change the access at the football facility at LSU because Jaden was trying to get in there at hours that people weren't normally trying to get in his use of virtual reality uh to just have the goggles on and run through plays those types of things tells you how intentional and serious he is about the sport and those are the traits and trademarks of the best quarterbacks we've seen so he's got the physical he's got the mental he's got the approach that doesn't mean he's going to walk out there and be great this year but I think he's got a heck of a chance to get off to a really good start in his career and in part good offensive line good receivers good tight end a good running back so I think he's got it all in position to succeed this year and Mike you mentioned your partner Chris Collinsworth he called Jaden Daniels the future Superstar of the NFL now you have seen a lot of superstars in your day what does it take to be a superstar quarterback the face of a team because you know it's more than just play on the field there's so much that goes into that in your experience what makes a superstar I think it's a maturity I think it's a comfort with the surroundings it's an understanding of what the job entails sometimes you've got to go up there and be the team spokesperson after a loss credit your teammates after a win it's not about you um a selfless leadership you have to get along with the offensive lineman and you've got to get along with the receivers who feel like they should be seeing the ball two or three more times a game all all of that U plays into it at the foundational level but it begins with the ability and you know can you throw can you run can you stay healthy as a runner you know I think if we look back at Russell Wilson's career when he was playing his best football I thought he manipulated the sideline and the slide better than any quarterback he rarely took a big hit but I think we've seen with Michael Vic we saw with Donovan McNab who is a great quarterback during his Syracuse days so I got to see him in college and then on in the NFL very good quarterback with Philadelphia uh we've seen it now with Russell Wilson at we saw with Cam Newton there was no Runner like Cam Newton at some point a quarterback's legs can't do what they do early on so it's while you have that weapon use it wisely and stay healthy use that arm strength and understanding of throwing the football to keep yourself in position to threaten all the time and then just be the most steady person in the building I think all those things together are going to help make him an elite quarterback the whole you know the Superstar thing that's Patrick Mahomes right Lamar Jackson some may say is a superstar because he's won two MVPs he's also only won a couple of playoff games right so what what defines ultimately a superstar it it's hard to say it's different for everybody I'll take Lamar Jackson on my team anytime right same with Patrick Mahomes but sometimes how we measure the guys depends on the team around you and the success that the team has not just your stats or your individual awards that you get so Jade's got all the tools patience and time I know Washington fans are frustrated it's been a long time since the team's been over 500 and good but I think patience uh will be the thing that will pay off for this organization over the next couple years with a great Gem of a quarterback in Jaden Daniels and Mike we appreciate your perspective so much before we let you go I have to ask you about week one against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers what do the commanders need to do to find success against the Buccaneers this league we always talk about quarterbacks right well let's start for one second on the other side of the ball what we've seen from Tampa we had them in a playoff game at Detroit last year what a what a good defensive team they are and it doesn't matter who's out there on a regular basis that Tampa defense gives you problems with different looks good secondary play so it will not be easy and being a first game for a rookie quarterback you know that there's going to be a lot that Todd BS shows J Daniels terms of looks and blitzes and pressures and all that stuff on the other side offensively Baker Mayfield had a really good season last year and Baker told us before the playoff game just his perspective finding a place where he car was cared about and could fit has helped him develop as a leader and bouncing around a little bit did too and it's funny remember that game against the r or for the Rams where he came in last minute on a Thursday night played a terrific game and it always gave his career a little bit of a resurrection well look at what he did last year in Tampa very steady not Superstar numbers but he got a team built around him and I think that they're in the same position again this year people don't talk about them going in Atlanta's the flavor of the month in the NFC South because of all their moves and they should be they made some great moves starting with Kurt Cousins and going all the way through trading for Matthew judon I think they'll be an exciting team on offense with bejan Robinson and what they have in London and pits and all that stuff but Tampa won that Division and Tampa has built a nice team so this is a not an easy test or task uh a week one game against a Florida team is always a challenge there a lot of things are going to factor into this but um a really good matchup one of those under the radar week one matchups that maybe doesn't have the sizzle of Kansas City Baltimore playoff rematch like Detroit and the LA Rams but this might be one of the better games of week one I'm really looking forward to seeing what Washington looks like with all the starters out there Mike we're so excited to see what Washington does this year and we're excited to see what you do we know you're gonna kill it for Sunday Night Football Mike thank you so much for taking the time to hang with us we know you're a very busy man and I hope you have a great season our pleasure you keep pushing for our guy Fletch to get to the Hall of Fame it's it's a great cause to continue on we love that and we um we said when we left Washington to some of the folks there Josh Harris the new ownership group we we look forward to Washington getting better and being on Sunday Night Football whether it's a flex this year or during the regular season down the line because it's so nice to get back to the district and uh see this franchise get turned back around so hopefully we'll see you sooner than later hopefully we see you soon Mike I like that energy talk to you soon man all right man take care Brian thank you have a great season commanders family our next man up is one of the best linebackers to ever do it over 2,000 total tackles he's second in total tackles in the NFL second in Solo tackles in the NFL 39 sacks in his career went D3 prior of John Carroll and it's not just what he did on the field he's also an Emmy nominated host of the show Players Club 16 NFL seasons this Legend did right here and should be in the Hall of Fame very soon got to welcome in the next man up London Fletcher brother how you doing man I'm doing great man I think as you were reading off my resume I feel like I'm more proud of the Emy nominated Players Club okay because you know what that's that's kind of getting me out of my element yeah I've I've been an athlete my whole life played football whether it was in the sand lot or obviously playing in the NFL or tackle or whatever for a long period of time but doing this television thing that's that's different for us so to become Emmy nominated that's that's a big uh feather in my cap yeah man it's going to be Emmy winning pretty soon man cuz you put in work not just like I said on the field but you do it every time you're in this studio man we see how seriously you take things man so first things first where does that work ethic come from you know what it's just kind of innately how I am I I study other people who are doing you know whatever the craft may be so let's take it for example when I was playing football I would study the other middle linebackers that I considered great whether it was Ray Lewis Brian eracer Zack Thomas guys who were doing great even some young guys like a a Bobby Wagner who's who's here now currently Patrick Willis some of the other guys so I would study them see see what they were doing and also study myself to see how I can improve and how I can be the best and as it comes to this what I'm doing now either on the radio calling games with Bram listening to the calls doing the stuff in studio going back watching the shows and saying okay I can need to be better here this how the show can be better things like that just really just always striving to to be the best that I possibly can be even in the film room even as an analyst oh yeah absolutely so man I gotta ask because I go down that list and I miss things right you a Super Bowl champion I mentioned that you went D3 also undrafted 16 Seasons man all of these things that you could just list off about you when did you know you were going to be an NFL player CU I don't think many D3 guys are sitting here saying you know what I'm about to have a 16year career man when did you know man I didn't know until I made the team because right nothing was yeah because when you think about it even even before I made the team in the Rams I'll go back to when I was at John Carrol division 3 school I'm playing at a division 3 school and and mind you out of high school I play I only play one year high school football I was a basketball guy through and through that was my first love ended up getting a division one basketball scholarship out of high school went to St Francis PA up in uh Loretta PA I had division one offers for football but my heart was set on playing division one basketball I said man this face needs to be seen I don't need to I don't need to have little camera I mean no no helmet on his face this face needs to be seen so and also Ohio State and Michigan offer me like preferred walk-on spots to play football at both of those schools and I was just like n I'm not you know I'm my heart is set on basketball I'm definitely not going to walk on at place if I got I've had football offers took the scholarship to St Francis PA was there for a year and a half it was some a lot of stuff going on at home in Cleveland some people know my story about some of the challenge I faced from a family situation with my mom things like that so need to be back close to the home so end up transferring to John Carroll division 3 school when you go from division one to division three you don't have to sit out so I was able to play right away I transferred to the middle of the school year so from the winter semester to the uh spring semester was when I transferred went right to the basketball court then the next fall play football and basketball and on the football field my coaches at that time was like man London I think you can play in the NFL I was like man whatever you know kind of kind of like well whatever and end up working out to where football became my passion end up playing at a at a high high level um drawing a lot of getting a lot of Buzz and NFL team start coming around but I'm still not feeling like I'm gonna definitely make it to the NFL still under siiz I was 510 like 230 23 35 playing linebacker didn't really you know it's not a lot of guys at that size playing the NFL so was I going to be in the safety things like that um it wasn't until I read an article by the late great Sam Mills long time linebacker in NL uh actually recent Hall of framer and he talked about Sam was 5'9 200 maybe 20 pounds even less than uh less than shorter and way less and he talked about his technique and all the and like it gave me great confidence like man I maybe I can do this by reading that article that was in Sports Illustrated U from on Sam Mills and from there Got Confidence confidence and once I got to the Rams it was like oh you know what I'm I'm I'mma give it all I got it and I making up end up making that team as undrafted rookie and then you win a Super Bowl in year two but you said it you said you didn't feel comfortable until you made the team and I know you you probably didn't even feel comfortable after you made the team that puts a chip on your right when you have to make it and grind your way to like to the top to the part you're trying to get to when did you lose that when did you ever did you ever feel comfortable on an NFL roster saying you know what this is my spot I mean like again 16 years is a long time I always find always find some type of thing that motivate me even when I was you know fighting to make the Rams team so I had that chip on my shoulder you know they got me fourth on the depth chart at the linebacker position when really there's only room for three to get reped so I'm not getting a whole lot of reps I'm using that as a motivating motiv motivating factor when I became a starter my second year with the Rams uh ESP and the magazine had a had a season preview and they you know like hey if London Fletcher is starting by Halloween we'll buy you a car so they're doubting me wow so I'm using that that magazine sat on my coffee table the entire season wow yeah yeah so they they owe me a car you know we know end up being the starting middle linebacker in that Super Bowl and you know throughout my career being snug for the pro bowls that was motivating those were motivating factors hell I could be coming to the stadium a home stadium and I don't see enough of my jerseys in say so I'm pissed off about that that's motivating like oh y'all y'all don't respect me my old fans don't even respect me so I always found something to motivate me some some little thing that just keep me going it's that Mama mentality right where you got those things where you just gotta find those things to keep you going some something to have you playing on the a playing with an edge like I actually I liked it like I there was times where I didn't speak to my coaches for a week just because of like for a whole week going into a game just because I was I was on the edge of so much already dang yeah it's just I do you ever shake that though like now we're here I go through those accolades second in so many categories only to Ray Lewis who we know is a Hall of Famer who he knows has that bus do you carry that with you knowing that you should be in the Hall of Fame right now man do you feel that chip still where you're like you know what they don't got my jersey they don't got me in the Hall of Fame do you still feel that I do but it's like I can't do anything about it I I can't go make any more tackles I'm I'm almost 50 years old so I can't go back on the field and add to my me I can't go get that 40th sack you know things like that but I yeah I feel I feel great deal of disrespect still when you look at my numbers and you know you compare to guys who are in the Hall of Fame at my position some of them were first battle of Hall of Famer second batt of Hall of Famers and my numbers are as good or better than than a lot of guys that are already in the Hall of Fame so yeah yeah it's definitely I still have a chip on my shoulder about that but the only thing is like I can't do anything like physically about it why do you think that is why do you think London Fletcher is not in the Hall of Fame you have the statistics you have the resume you have the personality the longevity you didn't miss games you were a leader you were a captain why is it London Fletcher in the Hall of Fame I think part of it may be kind of the way I entered the NF being an undrafted guy I wasn't a firstr draft pick from a power five School so that that probably played a part and then playing in the small Market team two small Market teams in in Buffalo and St Louis you don't get a Garner a lot of attention our offense gained a lot garnered a lot of attention in in St Louis the greatest show on Turf but defensively you're not you know people don't realize how great of a defense we had during those Super Bowl runs those Super Bowl teams like nobody knows how great we were defensively until you really look like like damn these dudes they bald once I feel like this if I had played my entire career career in Washington my reputation would have been a lot greater um name recognition all those types of things I would have made more Pro bowls um because I didn't even make a pro bowl until I got to Washington but just those things I feel definitely I played 16 years in Washington I'm going to be in a lot of big games playing in the east on the East Coast bigger M media Market I'm first Val batt with the same stats that I put up it's crazy man even with all this being overlooked in your life man when you when I deal with you because you know this is different for us like we don't sit here and do this right we work together we do shows and things like that but we don't really get to sit and each other we make jokes being silly you know but like you know this show as as you know cuz you said you listen um is not just about you know the players and the helmet it's about that man behind the helmet and uh getting to hear you talk and see you not not just here but just every day man you're so humble and you're so cool for somebody that doesn't have to be you're one of the best to ever do it and even right now you talking about the Hall of Fame you like well I I can't do nothing about it yeah it's it's you know it's it's it's I can't like there's a political element of it I should say or I say should say campaigning piece for sure that you know some guys have to do when they're when they're done playing I'm like man I don't want to do that cuz my accomplishments on the field should be enough they speak for itself they speak for itself um but it's you know unfortunately there's there's an element of that that you got to deal with too but I I think what you're doing now right being a host being an analyst showing different sides of you you're a coach and you're a leader man you you help these guys in this building and I think that that goes a long way in helping push that forward and helping saying you know what I know for a fact one day London Fletcher will be in the Hall of Fame and again talking about that man behind the mask you mentioned some of those trials and tribulations back home um for those that aren't familiar with what you are talking about do you mind talking about that a little bit um just so we have a better understanding of who the man London Fletcher is because clearly things had to take place for you to make you this man yes so just growing up in the inner city of Cleveland and like inner cities in general there's a lot of challenges you face in the home in the neighborhood in the schools I wasn't unique from that standpoint my situation was very challenging had an older sister six years older to me murdered when I was when she was 18 I was 11 years old I had um hadn't turned 12 yet she was murdered um you know she had just turned 18 so that Mom dealing with a drug addiction for the probably started a couple years after that so from the time I was about 14 you know learned about my mom's drug addiction just a lot of challenges that that I faced even trying to make it out of the neighborhood that I was in you I got trauma inside the house trauma in the neighborhood that you're dealing with all those types of things that like man it could have been very easy for me to say you know what I'm good I give up I'mma do I'mma take another path but one of the things that helped me not one of the things the thing that I know helped me was my passion for sports and my love for it was basketball but I also love playing football but just I wanted to play in the NBA so it was like I got to go to college I got to get good grades all these things types of things so I needed to put myself in a better position to achieve the goal that I wanted which was playing in NBA but and in and once it even shifted from playing in the NBA to just I want to bring a smile to my mother's face let me make her proud graduate college so those are the things that motivated me graduating college and then once I got to the Rams like I'm not just fighting for me to make this team I'm fighting for my family my livelihood our survival so even after the first um after my first year with the Rams I barely spent any any money living in a think I was in a apartment that cost about $600 a month fully furnished like just like I'm I'm stacking all my hands you know whatever uncle have that take I'm stacking after that season's over man I bought my mom a house got her up out of the neighborhood that we were in like just like wow I still continue to live in an apartment like I don't I'm good like let me get her better is that the moment where you say okay I've accomplished because when you have these goals and you have these like markers you try to hit in life right it's doesn't always necessarily feel like enough like you get you make it to the NFL well now I want to be a starter oh I'm a starter well now I want to get to the Pro Bowl oh I got one hour and one another one all these things right it's probably the same thing when your goal is to make your mother proud was that the moment right there when you felt like you accomplished that goal or was that something that was just ongoing for you your whole career I can remember the night I took her to the house because she she hadn't seen the house prior to us to me buying it for her I fully furnished it you know I told her don't bring anything but her clothes wow like don't don't bring anything but your clothes so I remember taking her to the house and just her and my two young sisters Tak him to the house and just to see the amount of joy that she had and and when I when I took her into the house and that was just that was a moment for me like man that's it right there so from there everything else was really icing on the cake tell about that moment you said you're good what dides your mom say to you what was the first thing because like those kind of memories right you never forget it you know what you were wearing you know what it smelled like you know what the room looked like what did your mom say to you ah man she was so she was so proud so happy like she just my mom she she's deceased now but she had the biggest smile and just you know always just a great smile and I could just remember her just smiling from cheek to ear to ear man just just so happy you know because she you know she had never had anything like that and it wasn't it was a minus home it wasn't you know anything lavish or anything I wasn't making a whole lot of money yeah you know but for her just to have that that experience like and yeah it was just just continue to be just so appreciative and proud and and even from there like I continue to yeah I want to be great I want to become a starter and accomplish things in my career but I always was motivated to provide a better life for them so you have these accomplishments you have these dreams where you hit them pretty quickly you make the NFL you win your Super Bowl you have a you have a little career man you hit Buffalo for a little bit and then you come to Washington and that's what people really care about right when they that's what they're here to hear talk to about Washington you were older just like a Bobby Wagner right you were an older guy that has already established himself so what's going through your mind when you come here to Washington for that first time you know when I when I came here I was going into year 12 I was 32 I think I just turned 32 what's going through my mind I had played for Greg Williams Greg was my head coach and he was a defensive coordinator here and and Washington so I was familiar with with the game several of the pretty much the entire defensive staff came from Buffalo maybe with a couple couple guys that were on that staff here in Washington that wasn't in Buffalo but Jerry gray who was a defensive backs coach here he was my defensive coordinator under Greg Williams in Buffalo him Steve Jackson another guy uh it's like maybe three or four guys on the defensive staff that I was familiar with so the scheme standpoint I was comfortable with I knew what they wanted me to do they wanted me to be a leader on a team um they they needed my leadership but they also needed my playmaking and and Sim lot very similar to what Bobby's going through yeah you want you want his leadership but you also want his playmaking right like it's hard to be a leader if you ain't making plays so you know coming here I I signed a fiveyear contract at that point in time you're like okay hopefully I'll be able to play three of these years out you just don't know yeah you don't know um but man I I came here I just loved it and I I I truly tried to when I put on that burgundy and gold helmet that burgundy and gold uniform I knew the tradition I grew knew the history like I grew up loving football yeah so I can remember the halls I can remember John Riggins I can remember Dale green art monk some of the other greats that played in the organization coach Gibbs coach Gibbs was my head coach coach Gibbs i i i i he was the one who called me at 12:01 in the morning when when free agency started I pick up the phone and it's coach Gibs I'm like hello L this coach Gibs with the Washington Redskins I'm like man let's go you know hey London I want you to come to Washington all right coach let's make it happen so so I knew the history I knew the tradition I knew what it meant to represent the guys who played before me represent the current players but then also leave a legacy myself so when I when I when I stepped on that field man I was representing all those things like you I don't and I knew right at that time Wasington had a reputation signing older older bigger name free agents and paying them a bunch of money and they not paying out right that wasn't going to be me actually I think you know people may have thought okay here's another another one on signning like no y'all don't know me y'all don't know me y'all don't know what I'm about like if anything y'all getting a bargain another one of those motivation markers that said you know what I'm going to show yall what I'm about here so real quick while we're talking about you signing cuz you know got you a little bag when you signed uh here in Washington is it true that Fred smoo had like something to like do with your like story signing like I've heard this before you know Fred y'all always joking around I never know it's true so Fred no no it's true well it's it's true the standpoint Fred and I both were came so Fred had got drafted by Washington went to Minnesota for a couple couple Seasons they got rid of him did then Washington brought him back and we were on our we were on our visits together the same day and uh we riding down in a limo from from the park down to a Wizards game and be by the time we left the park we're still you know kind of a ways away from a contractual Dem man demand things you need yeah so by the time we hit the uh I think it was the Verizon Center back there maybe it's MCI by the time we got there the deal was sealed they they they had met my contractual demands but Fred was in he was in the limo ride you know doing Fred get his contract at that time too I think they needed he needed a little bit they had to take care of me first I was that priority dude I'm just trying to imagine like you and a younger Fred smooth in a limo had you met Fred yet no uhuh what what is what was it it wasn't just us in the car it was it was Fred and I a couple coaches maybe a couple other Uh current players or players who were on the team at that point in time so he was Fred going to always be Fred say Behavior be loud as hell he was on Fred Behavior that's just him so he was being being him doing what he does and so uh I think they end up maybe Fred Fred's deal got done the next day after they they had to kind of recover from my deal they to see what was left yeah yeah let's see what we can what we can you know throw your way it's so funny because we could laugh right because you know we know Fred we know tan we know all these guys because they stick stuck around and to me that is what is most impressive to me about Washington and the legends of all the different places I've been is the way that the players have stuck with the organization even though this wasn't your first organization even though had other organizations even though Tana started somewhere else all of you guys decided to make Washington home why was that man it's beautiful here is um just the the amount of love we get in the community like I can go in DC man I love going to the city people just give you love and then that they don't overwhelm they don't avoid Invaders personal space like man London what's up man you know man you're my favorite or just man I always love the way you play just like it's it's love here yeah it's not a it's just different man it's Chocolate City it's just the you know you got the the DMV like you can go to the three three um municipalities and just receive that type of love and you know just something about all the you great food here football time I can't wait till we really get get going like we need to be going like man had those burgundy and gold faithful at at those games man just I I again I wish and I I I appreciate what I accomplished in Buffalo and also St Louis and a lot of great relationships and you know winning the Super Bowl in St Louis but man my time here was special and the way they embraced me especially the fan base I'm forever grateful you talk about those good old days I can see the twinkle in your eyes when you talk about it and winning football and what it means to this fan base to be winning how close do you think we are to getting back to that Promised Land getting back into the playoffs getting back to being Super Bowl contenders those things that you remember doing as a player here in Washington when I look at the team I I see a product that we'll be extremely proud of that's what you want to be from a from a fan from a guy who supports the team somebody who is really a Washington commanders fan you want to be proud of the product win or lose I see what Dan Quinn is environment that he's doing the culture the right type type of culture everybody has a culture but his is the right type of culture I can see the the way Adam Peters is going about building the team I can see the way um you know Mr Harris and the ownership group is going about doing things and and trying to improve the facilities both here at the practice facility and also at the stadium just trying to do the things the right way and and build something that's s sustainable well you want a a product that's a team that's competing year in and year out and that takes that takes a little bit of a time but for me it would it would not surprise me if three years down the road we're looking at a consistent consistent highly competitive team that's competing for division championships uh NFC conference championships and Super Bowls and that's not saying hey we're not g to win this year but I'm just saying in terms of like when you've you've built everything up the way the way you want it to be your rosters the way you want it to be you you got the right infrastructure in place to really have a sustainable winning culture and winning team you know it's it's definitely in that right on that right trajectory and like you're saying with anything it takes time right and now you have on a different hat right we knew you were the leader we knew you were the legend in the locker room but now you're wearing the analyst hat but you're still in the building you still see guys like Bobby Wagner rock around you still see Frankie luu's walking around how do you help these guys and how do you help pay it forward for Washington when you talk to these guys and interact with them yeah well you know it's it's crazy because Bobby and I we had a relationship even before he came here he had reached out to me when he was playing with the Seahawks just want to pick out pick out pick my brain and kind of see you know what I did how how he can you know maybe add a few things to his game and things like that you know so him being a a a student of the game and a guy who respected you know guys who had paved the way pav the the way before him um seeing those guys I'm always is available if they you know want to have conversation we want to talk ball I'll talk ball all day long yeah you will I'm conscious I'm not their coach so you know I don't I'm not trying to coach these guys but if they have some questions about it could be on the field off the field I'm you know definitely U willing to give give that type of U kind of help or whatever Bobby and I a couple weeks ago we were talking about just maintenance how we were able to treat our body things I did and he was sharing me he was sharing to me some of the with me some of the things that he does from a maintenance standpoint I like man D I wish I had thought added that element to to my rep repertoire back then so just kind of bouncing things off each other and how we do our routin routine in terms of recovery and and uh getting ready for games that's an interesting thought because a guy like Bobby right I mean there's so many parallels to you guys like he's also coming in with a lot of former coaches and for former coordinators but the game changed a lot the game has changed so much so from your vantage point cuz you're still very close right you're still at practice still on the field how have you seen the linebacker position change and grow and is it like almost like a proud dad moment seeing guys like Bobby who basically are just like following your path yeah when you when you look at the game the way it is now I say this as a as a linebacker whether are you in middle linebacker outside linebacker you have to evolve you had to evolve you had to become more athletic defending the passes at a premium you look at the kids now they they they they're a lot smaller from the standpoint like when I initially came into the league you know I was think 242 pounds I was considered kind of on a smaller side from a weight standpoint you know you 250 255 even 260 now you got guys even linebackers that are in the 220s like the 23 low 230s because they want to be able to run a lot faster be more fluid um there's less linebackers on the on the field a lot of times now now teams are deploying more more more Personnel groupings where there're only two like linebackers on the field at a time sometimes some teams in certain packages may only have one one team one linebacker on the field and I'm not even talking about on a third down situation this just we want as much speed as possible we want much guys that can cover as uh as possible as many guys that can cover as possible so that that that evolution of the game you had to uh you had to kind of take Embrace as a linebacker so for Bobby to be able to to do it when he came into the league I think 2012 was his first year there were still a lot of two back offensive teams weren having fullbacks and you know still emphasis on running the football to where we are now and it's some teams they're three wide wide receivers the whole entire game y so just being able to involve and embrace that change and continue to be impactful and and a playmaker that that says a lot about his game and also Frankie as well because you know versatility and and your ball and in your game it just helps you it's dope to see this you know young upand cominging linebackers come up even Bob you know older guy but still somebody that you know it's playing in a different League than what you played in and not only are you giving back as a as a veteran as a leader as an analyst you're also giving back to the Next Generation because the most important things you are husband and a father and your boy's playing man you get to coach him You' got to help Mentor him and groom him he's a wide receiver he's not a linebacker but he got quick feet like his pops right cuz you had to have quick feet as look quickness man how how has that been man how has it been putting on that father hat and seeing your son excel in a sport that's giving you so much you know it's a it's I'm cognizant of knowing when to be dead and when to be coach because I because I coach him yeah in the summer time he plays on on a 707 team that I coach so I'm I'm cognizant of just knowing hey when I need to be dead I I actually coached him in Middle School on tackle and uh he was he was a running back I was coaching running backs too he he was running back and wide receiver so I Coast him there but just knowing when when it's time to be Dad when it's time to be a coach I I love it man it's just it's it's a thrill to be able to see him kind of growing into the game that he he he's love he loves it he's passionate about it him playing wide receiver I kind of find myself I kind of have drifted towards the offensive side from a thinking standpoint now I I'll I'll see uh pass interference you know before I'd be like that was no Pi now I'm like man that's a pass that's a pi man oh you changed up that's a as a matter of fact we went to Virginia Tech camp my son didn't go with me but I I took some other kids there and so uh coach fry the coach Pride the head coach at at Virginia Tech he was like uh I said something about a pi like what L you you you a defensive guy what you talking about like I yeah but man I love it just loving him go through his journey and I I help him along the way I'm always constantly when it's time to hey you can do this a little bit better I love the way you did this just giving him you know nuggets here and there especially from a defense pers defensive perspective where if you do this to a defensive guy you stem you get him the stem I have no I only I have to kind of respond to certain movements that you give so trying to give him that perspective to help his game is he at the age where he understands who his father is like who he really knows who his dad is and the man he was on that field my son is a hater man sons of haters I don't get man he's a straight hater talking about Dad you suck boy please but you better look around this house these ain't no participation trophies [Music] you this stuff you this this all this in here was earned you got your skills for me yeah you this this sofa this bed you sleeping on that was earn not give it that car you drive that was earned boy you better Google me cuz they kids just really don't understand like they see it and they've been in it through every day like it's not really like special to them anymore but I'm sure I got to imagine at his age especially playing on the level he's playing at kids probably tell him all the time like oh man do you know who your dad is it it's it's funny CU we there's times when we're we might be out and somebody I have no idea no maybe people I don't even know may come up to me and be like oh man like dude your father was a dog man he be looking at him like man whatever like so I like and I'll be like yeah you he you heard what he said a dog that is so cool because you know one day your son could be doing that with his son man it's so cool to pay that forward in London I can s and talk to you all day man this has been a lot of fun but we got to talk about Tampa we got to talk about Tampa Bay we're going to be out there you're going to be out there doing radio broadcast I'll be doing the pregame and postgame show what do you expect to see week one from Tampa right we know we have to tailor expectations we know there's so many new things going on but what does the captain expect to see week one well I tell you this you know first and foremost Tampa's an outstanding football team kind of very under radar team they they won they won their division last year actually three straight years in a row they they won a a playoff game last year had had uh Detroit on the ropes in the in the in the second round and do your playoffs so they're really good football team well coached it's not going to be an easy game we got to come in there ready for a battle the temperature how what's that Heat going to be like playing playing and Tampa because there is a big difference between being up here in DC and then going down there in Florida so that element of we'll have to make sure we we're hydrated and ready to deal with that but from a standpoint of you know X's and O's we have an advantage from the standpoint they don't know what our offense is going to truly look like this a new system with new players doing it under Cliff Kingsbury he has yeah they'll look at Arizona stuff but there's also the athleen Lyn you know element what's his uh imprint going to be as the Run game coordinator what's Brian Johnson going to be and what's his implant going to be as the pass game coordinator how are they going to match this to be the Washington commanders offense the personnels and and the players that we have and then how you know jayen what's his how much are they goingon to put on his plate and how much of the is he going to run you know rpos and things like that the quarterback runs design runs so that element defensively they haven't seen our starting defense at all they play haven't played in the preseason so it's going to be a highly competitive game Tampa has some weapons that Mike Evans he's he's he's a bad boy gonna have to deal with him they got two receivers that we'll have to deal with Rashad white running back is he's he's a beast too so we don't have our work cut out for us but I know for a fact Dan Quinn will have these guys ready to go out there and perform at a high level and let's see where the chips fall and you you talk about those starters on defense Jonathan Allen Don Payne those some dogs you've been that middle linebacker behind some monsters up front how important are they to the success of this team in this defense they're extremely important I think just when you when you look at our true our two best players you know you got two defensive tackle guys both have been to the Pro Bowl still young and the impact they can have on a game because of the positions they play they're in the middle of the defense having a especially when you look at this game against Baker Mayfield who's a shorter quarterback pressure in his face is going to be key and and getting that interior pass rush is going to be key those guys I think they're they're they're Prime to have outstanding Seasons both of them I mean we had uh we had Jonathan on the Players Club last weekend man he is he he looks in great shape he's ready to go don he's still you know always uh ready to roll rock and roll so I can't wait to see those guys get it get it going those guys will set the tone for this defense the strength of our defense if you look at it is the interior starting with those two guys then you go to Bobby and Frankie and then the safeties that's that that the strength of this defense is in the middle in London I'm glad you use the phrase set the tone cuz to end the show right you are Mr set the tone and you told me forand that if you going to set the tone I got to pay you and I don't got no money so what I'm going to do is because we got a home game and that home game's against a division rival in the New York Giants that's coming up need you to look at that ISO camera right there and talk to the fans and how they can set the tone for our Washington commanders for our first home game against the New York Giants bergundy and gold faithful you know it we need it we need that energy from you we going against the hated division rival the new New York Giants the gmen as they like to call themselves this is Commander's country let's let them know bring it burgund it go let's rock and roll man listen there's nothing else I need to say I got gooseb I ready to go run a 40 and play some football Mr London Fletcher man I appreciate you bro thank you so much for being so candid with us and open with us man it's been a joy to work with you man and watch you grow as a broadcas and analyst man I see the work you put in man it's it's very impressive to see see you and get to work with you every day brother I appreciate it but you you going to get that invoice command this family while I try to work more to make money to be able to afford to pay London fleder his invoice this is next man up I am your host Brian KOB Jr here with the legend one of the best to ever do it in future Hall of Famer that's right big Fletch London Fletch appreciate you bro appreciate it see y'all next Friday commanders family [Music] let me H you say hey scratch is so nice got to hear it twice [Music]