Law Have Mercy!
Law Have Mercy! isn’t just about the law anymore—it’s about life, business, health, and everything that sparks curiosity. Join Personal Injury Attorney Chaz Roberts as he dives into candid conversations that mix legal insights with lifestyle tips, entrepreneurial wisdom, and personal growth. From breaking down complex legal issues in simple terms to exploring the challenges and triumphs of health, business, and beyond, Chaz brings his unique perspective and passion to every episode.
Whether you're here to learn, laugh, or find inspiration, Law Have Mercy! has something for everyone. Just remember: the opinions of our guests are their own, and nothing on this podcast is legal advice or creates an attorney-client relationship—it’s all about entertainment, exploration, and empowerment. Let’s make it fun!
Law Have Mercy!
Heart, Hustle, and an Enduring Quest for Greatness: My Candid Convo with Super Bowl Champ Ray Calais
You can connect with our guest, Ray Calais, on social media @King_Calais
On this episode of Law Have Mercy! podcast, I settled into the studio with Raymond "Ray" Calais, for what turned out to be one of my absolute favorite episodes yet. An open book, Ray is a talented athlete, a fellow Cecilia native, and an all-around super likable guy. He showed up eager to share and our comfortable conversation traversed every topic we could possibly pack in: his pursuit and experiences in the NFL and what it's like to meet your heroes, the key to achieving your dreams, how to deal in the face of crushing adversity, what sets the truly elite apart in sports and in life, and much more. Whether you're a football fan, a Cecilia Bulldog, a big dreamer, or just someone who enjoys life hacks and inspiring tales, rest assured because this episode has something for you!
We kick things off on a high note with stories only a former NFL star could tell. From his college days with the Ragin' Cajuns here in Lafayette, LA to sharing the field with NFL legends like Tom Brady, Ray's journey is nothing short of cinematic. He paints a vivid picture of a young athlete's metamorphosis: his first brush with the opulence of NFL life, his reverence for childhood heroes & standout athletes who he'd learn were even more impressive close-up, and all that he was met with on his journey from La to LA.
With gripping detail, Ray recounts the rollercoaster of emotions young athletes face on Draft Day, the humbling beginnings of a rookie's first NFL practice, the precision demanded by the sport's elite, mental and physical nuances and split-second decisions that have the power to change everything, and the sometimes harsh realities of pursuing a career and dream that requires maximum effort and focus at all times yet offers far less of the comforts one might expect in return. In an emotional climax of the conversation, Ray vulnerably shares the devastating details of the incident that changed his life and career and the extreme highs and lows he faced in the months that followed as he achieved his ultimate lifelong career goal from the one place he least expected....the sidelines.
Wrapping up with personal reflections, Ray delves into the profound impact of his childhood influences, what motivates him today, advice for young athletes and big dreamers alike, nuggets of inspiration he has collected in sports and life, and just what is next in his tremendous journey to achieve his wildest dreams....again! Our longest-ever episode of this podcast, we dare you to listen and be disappointed by Ray's inspiring blend of heart, hustle, and his enduring quest for greatness.
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This show is co-produced by Carter Simoneaux of AcadianaCasts Network, Chaz H. Roberts of Chaz Roberts Law and Kayli Guidry Bonin of Beau The Agency, and Laith Alferahin.
Hey guys, this is Chaz with Law. Have Mercy back again with another episode. This is one of my favorite episodes yet. Our guest, raymond Colley, talks very candidly about what it takes to be an NFL running back former Raging Cajun. He talks about the highs and lows of the process. He talks about playing in a Super Bowl, playing with Tom Brady. It's packed with gems and a bunch of tips and advice for everyone. I know you'll enjoy it. I think the entire community of Sicily will like to thank your mother for dragging you to across I-10. Right, yeah, because I think that worked out pretty well.
Speaker 2:No for sure it worked out perfectly. I think I wouldn't imagine it happening any kind of other way and I'm kind of happy she did that. It made me better, it made me work harder, it made me see a different kind of I guess like world in a sense, from being closed off in Boatbridge, where I was I had my friends there, but it was also like a lot of friction and then I go to Sicily. It's like new people, new faces. I felt like the food tasted different. I was like man, everything is different.
Speaker 1:Everything's different and it's just a mile apart if that yes, for sure. So thank you for being here, first of all because you have a flight to catch tomorrow. I sure do, yeah, where?
Speaker 2:are you going? So I'm going to Dallas. I'm going to have to report to the camp, for it's now called the United Football League. It was the XFL and slash USFL, but now those teams have joined one union and I'll be playing in this spring football league, so I have to report to Dallas.
Speaker 1:Yeah, and you're playing for the Michigan Panthers.
Speaker 2:Yeah, the Michigan Panthers.
Speaker 1:It used to be Detroit. It used to be Detroit now. They changed it to Michigan, it's the same thing, yeah, and is it going to be weird flying actual with normal people and not on a private jet somewhere?
Speaker 2:Yeah, man, it's going to be totally different from NFL. I think NFL was just like you know. They had the team playing and you know, you got food. You had Chick-fil-A waiting on you, you had the catering and everything. Everything was laid out for you. You sat in first class, so you had the little seats that rolled, you had a TV in front of you, you had pillows, everything. It was like it was catering to you. But now it's going to be a little different. Going on a regular flight.
Speaker 1:So is the rock your boss? Is the rock involved in the NFL?
Speaker 2:Yes, he is, he's the boss. He's the boss. And actually I met him a couple of times. I met him when he came to the Rams, los Angeles, when he worked out with Aaron Donald. That was crazy. I mean, those two bodybuilders, almost like you know they was working out and you know I was just peeking in the weight room like that's where the rock. You know what I mean and you know it was hammer curling some hundred pound dumbbells.
Speaker 1:I was like bro come on, bro, and we see the rock and we think he's like superhuman but, Aaron Donald is 50 times the football player of the rock ever dreamed of being. And then some.
Speaker 2:Yeah, I mean and then some.
Speaker 2:I was one of the best football players that ever lived for sure, and he was the first person I was to actually like star struck to see. I mean, I was on the team with Tom Brady. But when I got to Los Angeles and I saw Aaron Donald, I was like man, this dude, he really have a 12 pack. It was like I couldn't believe how much muscle he had on his body and how hard he worked and how you know, just like the way he approached his business. He was just always on point man. He was never caught lack and everything was just always precise, very detailed, oriented and I was just like man that's that's somebody you want to follow.
Speaker 2:You know what I mean. That's somebody you want to be like. Yeah, that's crazy Just looking at a picture like that man and that's. And you know, a funny story is, every time he would take off his shirt, like in a great room or after practice, everybody would just look like he was just like. Almost like.
Speaker 2:Every time I was like man that's really his and not to fantasize over it, but he was just crazy because everybody would put their shirt back on. They would see he, you know Aaron Donald, take his off. It was like a joke.
Speaker 1:So like, okay, so your star struck. You're a young player, you go to LA we'll talk about Tampa Bay in a second but you go to LA, you see Aaron Donald. You're like blown away by him. You're an offensive player, new guy. How do you kind of approach him and be like hey, mr Donald, I got to say that work. I guess you can't call people Mr.
Speaker 2:No, I think you know what. And then that was like another thing once I got there and once I was a part of the team it ain't no time to fan is like, oh man, like like you're one of us now.
Speaker 2:Yeah, you know what I mean. And it's almost like, okay, like they dab me up, they shake my hand and now let's go to work. It's that simple. Um, it wasn't no time to. Oh, let me get a picture, Let me get an autograph. It was like, no, we had to work, we had to win, we have a team model, um, and let's just get the business man, it's you know, let's get the ball going. So whenever I got there, man, I just I remember, um, they inch, cause I was a new face, so Sean McVay had introduced me. I stood up and I was like we had a team meeting and I stood up, introduced myself and then that was it, he, he break.
Speaker 2:We went to offensive meetings, the defense went to defensive meetings and then we came back for practice later on that afternoon and and I'm down on top of me, it was that quick. It was like what does that feel? Like? Well, he didn't really almost he. Well, he didn't really put his whole body on me. He just really like, give me a bear hug, cause we had a um, we was doing a goal line drill and it was the twos versus the one defense, you know as it is in practice, and I, you know, I got the handoff and all I remember seeing was Aaron Donald. It was like nobody could block him in practice. So certain plays show me maybe like hey, donald, take a break off, let's get a look here. You know what I mean, cause he was like almost unblockable. But it was cool. He really. He hugged me like he gave me like a bear hug. He'd be on the head. It was like good job, brooke. I was like I ain't even do anything.
Speaker 2:But, uh, I I feel like that was like my welcome to the team for like with him.
Speaker 1:But he had the mindset, like he even knew who you were in that moment, to acknowledge that you were a Rook Right. Like he knew, like how does that guy who is playing at the highest level defensive player of the year, one of the best all time, take the time to get to know? You know, know that he's tackling you in that moment?
Speaker 2:But I think that's just the kind of person that he was and the culture that I think Sean McVey and less need the general manager had, set in Los Angeles you would think a big city like that and a well, you know, well-known team with superstars they would be, you know, self-centered and just obnoxious. But he wasn't. He was just like he welcomed me, like I was one of them, in which I was one of the you know, one of his teammates, and he knew my name and I was just like, okay, it was that I mean, I was only there for maybe, maybe like six hours and he knew my name already. So that's just. I guess that just goes to show you how important I think you know he felt, that you know he needs to know everybody on the team to work to, I guess, get along with people and actually get the best out of them.
Speaker 1:I think. To me it's like the professionalism Right, like these guys are masters at their crafts, the sure, true masters, and it's 360, all day, every day, from the training to the film study, to knowing the new guy that just walked through the, through the locker room. That's insane. How did you end up in Los Angeles? How did that happen?
Speaker 2:So I got drafted to. So in 2020, the COVID year was was crazy. So that's the year I came out of. That was my draft year 2020. So I go to, I go to the combine. I did well, and now it's late. Eight personal knowledge draft day. I knew the first day I wasn't going. So I and I knew day two I'll probably have a shot of going because I know my agent was telling me you could probably go to maybe the fourth to seventh round. So I was like okay. And then when day two didn't happen, I was like day three I was in Sicily. I was at my sister's house and I was sweating. I remember everybody had food. I really didn't want to party, but it was like a. They had food and everything. And I just remember like I was nervous, like man I was watching a TV and people was getting drafted and I was just like man, like I hope I get drafted Right and I was just like, oh man, what if I don't? They got food here?
Speaker 3:They got people, I'm just like oh man.
Speaker 2:I remember it was getting to like the sixth round. I was just like man, they got one more round to go. My palms are sweating, my shirt feel like it's soaking wet. I'm just like I'm uncomfortable here. You know what I mean. So I stood up. I went outside. My phone started ringing. It was an unknown number. I was like.
Speaker 2:I picked it up, it was a Jacksonville Jaguars he was. He was like hey, ray, how you doing? Man Like I was like how you doing. I'm thinking this is going to be the moment. Right. He was like nah, we just, we just doing our due diligence, man. We just we think you're a great player, but I'm trying to convince our head coach and GM to pull the trigger to draft you. But if they don't, we would like to offer you a futures contract to come to the team. I was like okay. So I'm like I'm thinking this the moment, but I'm outside, like no one around me, I'm by myself. And then I'm just like okay, so I go back in the house. Now it's a seven round and now my hopes and everything just like it's down. I'm real down right now because I want to get drafted, but if I don't, it's still, it's still okay, but anyway. So I'm in there and I finally get the call.
Speaker 2:It was, um, tampa Bay. It was Bruce Aaron's on the phone and Jason Lynch, just uh, he's the GM right now. But Bruce Aaron's calling me and he was like, and he talked fast, he's like right, man, you ready? I'm like ready for what? I was like, you ready to be? Uh, that's a big book. And I was like, oh my God, I just man, I just remember the whole house, my mom, my dad, my, my, my brothers, um, my sister. Everyone was just screaming so I could, I didn't hear it. Not a word ain't here, not one single word. They was talking about on the phone, like, imagine being in that moment. You, you have, you know, the head coach of a Tampa Bay Buccaneers talking to you. You can't hear anything, right, and I don't just I don't think I remember we were saying, yes, sir yes, sir.
Speaker 3:Yeah, I'm in. Yes, sir Right.
Speaker 2:I'm just saying this the whole time that I'm crying and I see everybody else crying and I was just like wow, that was crazy. So I was like man, I really got drafted. And then I watched it on TV. They had my highlights. I was like oh, like that's me, that's me.
Speaker 2:That's me, I made it, I'm here. So it was like a big bear jumped off my back. I could, I could. I finally had my appetite back, I could eat. I was like, man, this is amazing. And then I remember them, they calling me back, I think after the draft. They was like hey Ray like go enjoy this with your family, man, like you earned it, um. But it was like this is, this is only the the beginning and I was like okay, cool, so I go there. I was like I'm going to train camp.
Speaker 1:Did you know that at that time, that that that was only the beginning? At that point, when you were drafted, did you say I made it, or you knew that it was a lot more work?
Speaker 2:No, I knew, I knew I was like man, like this is I'm going to a team with Tom Brady, got Mike Evans. I'm like hold up. I'm like man, these, these guys been in the leaf of 10 plus years. Tom Brady, 20 years. I'm like, wow, like this is a lot of work. It's a lot of pressure, but it's also a lot of work. And I just knew that I remember, um, maybe like a month later, um, they sent the playbook and it was on like a Microsoft tablet. It was really fancy. I logged into it and I saw how in depth it was.
Speaker 2:And you're still at home at this point oh yeah, cause it was COVID, so you know we couldn't go anywhere, okay.
Speaker 1:Do you normally report to the team? If it wasn't COVID, yeah.
Speaker 2:So normally what happened was, after you get drafted, the next three days you will go to what's called rookie mini camp. Okay, it was only rookies, they will. You go to the um. I guess you will go work out they would actually see you um, you run some plays and then after that that's when the vets will come in the vets will come in and they will start what you call OTAs. Otas is just they just lifting weights, running and they will run the plays. You know what I mean and shorts and a shirt, um, and helmets.
Speaker 2:But that didn't happen because of COVID, so everything got pushed back. So I was having zoom beans with my, with my running back coach, just trying to learn the playbook. You know how intense was that learning the professional playbook? It wasn't. It wasn't as bad as I thought it would be. It's yeah, obviously it's a. It's a. It's a lot of details in it, but for my position, man, I just I broke everything down as I've been doing in college with um, my head coach, building a. Now he's with Florida Gators. He taught us, he really prepared me for that. So that wasn't. It wasn't like I was shocked.
Speaker 1:He was like y'all ran a complex system Right.
Speaker 2:So I already knew. I already knew what it was and even um, I can go back to the um. I want to say when this was, this was um, this was in February. They have what you call the um, the combine. So I'm at the combine and at the combine you go through all these interviews with every team, the, the, the position coach, um, and and maybe, if they really liked you, then you might um, talk to the head coach and GM. So they really, so what happens is they? They show you how.
Speaker 2:So they'll teach you a play, they'll teach you their play, right. They'd be like hey, this is a running play from the Tennessee Titans, that's how we do it. And then they'll teach you one of the past and you know one of the past plays. And then the coach would be like he'll sit back and he'd be like not teach me one of your plays from college? How to block it up? Who's the line blocking? Who's the D line got to get? What's the uh, what's the concept? Um, what's what's your aiming point, what's your steps, the whole nine?
Speaker 2:And then, after you show him your play, he'd be like not teach me the two plays that I taught you Right? So they want to. They want, they want to test you. They want to test your mind and see if you can retain information and be able to speak the language that they speak. And so I already knew that. So I was, I was good, I was ready to go, so, um, but once I got the Tampa, that's when everything shifted, and you know cause you you know we got to meet Tom Brady and actually run plays with him and learn from him and just be around the whole team.
Speaker 1:Now I'm a football fan and I think I don't know if I could handle being in the same room as Tom Brady. I mean, what was it like playing with Tom Brady?
Speaker 2:I think it was. For me it wasn't the first couple of days. I was like I streamed the nerves because I didn't know, I didn't want to piss him off. You know what I mean? Cause he he came in there, he had he had some big old cleats, big old boots, he had a jug of water and he's walking around and it's like it's almost like an aura. When you see him You're like wow, is this man glowing or something? It's like different. But I remember being in meetings and um, so we had cause. When you report it was the rookies in the quarterbacks report before the entire team, so it was just the rookies at first.
Speaker 2:So he was throwing the ball to me and I remember I ran a flat, a flat route just is three yards or it can be five yards, depending on which system you in. But I ran that route at two yards, right, not thinking nothing of it. And Tom ripped me like from the. I think this was like day two of the camp. He was like day two is like right, man, you got to run this route at three yards. If not at three yards, then I'm not going to throw you the ball and I just remember sitting back while I'm jogging back and I see him like looking at me and he's giving me everything, I'm just like, okay, okay, and then show enough, I ran the route right. He threw him the ball and then I was like what the hell, that's all I got to do. I just got to do the right thing and he going to give me the ball. So I think, from from that point forward, I was like man, you know what? I see how imperative you know this is to him and obviously it got to be that way for me. So I have to lock in and do everything right, cause he very detailed, or did he going to make you do certain things?
Speaker 2:I remember I was running a burst route, just a burst route, just five yards, and burst across the field. He was like, hey, I need you to, I need you to like finesse it a little bit, even if you can't get to the five yards, get to like maybe three or four. But I need you to finesse it and get open, cause I know he's like, I know you fast, but stop trying to be a robot. I need you to finesse and get open. And I remember, I remember doing it. I remember, you know, I remember he threw me the ball. He was like you see, so I was just like he was instilling confidence in me. And I remember I was like man. This is Tom Brady. Like I watched him on TV. That was my favorite team. Growing up as the page was, I was like now I'm on his team and it was just like man. I see why they won so much because he was.
Speaker 2:He was demanding of everybody and you're like Kevin Falker Right right, and it was crazy, I never mentioned Kevin Falk to him because I didn't. I Was just so rated to, I wanted to earn his trust and and and build a bond with him and and then, you know, talk about how I grew up, you know, from a small town next to Karen Crow which was Kevin Falk from, and but I never got the chance to actually have that conversation with him.
Speaker 1:Yeah, and then when Tom tells you something, he's probably right.
Speaker 2:Oh yeah, like ten times out of ten, he's right.
Speaker 1:The man is in his.
Speaker 2:He was in his 40s and you were 22 yeah, I was, I was 22, he was 42, I was like man.
Speaker 1:I the man's 20 years older than you.
Speaker 2:It's like dog, you could be my dad almost like.
Speaker 2:Come on, bro, and I was just and seen him perform and do what he do and and still throw the ball six to seven yards, man throw it with position, like he was on point. I was like wow. And then I also remember this was like later on in the camp this is like probably like August 27, like this is probably one of the last days account before we actually start the season. And I remember we was going against the defense and in Devon white and the Vonte David they was tearing us out, they was killing. We couldn't move the ball. We was doing a two-minute drill. We couldn't move the ball and it was hot as piss and Tampa Bay I'm talking about, so hot. Your clothes were soaked, your cleats were, so he was walking like.
Speaker 2:Like man it was soaking wet, right, it was hot, and you know you couldn't move the ball. So everybody frustrated Bruce Aaron's. He's like Ray, like a crawfish, he and he would never walk. He would be like a little golf cart yelling at people, ran as hell. He had a white beard so he looked like Santa Claus what the hell's going on here? He looked like Santa Claus.
Speaker 2:Tom Brady pissed off. We can't move the ball. It's hot as hell, the defense chirping. I'm a rookie and I'm just looking like maybe got to do something, but I can't say nothing because I'm just a rookie. You know what I mean. So then I remember Tom, tom had he pulled a whole offense together. He was like my goodness, you need to catch the damn ball. And and I was like thank you, talking to Mike like that. And Mike was just like Mike. Mike was on a knee and he had his helmet down. He was on a knee. He was like you can see the sweat coming down, hitting this, burn his eyes. And I'm looking at Mike and Mike was like, yeah, tom, I got you.
Speaker 2:And I remember I was like damn, these are the best of the best players in the world. You know, first straighter right now, trying to figure it out, it's campus is late August, it's hot as hell and Tom still demanding the best out of you, and I just remember that I was like man, that's, that's what it takes to be the best.
Speaker 1:It's amazing that practice was that intense, I mean you talked about Aaron Donnell. You talking about Tom Brady getting on Mike Evans ass like I. Why is practice so important?
Speaker 2:It doesn't because you practice how you play. I remember coach Napier In college. I remember he tell him he was like make practice hard, make it, make it harder in the game. And I was like man, I never thought about it like that. Because once you practice hard, you practice how you play the game. By time you get to the game is like I already done this in practice, I already know what to do, I already know how to react.
Speaker 2:I like you're ready to put your body through that, through that strain. You're ready, like like you have already exhausted yourself and fatigue your body. So now in the game is like second nature. This is because in a game you got, you get time out. She get commercial breaks, you get. You know I mean you get water and it's and you know you're not like like in practice you can run a play and if you don't like, you got run it again. But in the football game you don't get second chances. There's one plane, move on. You know what I mean. So I just you know. I Think practice and how you play makes everything Much smoother for game time.
Speaker 1:There was a debate on whether it was Brady or Belichick who is the true genius behind the championships and then Brady comes along and wins another championship with Tampa Bay, and so I think everybody kind of understands that is. And Belichick really hasn't done anything. Now he's unemployed. What about Tom Brady that you saw led to all those championships?
Speaker 2:I think it was his. I Think how smart he was. Because he wasn't. He wasn't the most athletic, because even when you see him, he's just maybe six, five, six, six, yeah, but he's obviously tall, but he's not the biggest. He don't have not one vein sticking out his body. It ain't like he's a. You know, he looked like DK Metcalf or anything he's. You know, I mean, he's just a regular white guy that can throw the football. But he's really smart though. You know he can break down the defense, he knows what what the defense is trying to accomplish, but he but he know how to beat them to their spots. You know, I mean, and just seeing him watching film and just the way he operate, man Just how, like I say, he's very demanding of himself, but of his peers and of his teammates as well.
Speaker 1:So and when the lights get the brightest he's on the most.
Speaker 2:He. He's on the most man. He don't. He don't get tired. It's like he. It's almost like patching my home. It's like you think you got him what you don't. It's always another a rabbit in the hat.
Speaker 1:You know they put in something out and they're gonna make something happen speaking of ice in the veins, how do you catch a kickoff or a punt? In a dome or with 70,000 people watching you.
Speaker 2:Yeah, that was tough man, I think that was, that was. I think I think the you know the the kickoff return is easy. It just comes straight to me. You know what I mean. But it's coming in hot now, but it's coming straight to me, not a punt return. It's the most difficult thing. I think I'd be waving my arm.
Speaker 2:Yeah but even if you wait, you still gotta catch it. Now. You see, it's still coming down like a hot potato. It's coming down real hard and it depends on who's kicking it. So if it's a right-footed punter, the ball is gonna turn over left. You know me. So you can kick it from. The right is gonna turn, it's gonna spin left. But it's all type of stuff you have. You have to read the balls turning up, office of the ball turning down. But if it's a left-footed punter, that's when it the ball can go anywhere. It can fall left, it can fall right, it can fall ten yards, it can go deep. He just don't know and I just think that that was one of the hardest things for me to learn at first. But I remember being at um, I remember being in Los Angeles and Cooper Cup came up to me and he was like a Ray, like cuz. Obviously he was the, he was the pump returning, but they didn't want Cooper Cup returning. Puns cuz it's.
Speaker 1:Cooper Cup, I mean come on, bro.
Speaker 2:So I'm. He came up to me was like look, this is gonna be your job, but we need you to work on everything in practice. You say you need to catch about Maybe 30 balls a day off the foot, not the jump, the jugs. The jug machine is just for warm-ups because the balls come in straight to you, but off the foot is where you're gonna do it in the game. You know, punish, put off the foot, and it's been a certain way. So he was like I need you to just beat the ball to the spot, catch it in the air, catch it, which you know. Make sure that you, you, you pink is aren't together. He was teaching me how to catch it. I was like wow. So once he broke it down to certain faces of how to catch it, it made it ten times easier.
Speaker 1:Yeah, and then they let all these damn Australians in right, and they had a whole different level to the kicking game, right, right with the rotation of the ball, and then some of them kick knuckle balls in or in balls.
Speaker 2:Like how do you?
Speaker 2:catch that repetition, repetition, repetition. The more reps you get, the more reps you do, you know, the better you get at it. Because at first, like you know, you can, you can do the regular kicks. But once, like you say, once, the Australians you know, they start doing these knuckle balls, or what they call it, the, they call it like a helicopter because the ball spin like a like the helicopter, that's the, that's the one that that probably, like, is the most difficult to catch, because you don't know where it's gonna go. Like it can be, like you can beat the ball to the spot. You might think it's coming to ten yard line, but it might go to the eight yard line or the 15. It just don't age, you can't predict it. It's like man. So those I wouldn't catch, those I would let. I was, I'll go.
Speaker 3:Peter, peter, peer like everybody, get the hell out of the way.
Speaker 2:Because these are too hot and you know you never want to put your team at risk of muffing the pun. And now the other team got the ball, so so are you nervous when you go out there. No, at first I was. At first I was nervous, but the more reps I got he became like second nature. It was like, okay, just make sure I just beat the ball to the spot and catch it. You know, became second nature.
Speaker 1:Did you play a full season in Tampa Bay or did you move to LA? That's the your first season right, so I didn't.
Speaker 2:So the story about that it was like I said I was doing well in camp with Tampa Bay Getting first team reps, with you know being next to time Brady and stuff. So I was like, okay, so I'm obviously doing well For me to be getting first team reps. I'm I'm a seven wrong draft pick. I really don't who was the starting running back at? It was, it was Ronald Jones.
Speaker 2:Ronald Jones was a starting running back, but I returning starter, I guess right but no but, but he was getting, he was getting ball, could reps, but when it would come the third down I could catch better than him. So in time, like the way I caught the ball and got open and so he, you know, he, I guess he was, you know, gain us and trust with me being there, I was like, okay, cool, so, but that same, I want to say that same week man, like late in August, leonard Furnett. He was playing for the Jacksonville Jaguars and they released them.
Speaker 2:So I'm like okay, so they released them very next day, Tampa sign I'm. So I'm like oh my god.
Speaker 1:How do you find this out just on?
Speaker 2:on Instagram. So I'm, I go home after I go home after training camp. You get your news just like me, right, exactly so I'm. So I'm there, I'm in my hotel room. I'm just looking over the place for tomorrow. Okay, cool, I'm trying to kick my feet up, rest and hydrate. So I see Leonard Furnett, samba, tampa Bay. I'm like man, we play the same position. This is my. I'm like man, I don't know how this gonna go. So they signed them show the thing I go to practice that day and my reps were cut.
Speaker 2:I'm like, wait a minute, I was getting a lot of reps now I'm not getting as much reps but Leonard Furnett wasn't even. He wasn't even in the building yet. Wow. So now this is like I want to say the final cuts this, the final cuts now. And and you know the they called me in the room. He was like hey Ray. This is Jason Lynch, the general manager. He's like hey Ray, he has his big old office on walking there. It's like man, I really loved you, man, we really love what you did on. You know, with time and you know you, you had some great film. But you know we signed in a for me. We got a bigger body, more experience. So we think we're gonna, we're gonna keep him, we're gonna assign you to sign you to the practice squad.
Speaker 2:And I was like. I was like, okay, you know, I mean I didn't want to let my emotions show at it at that point, but I was like man, I mean I've been here all camp. I was doing everything right, worked hard, I stayed late after practice, put an extra work. I was like, okay, but that's the business of the NFL, that's the as the business of the beast. So I was like, okay, cool. So, um, I remember I went to talk to my running back coach and he told me the same thing. He was like just keep your head up and keep working. We love you, obviously, because we, we want to keep you. Um. So I was like, okay, cool, I left, go to my hotel room.
Speaker 2:My agent called me. He was like hey, heard the news man, heard you. Um, they want, they want to sign you to the practice squad, but your name have to go through waivers first and whoever claim you? Well, whoever put in a claim for you, they can get the first pick at getting you. And I had like three claims. I think it was uh, the ramps, the, the Broncos, and I want to say Tennessee Titans had put in a claim for me. So he was like so, do you want to? So now I go to sleep, so now I wake up the next morning I'm going to Tampa Bay facility to sign my futures contract, which is, uh, the practice squad. I go to sign that contract. My agent called me while I'm in I'm, I'm in the big office, I'm about to sign it. He was like hey, I think you should put the pin down. Um, you want to put on, you want to put on a lost angus ramshammer? I'm like what he was like.
Speaker 3:No, for real, I'm like hell yeah, I want to pull on the road.
Speaker 2:I'm like hell, yeah, I'm like come on so, um he's like, all right, look, he's like, um, I'm gonna call you back in about 20 minutes. 20 minutes turns of like puts the pin down.
Speaker 1:I'll put it down.
Speaker 2:So now so now I'm all looking at me like what are you doing? Right, like this is the opportunity. He's like well, so I just got up I went talk to jason. I was like, hey, jason, I think, um, you know, I'm I think I'm gonna be going to different team. I probably got cleaned and he was like Okay, and I walked out. Yeah, like nothing, like nothing. I'm like but I said right.
Speaker 2:I just walked out. So like I say my agency, he was calling back in 20 minutes, 20, 20 minutes turned to like six hours. I'm like yo, what is going? So now I'm back in my hotel. I'm like man he better call me. So he called him. He was like all right, I got you man, we, uh, we got your flight first thing in the morning at 5 am. Um, uh, out of Tampa you going to los angeles. Uh, you got a contract, three years, 2.7 million dollars.
Speaker 3:I'm like oh Okay, let's go, let's go, let's go, so I got on the plane.
Speaker 1:And you're looking around. Yeah, you look around. You have a, you're in a hotel or an apartment.
Speaker 3:Okay.
Speaker 1:I need a backpack. Um, I guess I need a toothbrush and I'm getting on the plane. I'm going to la for my new team like how crazy is that, if you think about it's a crazy business it was.
Speaker 2:It was that crazy and that's what happened. I got my bags and went to the airport the next morning and I was in LA that quick, wow.
Speaker 1:All right, let's, let's keep it rolling, get to la.
Speaker 2:So yeah, I mean, I get to la man and it was just like whoa, like I'm here, I'm on a team, but obviously it's still uh cove it. So you have to uh take a cove it tests. Oh man, how aggravated was that. But imagine my rookie year. I took a cove test every day Unbelievable every day, from from august to January, every day. There was no preseason that COVID year. Wow, right, there was no preseason that COVID year.
Speaker 2:Dude, you had a bad year to come out, that's what I'm saying, man, I'm like man, I got the fan experience was different.
Speaker 1:The training camp, oh my God it was like it was a ghost town.
Speaker 2:It was just you and your teammates.
Speaker 1:Cause. Normally training camp is pretty it's a fan friendly experience, yeah, get y'all, maybe it's like hey, somebody wants Tom Brady, somebody wants you to sign this and put that in your locker. Keep it, that's just me.
Speaker 2:Man, it was crazy man and I just remember like dang, like it was no fans. It was, and even at the games it was no fans. It was like you could hear a pin drop in there. I'm like it was weird.
Speaker 1:The regular season Regular season, regular season.
Speaker 2:Wow, I remember my first game, my first game playing. We played against. It was the Rams versus the the Bills, it's like okay so, but we played in Buffalo, so it was. It was like early September, but it was. It was still kind of chilly. It wasn't as cold but it was still kind of chilly. I remember that's my first time suiting, our first time playing, and I remember I was the kickoff attorney. So I remember the ball coming to me, a call that started running. I was like ooh, so I got tack on. I'm like I'm here.
Speaker 3:Yeah.
Speaker 2:But it didn't feel. It felt like a scrimmage because it was no fans Right. You know what I mean. It was like weird.
Speaker 1:Like a junior high game or something. Yeah, it was nobody in the stadium.
Speaker 2:I was like what the hell's weird?
Speaker 1:And but you missed the whole training camp with the Rams.
Speaker 2:You missed that opportunity to get a rapport with those players.
Speaker 2:No, but I remember, bro. So so now we get, we get Matthew Stafford in and so now we go to OTAs. Otas is usually the beginning of, like well, the middle of April. So the team report, you know we're working out, we got this. This is my first time get to see Matthew Stafford in person and he trying to learn everybody's name and obviously he been playing in Detroit for like 10 plus years, so he have to learn a new place, he have to learn new faces, he have to learn new coaches. So it was like I guess it was foreign to him as well too, so he trying to pick it up on the fly. But he was cool man, him and his wife Kelly they was, they was both cool. Just learning him for well again to know him from April to, I want to say June.
Speaker 2:And then that's when we broke off for the break, and then we came back at the beginning of July to start our camp training camp.
Speaker 1:Well, those, those guys are both connected to where you're going in Detroit.
Speaker 3:Right.
Speaker 1:For sure, for sure, and I know Matt Stafford is a tough SOB for all the licks that he took in Detroit.
Speaker 2:He is, he is man, he is tough now, tough as nails.
Speaker 1:What? What happened in that season? You got hurt, right.
Speaker 2:Right, so yeah, so I go there. Man, I remember coming into training camp. Well, I was training in Arizona. Training in Arizona Because I wanted to train somewhere, it was hot, where I can really run heels and just fatigue my body. Just you know, get ready to put my body through in the first season and get ready to play.
Speaker 1:And I remember you have private coaching for this or you do this on your own.
Speaker 2:No, this was this. This was. This was private, this was private. My agent set it up.
Speaker 2:So I spent like a month, I want to say a month, in Arizona Just preparing myself getting ready to go play some football. And I remember I started running back camp acres, I got hurt, so it was. It was a question mark at the runner at the running back position going onto training camp. And I remember, you know, I, my running back coach at the time, thomas Brown, he, he takes the thread he was like I fellas, I was starting one down, so it's up for grabs. I remember that and I'm driving back from Arizona I'm just thinking to myself like all right, it's time to go, this is my opportunity. I got to make this happen. So I go into training camp and feeling good, man, I'm, I'm doing everything right, I'm, I'm, I'm being very productive too.
Speaker 2:I remember our first game. We played the Chargers. I almost scored a touchdown. I think we had. I think I had like two part returns for like 50 yards each, and you know, so I was, I was, I was going to win that job. I was going to be the punt return and kick return. So I had the special teams coordinator chopping that a bit. And then he was loving me, the team was loving me. I was just like man, just I'm just going to be my home or make it, I'm going to do it right.
Speaker 2:Then the next game we played the Raiders. We played the Raiders in the next game and I remember I was a team captain. I remember that Sean Sean me, they named me a team captain for that game. So I was pumped up like man, it's my second season, like I'm a team captain, I'm obviously doing some right to be named team captain for that game. So I'm like, okay, cool, so I go into the game, I'm playing well.
Speaker 2:And then I remember this third quarter. I caught a screen pass and I broke a. I broke a tackle. I think I got like six yards on the play. So as I'm about to get up off the ground, a detour could roll over on my foot and my foot was caught in a turf. So he rolled over on my foot. I remember screaming and I was like damn. So I try to get up and I couldn't. I tried to plant my foot down and I couldn't plant my foot and I immediately sat back down on the turf and I started crying. I knew something was wrong. But I'm thinking, I'm trying to be optimistic. I'm like maybe it's a high ankle, you know I can recover the team. Love me, I'm gonna make. I'm gonna make the team, I'm gonna play well the season. I'm just, you know, I'm gonna set out the next.
Speaker 2:The next preseason game Get held in play. So we get, I get to. They put me on the stretch. I get to the sideline. They put me on the golf court. There was like we need to go take some X-rays. I'm just like, all right, so once I get that, I get back there. The doctor looking at me and they was trying to take off my cleat but they couldn't because it was so tight.
Speaker 3:So they had to cut it.
Speaker 2:They had to cut it. Your foot was swollen already my foot was swollen like a potato and I just remember the dog looking at me and he shook his head and I started crying. I knew what that was. I started crying like hard, like a baby, and I remember he took my foot. He took my foot and he put the bones back in place, like he, like I heard it. He put the bones back in place and then he went. Once he let it go, my foot just fell. I was like ooh.
Speaker 2:So it made me cry more Were you in pain. At the time I wasn't in pain because my adrenaline was going Like I was. I was just playing out there. I was like I was doing well too. It was like man. And then I knew it, like I knew it was going to be a hard season. I knew it would have to go through recovery and, you know, just try to get back to running, to walk into learning how to play football again. And I was just like man. That's tough because I was right there.
Speaker 1:I was right there and you're a speedster, you feed her everything.
Speaker 2:My legs are my money makers. My legs are my babies. I've never hurt anything on my legs before, so I was just like you know. I had injury. I had a shoulder injury, but that's whatever. You know what I mean. I could bench, I can get that back stronger, but my legs I was like these are my go-getters, I can't mess these up. And when it happened, I was just like this is some.
Speaker 1:BS you were probably one of the fastest running backs in the league at the time.
Speaker 2:Right, right, I was on, I was like at the combine Like what was your, what was your forward time at the combine it was a 4-4-2. I think I was ranked top three. I was ranked top three.
Speaker 1:That's super fast for a running back Right, and I was receiver speed.
Speaker 2:Right and I and the man I was coming out the combine feeling good, I was fast. Some, some, some teams clocked me on the hand time at like a 4-2-8, a 4-3-1. So I was, I was really running fast and I was like, man, I'm I'm feeling real good. But once the injury happened it was just like I had to learn how to walk again learn how to talk.
Speaker 1:Talk me through what happens. Do you reach out to your family, your friends? Do you internalize it? Did you have to deal with that all on your own in California? What did you? I mean, I'm sure you you questioned everything at that point, your whole existence, your whole career, everything to this point. How did you get through that?
Speaker 2:Well, I remember the next day I had, I had surgery the very next day and so coming out of surgery, I remember I would train. I would train our head trainer, reggie Scott. He had to come pick me up from the hospital, bring me back to my apartment. Now I have a scooter now.
Speaker 2:One of those little scooters where I got to put my leg on it and scoot. So I had a scooter. I remember that and I was just like bro, like just yesterday I was running fast. Now I have a whole scooter. I can't even move.
Speaker 2:So I remember the first, the first week of rehab. It was just like I couldn't. I could barely move my foot. It was just mainly just stem. They put some stem to try to like get some of that blood going, and I was just sitting on the table. I would see my teammates going out for practice. I was just like, wow, I wish that was me, I wish I was going out to practice. And I remember at the time I was alone. So I was like, man, I don't have anybody to be there with me, I'm like, and so. So then, like, my girlfriend was there and then my son came, so that made it a little better. But then they had to leave again and once they left I was trying to take a shower by myself. I would have to. They gave me some type of little stuff to put on my foot because I couldn't get my foot wet. I'm like leaning in the showers trying to clean myself. I'm like man.
Speaker 2:I couldn't drive so I had to Uber to to the training facility to get my rehab. It was just-.
Speaker 1:Dude. People don't understand what athletes go through. Yeah, and after an injury.
Speaker 2:Yeah, it was crazy man I'm sure you dealt with depression.
Speaker 1:I'm sure you dealt with all kinds of issues.
Speaker 2:And I think, like being I was so isolated, I was so by myself because I would go to rehab, I would see my team, my teammates from maybe like two hours and then I got to go back home.
Speaker 1:Yeah.
Speaker 2:I'm just sitting down watching TV, I would play the game, but at some point it got boring and I was in my head and I was depressed. And I remember I was like family would call and friends would call and I would just ignore it because I didn't want to talk. I was by myself, I was hurting. I was like man, I'm depressed.
Speaker 1:Yeah.
Speaker 2:And I think one time one of my friends he texts me because obviously he was trying to get a hold of me but I wasn't answering the phone. I was doing it on purpose because I didn't want to talk. And he was like bro, he was like you got to stop, like beating yourself up. You know, like we know you're going through it. So it's okay to talk, it's okay to vent. He needs somebody to be there for you. And I just remember, after hearing him say that, I was like I let everything out.
Speaker 2:I was able to talk, and talking made it a lot better. But I mean I couldn't walk for three months. I mean I was on a scooter for three months, you know what I mean I was, and then I had a. I had an and I think the doctors took off my my stitches too early. I think it was like he's supposed to leave it on for 21 days. I think they took it off on like 14. So I had like a little hole Like you could see blood. So they they thought I had an infection. So I had to like they had to put like a pick line inside of me and I had to like. I was like, oh man, I was like injecting like medicine in my body three times a day and I couldn't walk and I was just like, oh, infections have killed careers.
Speaker 2:I'm like man. This is not it, bro. This is. I was like the press.
Speaker 1:For a and did you feel like you were letting people down?
Speaker 2:No, I feel like I was letting people down. I didn't feel like that. This is for like I wanted my career to take off.
Speaker 1:Yeah it was right there.
Speaker 2:It was literally right there. I like this is my dream. I worked hard, this is what I put. I put all the chips in the center of the table, like this. So I'm a better on myself, I'm gonna do this.
Speaker 2:Yeah, and I was that close and you know, andrew took it away and hurt me and I was just like I Was hurt because that year when we won the Super Bowl you know, we won the Super Bowl that year. So it was just like I would have been a part of that, which I was a part of that, but I feel like I was because I didn't play. So it was like you know, and even though they try to make me if they try to make me feel a part of they, get there. Like I got the helmet, I got the jersey, I got the ring, I was there for everything but I wasn't playing. I wasn't like I wasn't in the locker room, I wasn't taking those flights with those guys to go play on the road or I actually practice and and going through like do doing all the dirty work. I was just in the training room looking outside the window, wishing I was out there.
Speaker 1:And there's not many people who can relate to you in that situation.
Speaker 2:It's not, and everybody would tell me that man, it's alright. Man, like like you, the NFL, you have money, you I'm like bro. None of that matters, because when you buy yourself in a room and you're hurting right. None of that matters you. You only want to do what you want to do, and that's play football. You know, what you love. And I couldn't do that and I couldn't walk, and I don't think nobody understood that. They were just like well, bro, you got money bro.
Speaker 1:Yeah, do they understand what California taxes look like?
Speaker 2:Tampa Bay was nice, my signing bonus. I'm hitting my account in Tampa Bay and I remember I was. I was, uh, it was just like early in the morning. So I'm in the Bay, it's like 6 am, I'm Wiping my eyes. I'm about to get up to go brush my teeth. You hate the practice and I remember I saw it on my own Notification. It saves the positive, clicked it and once I saw those zeros I was like, hmm, I feel good. It feel good not to not to have to, I guess like worry about money, you know.
Speaker 1:Wrapping up that season. You'll end it up at the Super Bowl. Tell me about that experience.
Speaker 2:Oh man, it was crazy, it's super was crazy. I gave you a little inside story so this is probably like I want to say in November November of that season we lost, I think, every game in November that season and, and, and obviously we had acquired von Miller and OBJ at the time, and that's in November. So now in December we like, we are clicking here, we're clicking on all settings, on all cylinders, we win in the games and then now it's like late January, it's playoff time. I remember von Miller walking in the in the locker room he had his replica of the viz Lombardi trophy of Super Bowl 50. So he put it down. He put it down in front of the whole locker room and everybody's like oh, von, like Super Bowl trophy, like von, what is that? Vine me, I'm looking like Super Bowl trophy, like what's all right. So von was like if I want to get one of these, I need to lock in. I need y'all to like if y'all hurting, go to treatment on time, if, if y'all, if I need extra film, watch extra film. If I was need staff to practice, do this, do he say that's the little thing that's gonna get you over the top of the playoffs.
Speaker 2:I remember that also well, and then, sure enough, man, we started clicking brother we first game we had Arizona Cardinals. We beat them, beat them pretty good too. Second game Was like it was. It was a battle cuz. I remember time we played time break, played the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in Tampa Bay, and I remember, like we, you know, started off hot, I think it was like 21 to three was beating them. Who's like okay, I'm like I'm watching from home, I'm like we got this, we don't show enough time ready. Came back. It was like I think they took the lead was 21 to 24, it's like as the Saints, about old Tom and Tampa Bay.
Speaker 2:I'm sitting on things to myself like, oh no, not again Come on bro. Shown off, we put it off, we won the game, and then now, that, that, that, that urn's or comes around and you like whoa.
Speaker 1:He's doing it again.
Speaker 2:I'm like bro, that's the dude here, he had me sweating.
Speaker 1:I'm like what was the final in that game, Do you remember?
Speaker 2:Yeah, I don't remember this on the ring.
Speaker 1:It's on the ring.
Speaker 2:It's on the ring.
Speaker 1:So ultimate flag. So long, let me pull out my Super Bowl.
Speaker 2:It was 30 to 27.
Speaker 1:There you go, so it was a shoot shoot out and then.
Speaker 2:So I remember now this is innocent the NFC championship we playing the 49ers and we haven't beat the far now in the regular season and obviously they're in our division. So we have to play them twice. And old Kyle Shanahan, he's like a man, he's like a menace, but he just knows how to Run some offensive plays and get guys open and score points and for some reason we couldn't beat him.
Speaker 2:So now this is our third time playing them. So this is the NFC championship and so far. Stadium it's a home game, but it didn't feel like a home game because it was mostly farting out of fans in the building. Yeah, and I remember I'm sitting in one of our suites. You know, I'm watching from the from, you know, from the suite.
Speaker 2:I'm just like man, like it, just it's a whole bunch of red people in here, a whole bunch of far down the jerseys. It was crazy and I remember it was a close game. But you know, we, we obviously mean like we beat them. And so I go down to the field. So they had the, the presentation of the NFC championship trophy, so, and then they gave us the NFC, had championships. We were like maybe gonna Super Bowl.
Speaker 2:So you got people were like the, the, what you call that. There's like a newspaper saying what we going to Super Bowl, all right, cool. So that was crazy. And then now you get two weeks to prepare for Super Bowl. So now you got to go through the meetings, the media, you got to take a bunch of pictures, you got to do a whole lot of that. It's a whole lot of stuff and that was cool. That was really cool to be a part of that. But now it is the big day, it's game day. You know Super Bowl. You know we're playing against. You know the bangles and it was like man, they got.
Speaker 1:Joey B baby freaking Joey.
Speaker 2:Oh, Joe Borough man, and he was clicking all sit-in as they had a really good team that year, Joe mixing with the running back. Obviously you got. You got your receivers man to March chase and T Hagan. So they was loaded. It was loaded brah. And I remember going to that game I was like I hope we win this game. I don't know if I'm gonna be back in another Super Bowl. We got to get it done. And I remember waking up that morning I was feeling good.
Speaker 2:I was like man just a day Showing off. We got you know. We pulled up to the stadium. It was cameras everywhere. I'm like man, it's like imagine a whole bunch of you know. Flash is just hitting you at once. It was just like it was everywhere. So real experience right and like the anticipation was real. It's like everything was just. I remember being on the sideline for the game and seeing Just just about any celebrity you can think of, like it was LeBron James, it was Kanye West, it was anybody you can think of it was in there and so, sure enough, man, like me, it was a, it was a narrow by.
Speaker 2:There was a close game, because I remember OBJ went down and I remember look watching that. Sure enough. But I came down to one of the last drives. We had a Cooper Cup, beat Eli Apple over the top to win the game and then that's when we knew we won. The confetti came down. Obviously, they had people giving out the gear, the shirts, the hats, and I'm just walking and you can go look at it. On my Instagram I have a live video of myself on there, of me just walking and watching the confetti come down, watching my son Role like jumping the confetti, and it's just, it was just crazy just to see. You know, because I they had to bring in the whole.
Speaker 1:Presentation. Was that your favorite moment on a football field?
Speaker 2:I Think so. I think that was one of my favorite moments, but I also have another one, but now I mean that had to be number one for sure, for sure. What's your, what's your next one? My next one would be I'm in college and I remember this is my, this is my sophomore year of college and it's the first game of the season and I'm the kickoff eternal. First play, first game of the season. We play Southeastern Louisiana. They kicked me the ball and I and I called it and I scored a touchdown. A first play, first seat it was. It was a hundred-yard touchdown. I remember there was a hundred yards. I caught it, ran, scored the crowd gone crazy, my teammates, they throw water on the sideline.
Speaker 1:It was the first play of the first game. You score touch crazy.
Speaker 2:I remember that, and then.
Speaker 1:Show enough, carter. You remember that Carter's a big UL fan by his shirt, as you can't tell, with the big right, so that was crazy.
Speaker 2:I caught that, I made the touchdown and, show enough, we came back. I think it was like a three. I think they scored it. I think they scored a touchdown. I'm maybe they kicked the field goals I'm having, so now I'm back there again. They kicked me the ball again. I scored another touchdown. I'm like yo, this is crazy. Um, I remember. Just I remember I was. I was trending on Twitter that night.
Speaker 1:I saw it on ESPN. I'm like bro, I was in Baton Rouge. I saw it on sports.
Speaker 2:I'm like bro, this is crazy. I said good for Ray. I'm like, I'm going crazy. It feel like, and then for like the next two weeks I'll. I feel like the man of the of the town's like, well, like well, because people don't return kickoffs to Touchdown anymore.
Speaker 1:Right, right, and you did two and one game in one game, one game one of which the opening kickoff Right. What was the best part of playing at you, oh?
Speaker 2:That's part I would say. I would say it was home to me, man, it was. Uh, you know, I got to, I got to Play in front of my family. I obviously had my mom, my dad, my siblings there to watch me play. Um, and, and every home game felt like a. It felt like being in Sicily again, because it was like I could go out there for warm-ups and I can see my family there before the stadium feels. So I can see my family, I can spot where they at before the game and warming up and feeling good. And now the whole team go back in. Now, wait, the whole team come back out. Now it's time to game. You come out the the smoke, you come out the bus, out the flag, all right. So now the stadium is lit, is everybody here? You got, you got the popcorn going. You smell everything.
Speaker 1:So I'm like okay, so um is that why you went to you else? I?
Speaker 2:went to you else because my dad in high school he had um, wow, whenever I was in high school he had back surgery and I remember he had he had gotten to this bad 18 willa rec and I remember he was like really down and he couldn't come watch me. I'm competing any of my um, of my track meets Because you know, obviously, sitting on the bleachers with a back, you know he was, it was terrible and I just remember like I'm like man, like I can't leave home. You know my dad's hurt my mom, she needs some. You know my mom needs somebody and obviously me being there and me being Successful, it I guess it brought the family all together. They can come watch me, they can cheer me on. So I was like you know what, I'm gonna stay home, yeah.
Speaker 2:I'm gonna stay home.
Speaker 1:I'm a roto dice and you're happy.
Speaker 2:You're happy with your decision best decision that I've made being 17 years old, as the best decision I've made yeah, because you well prepared, you for the NFL. They did, they did. I remember my first head coach was Mark Hussbett. Um, that was, that was a.
Speaker 1:Carter's laughing.
Speaker 2:That was crazy, that was pretty um yeah, that's what I was gonna.
Speaker 3:I was gonna ask you. Hudd is obviously one of the reasons why you well became relevant in football after years of just sadness, and it had a few of those no lo bowls, some good success. But though I've talked to some boys who in that locker room it was, it was some wild times. Under the hudspath era he gets fired and then Napier takes over. So my, my question was which is he's kind of at that Saban disciple more disciplined? But what was the biggest difference going from a hudspath locker room to a Napier locker room?
Speaker 2:I would say the biggest difference would be man. Biggest difference would be mark husband was like, almost like a character in a movie. It was crazy. It was like he would walk around with all his championship rings on and he was swole he would wear a tight shirt. It was like the hawk walking around that thing, and he was like he was red too.
Speaker 1:So it was just like you seem to play for a lot of red coaches.
Speaker 2:I do, I don't know why. So it was just like man and Hudd would talk to you and like third person, almost what the hell, this guy. And it was just like weird. And he would walk around like I say he was shaking hand. You have a big old ring on. I'm just like All right, coach, we know you want, we know you the guy, you don't have to wear the ring all the time, but playing for Billy, it was just like man, like I could relate to Billy, like he was. Like you say he was a, he was a coach's son, he's. His dad was a coach in high school and Billy was a quarterback. I was at a lower level college but he just everything was from the middles and he came from a Nick Saban tree because he was. He was the receivers coach at Alabama and he was also a coach. He was the officer coordinator For Clemson, clemson.
Speaker 2:Yeah so he was with he's with dabbos weenie, so you know come on, he's got the pedigree. Yeah, he has it. He has and we knew it from day one. So, like day one he came in, he brought in a nutritionist. We like we have a nutritionist. Like Mark husband, we just had McDonald's and Keynes, like it was just here you go.
Speaker 1:You know me lathe is rolling his eyes back there. He's so, he's so obsessed with nutrition. One of the questions he wanted me to ask you is how do you eat? We'll get to that later. That's, that's awesome. Well, look, the proof is in the pudding. You guys want a lot of games and then he goes off. He goes on a coach for and it makes what? 10 million dollars a year. Some redid this.
Speaker 2:Yep.
Speaker 1:What do you think is the biggest? We played high school in Cecilia All right time of our lives, all right. We play with a lot of good kids, a lot of studs. We played against a lot of studs. How do you get from high school to college? What separates a stud in high school to a college athlete?
Speaker 2:I think it's being disciplined. I think it's. I think it's all about how you approach, about how you Like, where you what type of goals yourself for yourself. I feel like in high school it's, it's so much easier to be the guy, to be the star, to be the man of the town, because it's easy. It's high school man, not you have to go to class and after class the coaches, they, they, they try to teach you something, but they don't really have that much time, um, as much time to like instill, like, hey, you need to do this on this plane, you gotta be locked in and like I say, man, in high school, you maybe you might have maybe one or two guys on the team. That's like really out. That that's like really better than everybody else. And I Just feel like you have to be like I say, you have to be really, really, um, dedicated and and discipline on your craft.
Speaker 2:So I remember whenever I was in high school, obviously I was, I was one of the best players on my team, but I was also the hardest worker. I remember I would, I would, I work everybody, um, I didn't, I just I just remember our head coach, terry Martin. I remember one time he told me he was like he was like Ray, like this rep, you don't have to do this rep. I know this, the last rep, but I think we was doing it because somebody had one of the big guys didn't make his time. I think we was running one tens and it was hot in the summer. I think we had like 13, one tens some, and he was like, hey, you don't have to do this rep because I remember my ankle was hurting. He's like hey, you don't do this rep. I was like no, I'm doing this rep, I'm gonna do this rep because this gonna suck the tone and I would always win. I would win every, every rep. I would. I run everybody.
Speaker 2:I would just try to be the hardest worker because I want to be like I'm the guy I'm gonna make the touchdowns, but I'm also gonna be the hardest worker and I'm also I'm also gonna wear everybody accountable and I think I just think that's what's gonna separate the guy that want to go to college and compete on that level. You have to really be disciplined, you have to really want it. It can't just it be about oh, I'm the guy I'm gonna score touchdowns, but what about? What about working hard. What about being the first person? And in in the classroom as well? What about making sure you you prepare for the ACT? Take exams on times, take it, take it as many, as many times as you need if you don't get the score that you want. What about study hall? Like bro, it's a lot of things that you have to you know To have the that you have to want to do, a lot of effort that you have to put into it. I just think most of the kids, man, they they get excited with Instagram. They see stuff on Instagram, they see people with the money, with the jury. All that stuff is gonna come if you just do the little things you, you put in the time, you do the work, you make sure your grades and your GPA is where it needs to be.
Speaker 2:Because I'm gonna tell you right now, like I remember when I first started getting recruited and and I remember the first coach that came in the building it was from Southern Miss, southern Miss coach. He came in the building. He was like Ray, you got a 3.8 grade point. I was like man, I, he gave me. He gave me my first scholarship to college. That same day, I remember he took me. I was in Miss Lionel, in Miss Miss Lionel Mack class. He took me out of class. He was like I want to offer you a full scholarship to Southern Miss University. And I was like I remember I go. I was like I was so happy I went back to class. I was like man, like this is what I worked off for, this is this is it. And I was a junior in high school Like this, this is what I worked off for. And everything was coming, coming in line, following in place for me. But it was all about doing the right things and always working hard and and being diligent at your work.
Speaker 1:And now that and you hear Dion talking about it now that NIL transfer portal, the, the availability for scholarships for high school kids is even smaller stuff. So how do you think that you're gonna be a stud and are good and not work hard but not have the classroom to back it up and think you're gonna go play at the collegiate level when they can go get the the kid that they want? There's probably better than you, more physically developed than you has a proven commodity from a junior college. How do you think you're gonna play D1?
Speaker 1:I mean, I think, I mean, am I off-space?
Speaker 2:No, you, are you 100% correct? And I think, like I'm gonna say this man, that the NIL definitely changed the college landscape of how you gonna be able to recruit players, how you gonna be able to go inside, like I say, a high school, a high school student, and and talk to his family, got sitting in the living room. They'll be like, hey, like I want you, I want your son to come to my college. We're gonna mold him to be the man we gonna make sure he's, he's, he's, he's gonna grow as a man, he's gonna do his, he's gonna do his school, where he's gonna be on time, he's gonna know, obviously, develop but also become a better football player as well.
Speaker 2:And you know, but it's gonna be real hard now because, for one, they look at the NIL. They don't try to get the big fish, they're gonna try to get the best players. That doesn't have any um, I guess, bad GPA or low scores on the ACT. They go, they go, they're gonna go after the players that that are got everything together. So I think that's my biggest message for the for students come out of high school. For the players that come out of high school man, just to make sure your grades are up to par, man, because there's a lot of players around this world that's always, always bigger than you, faster than you, better than you, but it's all about the opportunity that you, that you give yourself. I think, if you not Putting your best foot forward and in the classroom, how you gonna put your best foot forward on the field? It all that translate.
Speaker 1:Yeah, it's not just being eligible at the college level.
Speaker 2:It Having the discipline to go to class and do well shows that you have the ability to think right and show up and, and, and, and produce and also this this all goes down to even if you want to get drafted because I remember, you know, because at you, well, do we do would have obviously my draft class. We had Robert Hunt, a Robert Hunt, he plays for the Dolphins right now. He was a second round draft pick. Kevin Dawson, he actually played for the Los Angeles Rams right now, and me the seventh round pick. So, and this is one draft class from you, well, and I remember being a freshman at Yale and we had they would have speakers come speak to the team and it was like out of this room, out of this room of a hundred and ten players, maybe, maybe one of you might go to the NFL and I'm sitting, I'm 18 years old, sitting down in college like huh.
Speaker 2:One of us and they, and they had the numbers broken down. It was like point some percent. I was like Wow, I'm sitting back thinking I'm gonna be that one, I'm gonna be that one person. I'm thinking that in my head, right, but I wasn't the biggest, because I think I came out of high school. I was like 175 pounds, soaking wet. I'm like man, I'm not the biggest bum I'm. I got a heart of a lion and I'm fast, I'm gonna work my way to it. And so, and you know, four years later I achieved my goal and got to NFL. But it was just like man, like that just goes to show you how hard it is to actually get to the NFL and how hard it is for players to Make it to that next step, because it's a lot of other players around.
Speaker 3:It's a lot of.
Speaker 2:It's a lot of other teams that have the same players, just like you know. I mean like, so I hundreds of universities, man that's what I'm saying, and everybody's trying to get a bite at the Apple and it's all about how you put you, how you probably like what you do on you on your resume. Man, you have to have everything in check.
Speaker 1:There's only 32 quarterbacks in NFL, only Maybe one backup. The Saints always had one backup right. So what you had to protein some, some carry three right like that is a very slim.
Speaker 2:It's crazy and I and I want to say this one thing I remember we have NFL scouts come to our practice at UL. They will come check out the players and I remember they would Like they wouldn't actually talk to the players but they would have they look clipboard. They did look at your practice. They would look at you in a weight room and then they would leave and they would go. I remember building April was like hey, you know, like when they come in they talk to everybody. They're talking to the custodians to talk into the training staff.
Speaker 2:They talk until your teachers. So if you're not going to school, if you're not sitting in I remember the deal was with it with coach neighbor you have to sit in the first two rows of class. No, uh, no, muscle shirts, no slides, no hats on your head, no headphones. First two rows and we have class checkers. They will come class, they will see if you in class, if not in class, they would put your little tally mark and then you have to pay the consequence. So I just, I like, I say, man, if you do, if you do things the right way, you will get, you will reap the benefits.
Speaker 1:How do you get from college to the NFL?
Speaker 2:So college, I remember going in college, man, I was like I was really small and I was fast, but I wasn't, as I wasn't as big as the other players, because you know, you talk about NIL, they can just go get somebody from the transfer portal that already been in college. We've been through a college weight program ready, got the mass on the body, really know how to play football. I'm coming from high school trying to learn how to play the college ball right. So I get there and I just like I say man, I locked in on my details.
Speaker 2:It's started gaining weight, just making sure I would drink my, because I remember I had to drink a protein shake in the middle of the night. This is even like 3 am. I have to wake up after chug it. Wow, I have to make my weight and if I wouldn't make the weight I would have to Drink a lot of water and I didn't want to feel bloated. So I have to make sure I gained the weight and I just had to hone in on the details of just playing my position, just learning how to Like, learn how to play running back, because obviously in high school is just natural talent Just tossing the ball I run everybody.
Speaker 1:I've seen, I've seen many, many right, nobody could touch you.
Speaker 2:It was like it was easy. But once I got the hot ones, I got the college have to learn how to play football, actually learn who like learn who. The officer linemen were were blocking, had some honing, like I said, honing on to all the details.
Speaker 1:But in, in, in football there's also an element of luck. I mean, you make your own luck, but you got to stay healthy, you got to have an open position, you got to be in the favor of the coaches like there's so many variables man football is such a tough sport it is.
Speaker 2:And I remember my first couple years with Mark Hussbett I was I played running back my first year because he really liked me, my first year, for some reason, because Elijah McGuire was the the starter and then I was the backup, so I was playing my freshman year. I remember that.
Speaker 1:And then who was also in the NFL, back right also.
Speaker 2:Yeah, I was, I was. Our Run-back room was loaded. But then I remember my second, going into my second year. That's when he lodged a. Mitchell came and you know, he from E-rath and Eli was a stud he came in there and he came in there and just Took the spot, like he came in there and was, he was the guy. He was bigger, he knew how to run the football better than me. Obviously I was faster, but he just knew how to run the ball. He just he had that natural gift and I was still learning it. He came in there, took it and then I remember sitting back that's my sophomore year.
Speaker 2:I was playing mainly special teams. I was like man, my odds of make the NFL not looking too good right now. I need to do something, I need to get some film and he'll work harder. So I remember they fired hood after a bunch of scandals went down and then we got Billy Napier and he, billy, came in and he told me he talked to the team and he was like we gonna need three running backs. So they had Trey Ragers, they had Eli Mitchell and we gonna need a third. And I said to myself I'm gonna be that third guy. I'm a, I'm a, I'll work everybody and I'm gonna earn that spot. I'm earning his trust. So I go into that man. I remember I hidden Started hitting the way room harder, started doing extra work, and then I remember the track coach came up to me.
Speaker 2:It was like hey, ray, you want to run track this this spring? I gave us some thought but then I brushed him off. Billy Napier came up to the head coach, came up to me. He's like really, I think you should run track man, I think it's gonna be good, for you can get stronger, you run faster. I'm like coach, I don't know man Like I'm, like I'm cuz I'm thinking about. He said we're gonna get third running back. I'm thinking like I need to Put on some weight, I need a. You know. I mean, go through a spring practice, learn the place, learn his new system, earn his trust. And I did that. And I remember I won the hardest work award or something like that in the spring.
Speaker 2:I did well that spring, that spring game, and so enough. We report to camp Later that August and I was third string running back. So I'm like, okay, cool. And now this is my junior year, so I started playing. I started playing well and then I had amazing junior year. I think I scored like eight touchdowns, had over 800 yards rushing and I even broke a record I had the longest rush Cajun Cajun feels like 92 yards touchdown. So I, I just like I say man once, he, once he, once he told me that he gave me an opportunity. I was like I'm gonna be that third guy and I just worked my toe off to earn that spot.
Speaker 1:Whenever I I wanted to talk about growing up in Sicily, for a second, whenever I went to law school.
Speaker 1:I tell this story. I've told the store many times, but when I, when I first went to LSU, I was like you know, small fish, big pond very intimidating. Then I get to law school and I feel like the dumbest guy there, right, because all these people went to these fancy high schools and went to. You, have these all these pedigrees, and I'm just a little old dude from Sicily, right. But now you fast forward and play it out and I've done very well, because I had something that a lot of those people didn't have. I was a dog, right, and I don't mean the bulldog, I just mean having the dog in me, right, and you definitely learn that you know she's so yeah.
Speaker 1:Did you find that same experience with you where you intimidated, being this little guy from Cajun country or whatever? I read you well, maybe not at you. Well, because I was right down the road, but you know, when you made it to the league.
Speaker 2:I just remember, on people they say I talk funny.
Speaker 1:Never heard that before.
Speaker 2:Man, people say I talk funny, so now I'm trying to learn how to not talk.
Speaker 2:Okay, I Remember that, but I wasn't intimidated. I was not intimidated, I think I was. I think I had a chip on my shoulder thing. I want to prove something to myself that I can make it, that I can, because I had big dreams and I, you know, I ultimately, you know, reach my dreams. But it was like I'm from Sicily, from a little old town in Sicily, louisiana, louisiana, and I was just like I'ma get it, i'ma get it done, and I and I got, and I wasn't intimidated. And even when I went to the NFL, it was still like the odds were stacked against me because I went to UL. Ul is a power, there's a, there's a division one school, but it's not power five, right, you know, I mean so it was not an LSU, it's not a Florida, it's not a Alabama.
Speaker 2:You know, I mean so it was like okay, so now I'm back to square one again. I'm the little fish in the big pond and I gotta figure out how to survive. And I did it again. So I just feel like, Like you say, you got that dog. Yeah, I got the dog in me too. Yeah, I just find a way.
Speaker 1:Absolutely. Where do you go from here, man? What is your goal in the next phase of your life, in the next with, with Michigan and?
Speaker 2:So my contract is two years. I think I'm gonna play those two years. Man, really Give it my all, optimally want to get back to the NFL. If not, it's okay, because I invested my money well, and Then from there I would like to also me get into coaching, maybe if it's college coaching or if it's high school. I think I can go that route. I really had a. I really had a coach. All he wanted me to be like a strength and conditioning training Trainer for college and I think that's that's a route I can take. I can see myself being a speed coach because I know how to you know, obviously, run, I know the mechanics, I know how to get faster, so I think I can see myself in that profession.
Speaker 1:You think you'll be in coaching? Do you think you prefer working with kids or young adults?
Speaker 2:Like I say, young adults, kids, is it's I don't think it's my foretold. I would love to speak, speak to kids and you know, try to. You know, give them some insight of Of you know how to get to where they want to get to. But I'll tell me I can want to work with young, young, young men and try to get them to. You know the next step.
Speaker 1:Well, speaking of kids, I'm sure you went back to Sicily on their dome run Mm-hmm and and shook some hands and said some words, your records. That blew out everybody. Huh, are they on the chopping block? Is diesel gonna gonna go? I hope so. I hope so.
Speaker 2:I'm Rooted for diesel man. I told him this man I remember he DM on Instagram. He was like you know, I'm coming for your records. I was like go get him. It's like you got. You got a lot of running to do, but go get it. And I told him that man and he, he, he took it. He took it as, I guess, motivation and he's doing a phenomenal job right now and I hope, man, I hope you get it. Man, I'm definitely rooting for the Bulldogs, I'm definitely rooting for him. I hope he and the rest of the guys Reach they for potential and go to college and do well.
Speaker 1:They're making us proud and they really have it going on in the coaching staff. They're doing it the right way all those kids of air respect. I'll go back to their little camp and and talk to them. They're doing a lot of things right, so I'm proud of them.
Speaker 2:And man, I was really bummed out that they they lost in state championship. Yeah, I couldn't be there cuz my son I do some for my son for for daycare. But I remember I was like man, the Bulldogs bro, I hope they pull it through and when they didn't, I was bummed out.
Speaker 1:Well, they got another year they do, they do yeah and we're gonna catch some games this year, for sure, for sure. Um, I'm. You've been very gracious with your time. A couple more questions. Who motivated you? Who who pushed you to be your best? Well, who is your biggest motivation?
Speaker 2:Growing up growing up.
Speaker 2:It was my dad, cuz my dad he was a, he was a detective for a Burbridge Police department and he was really smart. Like just seeing him get get ready for work in the morning, always dressed in press. He didn't he anywhere cop uniform, he was a detective, so obviously he wore polo. He was always clean, sharp. He was really. He was really smart too. I remember him just always having his laptop, doing this font and Investigating things, getting things done.
Speaker 2:I was just like man, like somebody I could be, like I want to be like him, I want to Be as successful as him. And just seeing him Do that and and and now he he teaching me about like he, he didn't want to talk me how to save my money. Even from college, when I was getting my stipend checks, I was getting like $2,000 a month. But he was telling me like hey, you know, you do that, you put this for you for your rent and just for you Utilities and save the rest. And then ultimately I ended up buying my first card with just saving my money From my college, my college checks, you know. And then now, with the NFL, is just I've obviously, you know I've gotten more money, but it was. It was easy to just hear Put it away, stored, invested into certain things, and you know, teaching me about life insurance, teaching me about just all types of things, having good credit, and I was just like man, like that's a guy.
Speaker 1:That's amazing.
Speaker 2:You know I'm saying him and my grandfather. Oh, and still, still, still, to this day. It's like you know, whenever I go home, I go meet, I go sit down with my grandfather, he telling me like, hey, like and Save your money. You can save your money, let me see you that. He'll ask me hey, let me see bank account.
Speaker 1:So I have to like and that's gonna be for the rest of your life.
Speaker 2:And it's crazy because it's like man, like having those two men, my dad and my grandfather, to really like hone in and really teach me how to be a man and be disciplined and set values and have some type of morals, and that's what motivated me. And then now you have a son. Yeah, kingston man, kingston Ray Colley, that's my boy man. He's three years old, he's my world, he's everything to me and that's my why. That's why I do what I do, that's why I work out, that's why I want to be successful, that's why, you know, I want to give him everything that I didn't have and plus some so, yeah, that's amazing man.
Speaker 1:So, as we wrap up, I just want to thank you for being here. We're all rooting for you. You're an amazing young man and Anything we can do to help you. Where can people find you?
Speaker 2:So you can find my Instagram Twitter at King on the score collie Y'all, can you know? Don't. Don't be afraid to shoot me a DM and I'm one DM. I'm just one DM away from talking to you, just like chas restouting, and now man me and him. I feel like we got some type of connection here, absolutely bro and I also want to thank you for for bringing me on, you know.
Speaker 2:Yeah, I want to thank you for bringing me on and Because I know you, you reached, you reached, you reached out to me like two or three years ago. You know you send me some of these shirts and I thought that was the coolest thing ever and I didn't know. You went to Sicilian till you told me really yeah, I had no clue.
Speaker 1:I had the second most popular guy from.
Speaker 2:Sicily behind you, bro. I Did not know. I was like, okay, so we got another bulldog in the house and you know I could definitely. I feel like I could relate to you, so that's why I was like man, you know what that's a?
Speaker 1:good dude. Well, thank you Ray. Good luck brother.
Speaker 2:Yes, sir, anytime.
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