Forging Your Own Legacy ft. Brenden Rice

Introducing Brenden Rice people always believe it's going to be pressure just being having that Legacy last name but I think pressure is a privilege um just to come out here each and every day and know that I'm probably going to have a Target on my back as well as people going to expect me to be some type of way then they meet a totally different person I feel as though that's just a that just goes ahead and shows you my character and how I was raised by my mother [Music] folks we're here for an exceptionally special conversation today my guy Brendan rice wide receiver USC Trojans one of the top guys coming into the draft this season what a privilege what a privilege it is to have them here in Detroit Michigan big big shout out to my girl Janelle uh who just has become a very special friend of my family has been actually for a very very long time but Janelle Rivera crushing it in the marketing and sports representation scene and her friend faren Benjamin your agent I mean for them to help us just put this together today what a gift Brandon welcome to the show thank you for having me Manny I just you know can can somebody just put a camera can we Zoom this thing in on him I just told him I'm like look I'm all over NFL football Sundays and he walked in and I'm like he's dressed better than 90% of the league on Sundays I cannot wait to see you suit it up this fall but look you're in Detroit it's a couple days Staying Focused During the NFL Draft Process before the draft there's a ton of noise positive noise going on in your life what's the biggest thing that's been weighing on your mind right now as you get ready for the next couple days just trying to stay in the moment don't let the moment get too big I feel as though like there's a lot of chaos going on uh people are tired people haven't slept in days which is people I'm speaking as in me and I'm just like trying to network out here in Detroit and just get to know everybody because life after football you guys want to go ahead and just put yourself out there to go ahead and put yourself in the right position for the future yeah and and that again is The Impact of His Mother on His Maturity another Testament and I want to make sure that I take a second right now to give a major shout out to Jackie Edwards and it was I'm so disappointed that I didn't get to meet Jackie today but Jackie just know I'm thinking about you and I'm sending you some mad love and respect you know you are way more than football and the fact that you're already you're you're coming up into the draft and you're already thinking about man that second chapter because I'm going to have a whole other magical life after I'm done putting the pads on it's just a testament to probably a lot of the impact and influence that your mother's had on your life would you agree with that I would definitely agree my Mo my mother has had a huge impact on my life uh she always thought of me as more than a football player and instilled that within me and then taking it just a long ways man like shoot she's Diversified me helped me uh just come like come into myself I would have to say uh I was in private school growing up I always took care of my grades um I got big into real estate got big into business just following in her footsteps Brenden’s Backstory, His Influences, and Love For Football yeah I I I love that I love that you said uh you reference this idea that from a very young age she was talking to you about a lot more than just Sports because I will say like I was just looking at the the family tree of standout professional athletes from a father to half Brothers to stepfather brother I mean I'm sure there's many more but talk about maybe when F when it was clear to you and obvious to you that football would be one of your many loves uh I would have to say at 5 years old looking at my brother and my sister go out to the game of football and just dominate even my sister was good at it she used to make my brother cry at practice so just taking it uh like step by step I was actually pretty good at basketball at one point in time and I had to make a decision like hey do I want this for the rest of my life and I was like why wouldn't I I'm following into a legacy and I'm creating my own when when you were young I I love asking about this so many I'm always surprised uh by the responses from different guys that are playing in the NFL but which sport when you were young would you say hey that's the sport I thought I was going to go pro in you see I always kind of want to go to baseball and I want to be a basketball player just because of uh Lebron James and but like I had to come to tour with myself like come on guys let's be real I'm only going to be about 6'2 63 um I'm going to be a little bit thicker than rest of these guys probably so let me go ahead and just follow into this Legacy of being a receiver talk about the legacy of being a receiver ah sh uh Jerry went ahead and did it before me and I used to just love watching him Calvin Johnson uh Percy Harvin Julio Jones the long list of receivers that just you know took it away so far and and uh I feel as though that their Foundation was just work ethic and just being a great figure to the community so I want to follow into that yeah I think The Pressure of Being Jerry Rice’s Son um and and obviously I I wanted to make sure that you had the opportunity to make the connection but your your father's Jerry Rice right and so obviously you know being the son of one of the greatest wide receivers in all of the NFL history there's a little bit of pressure can you talk about what that's been like growing up people always believe it's going to be pressure just being having that Legacy last name but I think pressure is a privilege um just to come out here each and every day and know that I'm probably going to have a Target on my back as well as people going to expect me to be some type of way then they meet a totally different person I feel as though that's just a that just goes ahead and shows you my character and how I was raised by my mother yeah so can you talk a little bit more about that because I've seen a little bit of information as we were preparing to have you on today that many many of like the core values in this young man that's in front of me today high integrity High character High work ethic I mean high octane I know a lot about that um a lot of that really does come from the upbringing uh with your mom is that right and talk a little bit about your childhood and and more about the school and some of those values that you really absorb from your mom raising you man you're ask me right now man I appreciate that all these compliments thank you well that's how I feel about Growing Up in Chandler Arizona you you know I have a great team that helps me prepare and I'm like man I know my son and I watch you play but like to finally meet you it's like man I got to dig deeper into knowing who you really are and there's so many positive things that we were able to uncover just about your childhood and absolutely the impact and influence that your mom had so I want to make sure that that story comes out on top of the fact that you're this incredible football player and you're going to have a great great career thank you man I appreciate that oh shoot uh I grew up in Chandler Arizona uh my stepdad played for the uh Arizona Cardinals Indianapolis Colts his name is Rick Cunningham my brother played at Texas A&M and shoot just growing up in Chand Arizona it's real football town that people really don't think it's like you know just coming up um we have so many great legacies and people that just come out of Chandler like Cam Jordan we had Nill har we got a couple guys in the stft class and some guys I've been like watching growing up and next you know I'm here with them at this stage uh uh ended up going to CH uh Colorado for a couple of years and ended up going to USC with Lincoln Riley and Caleb Williams talk about your decision to Why Brenden Originally Committed to Colorado and Why He Transferred head over to Colorado I went to Colorado just because uh I don't really like to say cuz you know we're in Detroit Michigan uh but Mel Tucker was a Salesman y he was definitely a Salesman and um from what I knew and who he was and then coming to later to find out more but like just who what he offered to the game of football as well as I wanted to start my own legacy at Colorado and I want to build something from the ground up when did you know that it was and I know it's a difficult decision for any and all student athletes to transfer in the middle of a good solid career but when did you kind of know it was time to to consider making a transfer uh I knew it was time to cons consider making a transfer when I feel as though like some of the coaches came to me and was like Hey if you want to take it to that next step in life you're going to have to take it uh you're going to have to leave the university and search for somewhere you're going to be in within competition and have someone that's going to uh be attendant to you 247 and you could feel it going downhill but it sucks to me because I love Colorado I loved everything about it I love going over that hill and seeing the flat irons I love the fan base and it really hurt me in the long run but like you got to know the bigger picture in all of this yeah and um can you share with our listeners a little bit about what that decision making process looked like once you mentally made the decision to transfer uh it was a couple days couple weeks I was honestly going back and forth with the coaches uh picking their brains and then like once I actually ended up transferring I felt like a just a relief off my shoulders yeah and then being in the portal it was kind of it's crazy in that portal man yeah talk about that a little bit that's what I was trying to pull out of you a little bit is like because I know it's like it's like a rager now it's like an absolute rager the second you dip your toe in man it's like w yeah right before I dip my toe in there it was crazy people knew uh but the portal my phone was blowing up 24/7 I had a couple offers to go places for a lot of lumps of change what did you narrow it down to I think some people who aren't How USC Improved His Game and Playing with Caleb Williams familiar with your story they might enjoy understanding what were who were the top contenders at that time for you and why the top contenders for me at that time I knew where I was going I only had one Contender okay linol Riley called me um I just wanted to be at USC because USC School of Business uh the great receivers that have come the long legacies uh and then you got Caleb Williams and Dennis Simmons I want to learn from Dennis Simmons which is the wide receiver coach and build upon my football IQ and actually be taught of how to be a receiver and how to look at coverages in different instances and stuff like that what were one or two of the things that maybe surprised you the most about when you finally arrived on campus and began to get integrated into that football culture and that locker room there's so much more to the game of football then you really know you're always learning and yeah say more about that exactly so I just I coming into that uh the classroom and I'm learning different concepts and I'm learning the reasons why we're running these Concepts I'm learning what the QB is doing learning what the protection is I'm learning all these things about how a freaking high powered car can just go ahead and work especially in Detroit you know the Motor City that's it but just like how all these little pieces just come together and for one goal and that's again the end zone so you had to move as one heartbeat because on offense you know 11 guys have to be on the same page on defense one guy like you know goes ahead and makes a play then the whole the team looks good yeah your time at USC I mean you racked up the stats I mean you put in the work you had a a really strong 2022 season uh but then you came out and just showed out and and blew that one out of the water in 2020 three when you look back on nearly 50 receptions 800 yards a dozen touchdowns and nearly 20 yard nearly 20 yards per catch looking back on that senior season what's what are one or two things that you really say like man these were meaningful and these moments and achievements I'll take forward with me the rest of my life just leaving the game leaving the season from that 2022 season and uh me and Caleb finally like clicked at one point uh during the two lane game I ended up taking off going into that next season I felt as though the relationship was only going to improve and improve and improve and I started learning what what he wanted from me um What's the timing like when he's going to go ahead and scramble out the pocket and just Chuck it you know 70 yards and yeah like no big deal like no big deal you know certain guys are just generational but just to go ahead and like learn those type of stuff ended up taking off and ended up transitioning into my senior season taking away from my senior season man I got to go home and score two touchdowns versus ASU which was huge for me just being in my hometown of uh Arizona and then I ended up going back to Colorado and doing my thing as well and I feel as though like that crowd was electric and the USC had uh Colorado's Target for a good minute mhm who are some of the other athletes uh I mean you you had some great teammates during your time at USC who are a couple of the other guys that you're excited to continue to watch two guys are in a draft this year uh Taj Washington and Marshon ly yeah these guys go to work each and every day I competed with them on the offensive side of the ball I competed them with them in the wait room and I like who they are to teammates as well as just the human beings they are man they continue to push uh persevere through stuff each and every day and just up quality human beings uh will you be spending time with any of them while you're here this week hopefully hopefully I get to see them hopefully anybody comes down yeah yeah I love that The NFL Combine Process and Building His Support Team combine you headed into the combine I mean you show again you showed out 4540 155 10 yard split vertical jump 36 and a half broad jump 911 were any of those a surprise in a positive way or negative way to you H I would have say negative just for my 40 I feels though much faster on tape uh I think which you are anybody who watch you they know yeah they know hey game speed's different right G speed must be different shoot Jerry never got caught and he ran a 46 so yeah uh that would have just had to say the 40 but uh the thing is about that 40 I had one of the top three uh miles per hour time so I'm not really too mad at it uh shoot I'm ready for this draft man like let's do something yeah what have conversations been like leading up until now between you and faen I know she's been a great Advocate a great mentor a great guide for you as you navigate this new chapter next season in your life what are some of the things that you and faen are discussing that you're keeping front and center as you head into draft week she keeps telling me man stop worrying about all the little things like uh what rounds and teams uh think you're going in things happen on draft day that you're not going to be prepared for or like you just have to make the most of the moment if we as long as we get drafted we're okay so you know it's great to have her in my corner she's my Ace and even though she does talk a lot I love her each and every day she I know that I'm going to get the best from her and that's all that matters when you when you think about um because you've been around the game of football for a long time and so most of the most successful athletes at the professional level have have excellent representation when you think about the gift that faen is in your life right now what are some of the things that you would say other young men and women who are going to need Sports representation what are some of the reasons why they should be thinking about someone like Fen as their representation in the future I feel as though you need a high quality loyal people that are going to just have that drive and work ethic same as you where you you want to have people around you and surround yourself that you want to go ahead and know that they're doing the same things when you're not around as you are and they're going to uplift you as well yeah I I love that you said that I I heard somebody who um who met when I knew that faen would be with us and that we'd have the pleasure and the privilege of having you in this week I did a little bit of due diligence and in making a couple phone calls I had somebody say like look she's the type of representation and agent who's going to be thinking about the athlete and the athletes overall Wellness when the athletes off doing all the other things that they want to do in their lives and you want that type of adviser and Advocate that's going to be working for you around the clock and she represents that so I love that you said that about her folks it's fair and Benjamin I mean look if you don't know now you know and so uh you can ask Uncle Google any question on any of your mobile devices and find out a lot more about faren so check her out let's come back to sports for a second and you specifically it's draft week I know that you've been Who Did Brenden Want to Play For as a Kid? thinking about different teams but man when you were a little boy thinking about making it to the NFL what were the teams that 5-year-old Brendan rice was thinking he would play on someday the teams that 5-year-old Brendan rice was thinking he'd play on one day surpris ly it was never the 49ers um I always just looked up to my dad and saw him playing like I I I admired it so much but I it's kind of crazy because I saw myself as being a Raider or a cowboy or it's something like even a Buccaneer maybe you know what yeah but I just I don't know um I saw the Legacy he left at o when he was in Oakland with the Raiders now they're Las Vegas and I wouldn't mind being over there I feel as though that you know black and silver uh people I'm sorry y'all I'm one of those cutthroat people that their fan base looks amazing to me they do look amazing and that stadium that stadium looks is amazing that's awesome well look hey so Oakland Raiders Brenden’s Plans in His Rookie Season team now you know um talk about some of the things that you've been thinking about as you're heading into the fall and obviously you're going to be playing you're going to be suiting up what are some of the things that are most important for you to achieve in that first season that you're coming into in the NFL I want to achieve and make sure I'm going to go ahead and put out the best version of myself but to do that I need to make sure I'm in shape I need to make sure that I am on a clear mental state so I have to make sure that the people around me as well as you know externally and internally uh are going to be pushing me and uplifting me forward because that matters everything off the field matters as much as on the field um and I feel as though that I will go ahead and put on the best version of myself if I get everything in order and hopefully be Rookie of the Year that's the plan oh I love I love I love where the mind's at and you know what I love that you said that even more I was just listening to a podcast this morning before I came into work and it talked about how the difference between good and Elite is from the neck up meaning the mindset is where the war must first be won and I loved I loved that and it really stood out to me and obviously Brenan look you represent that in so many different ways uh I'm glad that you said that let's talk about other people that have been influential in your life but you also know will continue to be influential in your life in addition to obviously your beautiful mother Jackie Edwards faen Benjamin and Janelle Rivera who else is in your small circle of humans that you know hey going forward as I continue to audit my circles these are the people I'm going to keep close to me so that I can really show out this fall I would I say just uh a couple of the USC alumni uh just having USC alumni around man they they' they're so branched out and you can just go anywhere and if you have that USC degree it's huge and how how many things that they're invested in and networked all into you can go ahead and make sure that your future plan or like if I wanted today to say hey I want to go ahead and get a million dollars for this business from J M I'm pretty sure I could probably get it so yeah just making sure that I go ahead and stay within the USC alumni group I'll be happy let's fast forward the clock a little bit you have an Life After Football? incredible 12 to 15E career in the league you're in your early to mid-30s you're still a young man then what's that second chapter of your life look like are there passions I'm like look you're you're on fire today wearing that so obviously you're into fashion you value the way you show up your presence and your energy has been incredible today what are some of those things that you're thinking about for that second chapter of your life when you're done playing football Investments investment opportunities within uh duplexes uh going ahead just you know owning Apartments um owning houses real estate uh hopefully investing within my own business uh my real estate business as well as maybe starting a clothing brand in the future it's a little it's it's hard and challenging but I need a lot more free time so that's life after football um and then Paris fashion week maybe uh a little bit of modeling a little bit of acting I feel as though I could go on to being a sports uh host and being able to talk on TV yeah I love that let's let's start with the first one so you reference real estate where did your interest in real estate come because I understand that you had an interest in real estate from a very very young age where did where do you think that was born from for you it came from my mother my mother had long days at the office and right after school uh I would have to catch the bus and go up to the office and meet her there and I would just sit at like one of the you know like the uh I forgot what it's called man um it's like the show House like the oh the model the model the model home thank you thank you yeah I was sitting in the model home and I would always have this like you know this uh this tiger uh freaking um stuffed animal as well as all my stuff on the bed and everybody knew it was mine so I got invested in so early at a young age and I saw all the homes and like I wanted to do something like that in the future that's that's awesome and so right now real estate's definitely something that you want to continue to get more ingrained in even while you're playing right you reference fashion talk about that where where did your interest and fashion and your desire to show up and show up like that where where did that come from I just watch watch guys growing up like even Dennis robman had his own sense of fashion but like I'll say like I loveis it's not my taste but like he was killing it on his own man like he was showing his personality and that's what it really is uh within fashion you just got to go ahead and show your personality show who you are you can bring it back you can be of uh studious you can you know go Street Wear there's so much levels that you can really take it yeah I I and I look I like the fact that you acknowledg I mean I think at the end of the day he was an incredible athlete uh but he was himself MH and there's a lot to be said for a man or a woman who shows up and they're their most authentic self right exactly and and you know hey yeah some of the things were out there but he yeah he had so much creative flare um so you talked about real estate and fashion being in that second chapter potentially also some modeling and acting are are there men or women that have retired from the world of pro sports that you've watched that you'd say you know I'm watching them live that second chapter in on TV and and I want to do something like that are there people you're looking up to right now oh Shannon sharp yeah he's taking it the next level man you know he came in what was he a late late round draft pick right yeah and he's putting so much into the game ended up being a Hall of Famer and now he's taking the broadcasting in sports and to the next level and that's what I want to go ahead and do yeah I love that I love the fact that you've got this certainty in your mind you already have a vision for it clear values uh High character high integrity High grind um let's come back to let's bring it back a little bit to this week before we go I know we're coming up on time any other thoughts that are really uh Weighing on you as you head into the next 72 hours and the draft kicks off making sure that I'm gonna be in the best shape to go into this rookie mini camp to be honest uh I can't go ahead and control the uncontrollables but I can control what I can control and that's just hitting that field yeah talk Staying Locked in Leading Up to Training Camp talk about that your physical mental emotional Wellness what are some of the things that you're doing now on a consistent basis to really take care of yourself uh making sure I get enough sleep at nights for one I need to do a little bit better job with that right now it's a special week it's okay oh and then as well as just uh every time trying to find just some time in a day that I'm going to the field going to the weight room because this is a hectic process but we have to be in shape in about a couple of days the team's going to call us up and if you're not ready you know they're going to go to that rookie mini camp and they're going to make a full of you try to make an example of you not a full excuse me where where are you training right now uh Arizona okay and are there a couple guys that you train with consistently oh my wide receivers coach um basically just go out there run routes uh drills and then me and him get a little a little bit competitive all the time you go hit the uh what's it called the weight the weight room and we'll see who can do more to 25 or more squats uh than each other just you know we like to compete against each other he's an old head but he played in the league for a couple of years yeah that guy's probably like 15 years younger than me um but before we go Brennan couple a couple last things here what what are a few of the things that you're taking forward to a team today that you're saying like look when I get drafted these are a couple things that this team that this coaching staff that this organization can count on getting from Brendan rice just a dude that's going to go out there and put his best foot forward each and every time um I built myself my Foundation is work ethic and I've known for my practice habits so each and every day you're going to get the same person out of me and you're going to get someone who just wants to be a student of the game and just apply himself each and every day so he can really absorb as much knowledge as he can because he wants to be here he wants to build out a 10 to 15 to 20 even hopefully 20 year plan within the NFL and he wants to leave an impact among uh his fellow teammates and hopefully be a leader that Advice for Student Athletes and Parents of Athletes leads him out on Sunday we have a ton of student athletes that listen to the show across the country which hey folks we we appreciate you what's the best piece of advice that you'd pass down to a student athlete at the high school or college level about pursuing their dreams being coachable putting in the grind and being a great teammate you may think that you have that time tomorrow when you really should be going out today and making what's making it happen cuz even my dad used to say today will do what others want so tomorrow I can do what others can't so make sure you do the most of it make the most of it today what's the piece of advice that you'd give parents in how to B what's something that you learn from Jackie from the Jackie Edwards that you'd say like look this is parenting done really well to support my dreams and this is a lesson that other parents can learn or glean from as they support their children in the future she was just very supportive of me each day in and day out man like she was my number one fan but at the same time with not being too Len with just like some of the stuff that I did she was uh she had her hand in a lot of the stuff that I did going forward like going to USC she wanted me to have that business degree she wanted me to go ahead and have that alumni base as well as just saying USC uh added on to your name it's huge man it's huge and she just wants the best from me I love that folks look you heard it here first Brennan rice projected very high in the draft stud Superstar receiver coming out of the USC Trojan locker room uh mentored and developed by some of the greats in college football uh incredible football family but I mean I got to give a shout out to the women in the room it's clear that uh Jackie Edwards I mean Ju Just I mean I'm looking at you and I was impressed with you when I watched you play football but now that I met you I mean even more shout out and love to Jackie and and uh everything that she's done as a parent the son of Jerry Rice his agent faen Benjamin and Janelle Rivera also as representation I mean what a blessing it's been to have you uh here in the office today and uh we're wishing you nothing but the best in the draft and we're excited to watch you play in the fall thank you for having me man yeah thanks for being here [Music]