Hometown Jax
Hometown Jax is a podcast that shines a spotlight on the people who make Jacksonville run. From firefighters and nurses to bartenders, teachers, and more, we sit down with locals who have everyday jobs that often go unnoticed but are essential to our community.
Hometown Jax
From Beaver County to the Super Bowl: Jerald Ingram’s Championship Journey
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Hometown Jax is where Jacksonville’s leaders, builders, and difference-makers share the real stories behind their success. Hosted by Aaron Bacus, the show dives into the journeys, setbacks, sacrifices, and defining moments that shape the people impacting our city every day. From entrepreneurs to former NFL coaches, each episode reveals what it truly takes to win — in business, in life, and in the community.
In this powerful episode, Aaron sits down with former NFL running backs coach Jerald Ingram to unpack a journey that spans from growing up in Beaver, Pennsylvania to coaching under legendary leaders at Michigan, building the Jacksonville Jaguars from day one, and winning two Super Bowls with the New York Giants. Jerald shares lessons on discipline from his military father, the intensity of playing under Bo Schembechler, what it takes to build a championship culture from scratch, and the emotional reality of hoisting the Lombardi Trophy. From expansion draft strategy to playoff battles in 27-below Green Bay, this conversation is packed with wisdom on leadership, sacrifice, and what separates good teams from great ones. If you want a behind-the-scenes look at what it truly takes to win at the highest level — this episode is a must-watch.
00;00;00;00 - 00;00;14;28
Unknown
Where are your hosts, Aaron Backus and Jason Kindler? We like to sit down with our guests to hear their journey, their challenges, and how they impact the local community. So grab a seat. Tune in and let's get inspired by Jacksonville's everyday workforce. Welcome to Hometown Jacks.
00;00;15;00 - 00;00;29;28
Unknown
Gerald Ingram it's so good to have you on the podcast. I really appreciate your time. Oh and I see you brought the hardware today sir. Yes. You know it's something I'm, you know proud to represent I can imagine so so tell us about the rings.
00;00;30;04 - 00;00;56;14
Unknown
Well, this is the 2007 Super Bowl ring and this is a 2011 Super Bowl ring. You know, we were here in Jacksonville. I've been associated with Tom Kaufman ever since 12. Let's see, 1997. We got here in 1994. Wow. So I moved into Mandan, the area right down the, you know, basically this area. And then after five years, I moved up to Hidden Hills area.
00;00;56;16 - 00;01;18;10
Unknown
Okay. And, I mean, we love Jacksonville. We tried to, create something here, you know, which was phenomenal. And it was, you know, it was great. We won in 97 and 96 season. And, you know, it only took us two years to start winning here, which was great. Absolutely. Everybody loved the fact that Jacksonville was on the map.
00;01;18;12 - 00;01;46;22
Unknown
And I knew a lot of my friends that came to Jacksonville. They're excited to come here because the it was so electric, right. Fans roll into it when we beat Denver in Denver. I mean, there were so many people from the airport all the way to the stadium, you know, just lifelong memories. And it was a goal of Tom Kaufman here to bring this here, because he already had two Super Bowl rings, and I had not experienced that was with him at Boston College.
00;01;46;22 - 00;02;06;19
Unknown
Okay. Graduate, University of Missouri. Wow. Is that where you first met Tom? Yes. Okay. He hired me from Ball State. Interesting. You know, I was that was my first coaching job was at Ball State. Muncie, Indiana. And then I went to Boston College with him. Okay. He was a former receiver coach under Bill Parcells and at, the New York Giants.
00;02;06;19 - 00;02;33;03
Unknown
Interesting. And, and he always talked about how, how important it is to be the best, represent the best. And, and that's what he wanted to try and create here and had that opportunity. And we were close here a couple times and should have been we were probably the best team in the NFL was Fred Taylor. But Stanley and Burnell and Jimmy Smith and Keenan McCardle, we had some great players here that we're still very close to.
00;02;33;05 - 00;02;57;04
Unknown
It's amazing. All the years after us. We still do a lot of things together. Do you as a group really? Do we have our NFL alumni golf outing on Friday? You know, we, it's for a great cause. And we're always in the community talking to these kids. And, you know, what's it, you know, what's it like to live the life of a champion and how to grow and be better and be the best that they can be.
00;02;57;06 - 00;03;14;23
Unknown
But, Jacksonville has been great to me. And, and, and a lot of people around here. And that's why a lot of players that chose to stay here, I hear that story a lot. They come here and they stay, they don't want to leave. Well, I can't wait to hear your story. I want to talk a little bit about where you grew up, where you came from.
00;03;15;00 - 00;03;40;27
Unknown
Then obviously go into your NFL and then talk about what you're doing today because you're doing some good stuff today. So where'd you grow up? I'm originally from Beaver, Pennsylvania. Okay. And, high school was from their standpoint, and, and, you know, my dad was here, okay. My dad was military in my brother's military. So my dad did over, you know, 20 plus years and in the Air Force.
00;03;40;27 - 00;03;59;29
Unknown
Wow. So we lived five years in Bangkok, Thailand. Wow. And, Upper Peninsula, Michigan. So we kind of we're everywhere. We're nomadic, just like culture, you know? So we were everywhere. I was always instilled with discipline. So my back, even in high school, I had to be in by 9:00. If it was dark, I had to be in.
00;03;59;29 - 00;04;16;06
Unknown
So, you know, the high school dances and parties that happened after the games. Yeah. And, you better be in that house. I need to tell that to my 17 year old. I like that. Oh, dad always said, you know, certain good things don't happen, you know, at a certain hour time. That's true. I like your daddy at home.
00;04;16;07 - 00;04;36;21
Unknown
I like your dad. So did. So you went to high school in Pennsylvania? Yes, I won Pennsylvania, which is north of Pittsburgh. Okay. Dan Marino and I were in the same class together. Wow. Coming out of Pittsburgh. Okay. And it was so ironic that, played here against Dan in the 62 to. I think it was a 62 to 7 win.
00;04;36;25 - 00;04;53;21
Unknown
Okay. We had against him. So I asked Dan before the game was there. So why are you still doing this? Here I am coaching. You're doing this. We're at the high school All-Star game together. And you know, I'm still trying to chase the ball, right? Right. Just leave and have a have a chance at the ring. Yes, that's how I get it.
00;04;53;21 - 00;05;16;08
Unknown
But that was Dan Marino's last year as well as Jimmy Johnson. Wow. Miami. Interesting history. So you obviously played, in high school and you were a running back, right? Yes, I was running back linebacker in high school. And then I had to make a decision, what I was going to do. So I was recruited by most of schools, cross country, out of western Pennsylvania.
00;05;16;10 - 00;05;37;03
Unknown
And I chose, you know, between Penn State, Ohio State, USC and Alabama. And what was that like, being recruited like that back then? Like. Well, I mean, back then it was a lot different, you know? I mean, it's legal now. You know, there were a lot of things that went on back in. It was underneath the tape, Ray, you know, from that standpoint.
00;05;37;03 - 00;05;58;12
Unknown
But I was going to take the character and the and the integrity of the school, right from the academic standpoint. And I felt it didn't go wrong between at the end between Penn State and and University of Michigan. So I chose to be with both Beckley, I mean, the Michigan. And that's amazing. I read that about you. But the schools you're mentioning are just, you know, top tier.
00;05;58;12 - 00;06;14;15
Unknown
So, like, what how did you make that final decision? Is it really come down to a lot of the coach at the end of the day? Well, it came down to the coach and and you know, my dad always said, you know, I want to get to the point where he got crazy and I want him to make the decision.
00;06;14;15 - 00;06;33;03
Unknown
He said, no, this is you have to live with that decision. I mean, you may not like me if I make the decision, it doesn't turn out. But he wanted me to grow up and be a man and just be accountable. You know, this whole, you know, portal thing and so forth. I know nothing about, you know. Right.
00;06;33;05 - 00;06;55;23
Unknown
At Michigan, Bo was so tough. He had a name for it. And the name of Michigan that still exists is those who stay will be champions. And it wasn't for everybody. I came in a class of 36. By spring time, there was only 18 left. Wow. So one for everybody. And they knew pretty quick. Yeah. And I never oh I mean it's not for everybody.
00;06;55;23 - 00;07;22;11
Unknown
It was tough. It was grueling. It made you grow up right. Made you be a man. Right, Bo? You know, he was, you know, he brought about, you know, he preached about winning. And Nick Saban is very much, you know, very, you know, he comes from the same tree. It's about developing young men into men and learning how to win on and off the field and do the right things and character building those kind of things.
00;07;22;14 - 00;07;43;13
Unknown
And they sold the fact that by the time you're here, it's not about the winds will be at the Rose Bowl will be it. The Sugar Bowl will be everywhere. But I want you to remember what it takes every day to be a good man. Interesting I like that. Going back to when you're being recruited in high school, was it literally like the coach would come to your house with your parents?
00;07;43;13 - 00;08;01;17
Unknown
Like that's the way it used to work. Oh yeah. Okay. Yeah. The coaches came to the house, they came to the school. You know, they call your friends, you know? Wow. A lot of other things that. Well, with certain schools, you know, you couldn't, you know, you can't really talk about. But you've read about it in the books.
00;08;01;17 - 00;08;18;20
Unknown
Right? Right. I can get really crazy, right? You know, the phone calls and, you know, my mom and I laugh about it, you know, with certain people. And it starts early. I mean, they started calling me when I was a sophomore. Wow. And then in junior year and then senior year, it was like, oh, I get to meet you finally, right.
00;08;18;22 - 00;08;42;23
Unknown
You know, was football in your blood as a family? Did your not play? Brother was a year older. Me he got he went to the Air Force. Okay. He played but you know, he didn't have that same type confidence in himself. But we played multiple sports together, right? My dad was not a sports person, okay? You know, he went into the military early, two years at Army and then the rest.
00;08;42;23 - 00;09;01;04
Unknown
And in the Air Force, you know, it was just about discipline and growth to him. Right? You know, I remember sitting at home in the window, you know, and, my room didn't pass inspection. I couldn't go out to play. Oh, it was an age. And I'll tell you, I really like, like, hear what I'm hearing from your dad.
00;09;01;07 - 00;09;17;12
Unknown
What, did you ever think about the military since your dad was in the military, you know? Well, I mean, I had I always had my dream of being in a field as a kid. That's. So that was your dream? That like, it. Was it? Okay. My dream. And I played football, basketball, track. Even did the diving team.
00;09;17;12 - 00;09;35;09
Unknown
Okay. You know, played with that. But just to compete and do those kind of things, if it didn't pan out for me, I probably would have, right. Because my dad let my brother go to school for two years and couldn't figure out what he wanted to do, and he said, military is not a great life. It's not a bad life, right?
00;09;35;10 - 00;10;02;01
Unknown
You know, has a structure and that's, you know, what a lot of kids don't have and they really need is that structure. I missed the structure since I've retired, you know, because, you know, when you're with a guy like Tom Kauffman, he accounts every minute and every second of the day. Right? 365 always heard about that. Okay. So when I retire, am I supposed to be somewhere right about to get fired because I'm not there, you know, where's my guys?
00;10;02;01 - 00;10;21;08
Unknown
You know, I'm still having nightmares. That time I missed the bus. You know, that is funny. So let's talk about going to Michigan under Bozak. Jim Batchelor, legendary coach. Talk about some of the some of the years there. What did you guys where'd you guys go. What did you guys do what you accomplished big wins things like that.
00;10;21;08 - 00;10;45;28
Unknown
Yeah. Well, you know, it is ironic that in 1979 I was here, okay, I was here in the Gator Bowl, and we played my freshman year. We played, North Carolina with Owens. Taylor. Whoa. This is senior year. So he was tackling you? Oh, no. He didn't give me the ball a lot. I think I was a freshman, but we stayed at the, sea turtle man.
00;10;46;04 - 00;11;09;15
Unknown
Really? You know, which is now one ocean. Yes. Right. And, there wasn't a thing here in Jackson Moon all to do. So, I mean, we just dominated the the small few beach bars that were there for the week, really. We practice the practice that Fletcher High School. Oh, really? A matter of fact. So I told her here in Jacksonville that it was in Ann Arbor.
00;11;09;16 - 00;11;31;17
Unknown
Interesting that we kind of like the last few weeks, had and I was ready for the beach I beach ball. I'm thinking it's going great and it's cold. Yes. And then, you know, you find out how Division one football is and you don't think about it as a kid. It's like, gosh, what plan? We're practicing Christmas Day and we're beating each other up, getting hurt.
00;11;31;19 - 00;11;50;29
Unknown
And then you're going back to your hotel room is like, God, just nothing sacrilegious anymore. But Christmas is just another day, right? You know, because then we went to the Rose Bowl up in Pasadena. We always left Christmas Day, right? You know, or the day before. Right. You know, and then I went to the NFL. And then it's the same thing.
00;11;51;06 - 00;12;12;15
Unknown
I mean, my family didn't see me Thanksgiving half time in the end. See me Christmas if we were playing, you know, Christmas Eve, Christmas Day or whatever, you know, it ended up on that Sunday, you know, that time of year. So is the professionalism of the sport and it's just the way it is. Sure. It's a absolutely high school is fun.
00;12;12;18 - 00;12;49;06
Unknown
High school is fun. When you get to, you know, Division one football, you find out it's a business. I've heard that through multiple athletes, like my best times were in high school. Jeff, I still my best closest friends are my high school friends and one and you know, the camaraderie. And I mean, you grow up I mean, you obviously you grew up, you know, being in college away from mom and dad, but the memories of high school, I still love going to high school games with, you know, Bishop Kenny and Bolles, some of these other schools here, and it rains and so forth.
00;12;49;06 - 00;13;10;11
Unknown
I like watching the families and parents being there together. Yeah. No. That's awesome. So you finish up in Michigan, had a great time there. Did you know, like, hey, what's next? Like I want to get into coaching. Like what was your thought process then? I never thought I was going to be in coaching. Lloyd Carr was assistant coach and later on became the head coach.
00;13;10;13 - 00;13;33;01
Unknown
University in Michigan. Well, he took he took me home one night and he said he said to me, says we don't have many former players in coaching, let alone African-American coaches, because we all know many former players that. No, because it seems like a natural to showing the fact the school is always selling. You know, they had a very high graduation rate.
00;13;33;01 - 00;13;54;01
Unknown
That's another reason why I trusted being at Michigan. Same thing at Penn State. I didn't want to just be a athlete. You know, I'm there to be a student athlete. And I was going to go into sales business, you know? But I never once thought about coaching. So he taught me about, you know, he felt my personality, how I was.
00;13;54;03 - 00;14;20;01
Unknown
I was there as a player. My ability to communicate with other. What other kids? I used to work the summer camps. He said you don't think about coaching. Interesting. So I did graduate assistantship for one season. And then the offensive line coach, Paul Schnell, who played for Bo at Miami of Ohio, he got the head job in Ball State and he asked me to go with him.
00;14;20;04 - 00;14;43;05
Unknown
Interesting. And there were about seven of us graduate assistants on that staff. It's amazing. Five of us ended up in the NFL. Coach. Wow. Cam Cameron, who is, you know, used to be head coach at Miami. Wow. One time assistant as well. Mike Turner back at Carolina. Well that's a testament to Don. So to the coaching you guys came up.
00;14;43;08 - 00;15;07;09
Unknown
Oh man. It's amazing. Definitely. You know but I never once thought about I at all thought about well, after your first, graduate assistant year, did you like it. Did you like. Yeah, I like this. Well, I did, but to be honest, I was about to leave. Was that I was, I just didn't, you know, being a graduate assistant is not like being an assistant coach.
00;15;07;11 - 00;15;28;16
Unknown
And when you've been at that university 35 years, four years. Because I got hurt my senior year. So I tried to come back my, my, fifth year option. I chose to go into coaching after that. You know, it just like I thought, like I've been here forever. Okay. And I felt like I might become a spy.
00;15;28;18 - 00;15;52;12
Unknown
Right. Well I feel like so. And Bo wanted me to stay, you know, maybe to carry on one day or whatever, but I need to know what it's like to be a full time coach. I even took a I mean, I took a he made a position for me pulse, you know, did and, well, I mentioned it's probably I might I got paid $8,000 for the whole year.
00;15;52;18 - 00;16;11;27
Unknown
For the whole year, for the whole year. Wow. So, I mean, I turned down a $40,000 job in sales, right? To stay in coaching just to make sure I knew. I wanted to know if this was scratch that itch, make sure because I wasn't going to go somewhere else and then come back and say, all right, maybe I'll try it now.
00;16;12;00 - 00;16;36;17
Unknown
Well, I imagine if you've been a player, at a high level and then going down to a graduate assistant, that's a big change, you know, and no, no, no, no, not at all. Because like I said, I was used to the schedule. Okay. You know, so you just go from the schedule of being a player. Then I went to graduate assistant, you know, but the players are looking at me like, oh, you're on the inside.
00;16;36;17 - 00;17;02;10
Unknown
What's going on? The coaching staff is looking at me like, what are the players? Okay, but the spy. So nobody, nobody knows. So. But you, you know, you like the the perspective. This is what the coaches have been doing, okay. It was a tough university. And then I really found out it wasn't personal. It was about growth.
00;17;02;12 - 00;17;26;15
Unknown
It was about pushing you further than you can push yourself is what coaching is, right? You know, the ability to make somebody do something they can't do for themselves. Right? Right. And so I learned an awful lot that doing that and then talking to other kids, I was like, you know what? I kind of like inspiring other children and other kids and being getting them to be able to do something that I know right and believe in, right.
00;17;26;16 - 00;17;43;19
Unknown
So that from that standpoint, that was great. So you went to Ball State. How long were you there? I was there six years. Wow. You were there a long time? Yeah. Matter of fact, as an A, as a running back, running tight end start off with tight ends and offensive line. And I went to running backs and coached good players there.
00;17;43;19 - 00;18;06;05
Unknown
And one player, Bernie Parmalee, played Miami Dolphins for me. He was running back coach here for three years. And Peterson interesting. And but he played with Dan Marino in Miami okay. And that and had a successful career and got he got into coaching and he's been all over the place. He's still the running back. He's running back coach at at Carolina.
00;18;06;11 - 00;18;32;23
Unknown
Interesting. Very interesting. His daughters my god. So yeah you meet a lot of family friends. Oh sure. Absolutely. So Vol state to to Boston. Now what happens is, is I go to Boston College Tom Carr from wins the Super Bowl and and new Jersey and New York and Paul Schnell and Tom know each other and coached together at Syracuse.
00;18;32;26 - 00;18;52;24
Unknown
So that was their connection. Even when Paul was at the University of Michigan and Tom Kaufman was assistant coach at green Bay Packers, they used to get together. So he didn't know a lot of at that time. He didn't know a lot of, assistant coaches in college. And I almost turned the job down. Well, I love the guy I work with.
00;18;52;26 - 00;19;12;16
Unknown
I always think about Boston to him right. I know nothing in Boston. And I got to I enjoyed it. So he actually made me take the job. He said you know it's time for you to move on right. And build after that. Well, six years is a long time and it's about time you care of me. Yeah. And, I learn I've always.
00;19;12;16 - 00;19;40;09
Unknown
You and Tom hit it off right off the bat. Oh, definitely. And and you don't have a choice. You know, but I've always been around people like Tom, so I didn't know anything different. You know, you know, Boston back there, my dad be a military. You know, Tom has a high appreciation of service of all sections of service.
00;19;40;12 - 00;20;07;02
Unknown
You know, and there a chain of command that he believes in. And, you know, I grew up upstate, New York and he grew up upstate New York as well. And so we had some commonality there. Right. But I think he respected like you had said, how I was raised in the military chain of command and Boston back there, you know, that we were going to be in the same page and try and get everybody on the same page on what it takes to win.
00;20;07;07 - 00;20;27;25
Unknown
Interesting. Very cool. So that had to be a pretty big thing when he gets the the NFL job. Yeah. And then it was well like when that happens are you kind of like just waiting like are you going to take me or are you going to take me kind of thing? Or how does that work? Well, actually what happened was, was we took a break.
00;20;27;25 - 00;20;50;28
Unknown
We had a, we had a, recruiting weekend. So we had no idea what was going on here in Jacksonville. No idea that he was talking to Jacksonville. Not so I was on a fishing trip. Okay. So he gave us he gave us five days off and he said, staff, go do what you want to do. So I went out a fishing trip to Western Western, New York.
00;20;51;01 - 00;21;16;22
Unknown
And I was doing some salmon fishing in the winter. So the lodge I was staying in didn't have a phone. So they were outdoor lodges. So I see these lights flashing. On the, on my window, I'm like, what the heck is going on, you know, so ends up being the, state trooper. Oh, boy. So they come knocking on the door, he says, hey, your wife has been trying to get all that.
00;21;16;24 - 00;21;38;13
Unknown
You need to call her as soon as possible. All right. So I went from sweating. Yeah, right. Different kind of sweat. Right. So she says oh, so the the people are calling me and saying she has no idea what's going on either. She hadn't even known that. You know, someone called her to get Ahold of me, right? So I finally I finally make the phone calls.
00;21;38;13 - 00;22;04;19
Unknown
She says, you got to call Tom. Okay, so I called Tom. It's like midnight. I can't believe he actually had, like, a clock. Right? So he tells me he took the job here in Jacksonville. They're excited about getting a new franchise and everything else. Everything is new. We had no idea this was going on. It was such a hush about everything about this thing.
00;22;04;19 - 00;22;25;09
Unknown
I wasn't even I knew it existed in Jacksonville. I was thinking about a new NFL team at Wow. I was just thinking about my own job right in Boston. Right. So, Tom, I gotta have you back. I said, no, I just got here. I caught one fish today. We didn't mean I get it. Well, I need you back so we can address the team and say goodbye and do this.
00;22;25;09 - 00;22;45;18
Unknown
I really so I still wasn't even thinking about, you know, pinching myself. I'm in the NFL. I'm like, if you asked me to coach with you, I'm coaching. That's my job, right? And then I'm taking care of the family, right? You know, it didn't hit until we got here. That's when they did well. But they tell you on the phone that I'm taking the job with you, and.
00;22;45;23 - 00;23;04;23
Unknown
And obviously, I want you to come back and take everybody, but I wanted I want you to come with me. Well, obviously, that had to feel pretty good. That's a pretty big honor, I would think. Yeah, I guess so. You know, like I said, I was a young coach excited to still be coaching, right? So I mean it didn't take much to make it.
00;23;04;24 - 00;23;32;01
Unknown
No, no, no it didn't take much. It's like we I could have coached on the moon after being three years with him. Yeah. He was exactly what I was used to. Okay, okay. I was used to that type of directness, you know, with my dad and my coach, you know, you know, my high school coach and, you know, just everybody in my life was about, you care to your hard work, discipline, and you know, doing the things that you have to do to be great.
00;23;32;03 - 00;23;58;06
Unknown
So I trusted him. I believed in him. I believed in Tom's purpose. He wanted to show that we can win here. Wow. I mean that had to that had to be an amazing feeling like your dream is starting to come to reality. So what's it like getting to Jacksonville first and being the first to do everything? Like you're the first team in Jacksonville.
00;23;58;13 - 00;24;15;07
Unknown
There's nothing set up like it was pretty exciting. Just like you said, there was nothing set up because we tore the Gator Bowl down that I played in it, you know, so we weren't in the trailers. So when they tore the Gator Bowl down, we weren't in the trailers. You know, while they were constructing the new stadium and everything.
00;24;15;09 - 00;24;35;10
Unknown
We, we held, our workouts over Bishop Kenny. Oh, wow. You know, some of our first franchise people, Randy Jordan and Greg Huntington and some of those guys have played for us, you know, our first selected, you know, and then we had the expansion draft. The NFL allowed us to go to the league and actually watch them play for a year.
00;24;35;12 - 00;25;05;09
Unknown
So the small staff that was hired at that time. So you had a year to build. So we had a year to build very interesting. Yeah. So we got a chance to evaluate a lot of players, prepare for the expansion draft and tell me again what the expansion draft was, what it's different than the normal draft. Well, the expansion draft was the group of people that they, you know, were each team allowed to put a pool together to develop two teams, US and Carolina, with two new teams.
00;25;05;12 - 00;25;27;29
Unknown
So, you know, Desmond Robinson and Mark Brunell, and in Keenan McCardle. So they had their group of players that okay, you can you could select these people for the draft. Okay. And then go from there. Okay. So it was like flush your normal draft play right. So you had the expansion first and then you had your regular okay.
00;25;27;29 - 00;25;46;13
Unknown
So you got to pick first in the draft with the expansion draft. And then you had your regular draft after that. Right. So the the expansion draft was just us and Carolina. Interesting. But you got to go first before all the other teams. Yeah. Yes. Okay. Well that was like I said that was a separate of gotten regular draft.
00;25;46;15 - 00;26;09;29
Unknown
Got it. Wow that's amazing. And we were able to get two picks and draft as well. And that's how we ended up with Tony Boselli and James Stewart in the first round. Wow. So you're building the team for a year? You're assembling all the talent. You got it together. I'm assuming that's also hiring coaches. Were you did you know you were going to be the running backs coach?
00;26;09;29 - 00;26;29;26
Unknown
That was your. Yes. Okay. So you knew that from day one? Yeah, I knew the position. Okay. Yeah. He had to at time had to decide how he was going to field his offensive coordinator and in some of the other positions. So okay, he looked for some, you know, veteran people that he knew. And you know, Cam Gilbride was offensive coordinator McNichol was a tight end coach Pete Carmichael.
00;26;29;26 - 00;26;51;28
Unknown
He was with us as a receiver coach. Mike Major was an offensive line coach. And then he had to hire his defensive staff as well. And so he went through the league. And, you know, just like, you know, there's ten teams available that were available now. Right. So interesting. Well, another, football player I've had on the podcast, Marc Edwards, I had texted him before this, I was interviewing you.
00;26;51;29 - 00;27;09;04
Unknown
I worked for Edwards at Notre Dame. I worked at well, well, that's exactly what he said I got it was was he your coach? He goes, no, he interviewed me at the combine. And I say, what an interesting piece of history, because he ended up coming back here. And you must. Yeah. We've done some functions here together. Oh, really?
00;27;09;04 - 00;27;34;00
Unknown
Okay, great. Like, he sounds a great player and bowls. Unbelievable player. Well young man, unbelievable player. But yeah what an interesting piece of history. So going back to the Jags you've gone through the year. You've got your team assembled. Can you remember that first game. The first game. First game. Well the first game was the it was at the how it was at the Hall of Fame again.
00;27;34;03 - 00;27;45;23
Unknown
Really? Okay. It was us in Carolina. Okay. That makes sense. I don't think we won that game. I show my age every day, but I don't think we won that game. But it was the first
00;27;45;26 - 00;28;00;10
Unknown
We'll get back to the story in just a second. But while you're listening, here's something you should know. If you live in Northeast Florida, if you're self-employed and trying to buy a home, it's not as hard as you might think. We work with business owners, freelancers, and creatives every single day, people who don't fit the traditional housing mold.
00;28;00;10 - 00;28;16;15
Unknown
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00;28;16;18 - 00;28;24;24
Unknown
being a new team, were you rusty? I mean, or did that not really a thing like you're. No, you're ready to go like you're competing from day one like it.
00;28;24;26 - 00;28;44;16
Unknown
You know, you didn't really have a disadvantage of being a new team because you had that year to put it together. Right? We had, but we were not thinking of it. We're thinking but, you know, we're always trained and drilled to, you know, coaching is your ability to teach and get these guys ready and make sure they understand that they're professionals.
00;28;44;19 - 00;29;07;17
Unknown
And every year we've always thought that we have a chance to win the Super Bowl. That's how we sell it. That's how we preach it. That's how we prepare for it, you know? And Tom Kaufman was setting a standard and it started at the top right. And he was hands on management about everything. But we were always coaching that we had chance to win Super Bowl period.
00;29;07;20 - 00;29;28;19
Unknown
And that's why it took us two years to you know, we're in the playoffs next year, which is unheard of, unheard of, you know, and that's why Liam has done such a great job. I mean, we were like, oh wow. But it's just interesting you say that because it seems like that would be the norm. Like if you're a coach of a team, you said you expect that.
00;29;28;19 - 00;29;53;18
Unknown
But from what I'm hearing from you, that's not the norm. No it doesn't. You know, everybody wants to, but they may not know how to, you know, as far as the demands and making sure everybody's on the same page, getting the right players on each team is really critical. We can coach it, we can put people in the right position, but the players have to play it right and they have to train.
00;29;53;18 - 00;30;20;15
Unknown
It's a year long process and it's a lot. It's a sacrifice. You don't see your families, you know, the sacrifices for your bodies. You know, guys break limbs like they're nothing, right? Sounds like pencils have the time. But they also have family issues as well. Right. But it's a it's a long process, so when you do win the Super Bowl, the first thing you have a rocky moment.
00;30;20;17 - 00;30;42;04
Unknown
You kind of like you saw the other day, you know, with the head coach looking up at the stars and seeing everything go off. That's how you feel. Trust. You know, I'm I'm looking for my wife and son. Like, where are they? They're coming out of the tunnel. They come on out of the stands. You know, you just want to you just want to hold them and saying, I'm sorry because it's a sack.
00;30;42;04 - 00;31;04;03
Unknown
It's a strong side. Yeah. It's a waiting to exhale moment. And you're the best of the best for that 2025 season 2007 season. And they can never take it away from you. And and what happens in that is is a lot of times you never see the same person again. Right. You know obviously Mike Strahan decides to retire the next year.
00;31;04;05 - 00;31;23;28
Unknown
So he's not on our team. You trade a player out, you know, or you cut a player. That's the NFL. And that film is not for long, right? But that one year that it took to come together and you always got to talk about the 12th man as far as the fans, the fans are all in.
00;31;24;01 - 00;31;44;09
Unknown
Okay. The parade and all of that. They're all in everything they have to do the year. You know I don't care if they didn't make you during the beginning of the year, but they love you at the end of year. It doesn't matter. Right. Okay. It's all exciting right. And when it, you know when it that buzzer goes off you're the best.
00;31;44;11 - 00;32;18;09
Unknown
And your city feels so great. But growing up in Pennsylvania Pittsburgh Steelers you know they carry that terrible talent everywhere they go. Steelers represent everywhere right. And that whole small market thing with champagne. And so come on. Well I imagine culture is a big part of that coming together in that year. Right. Definitely. So like I would imagine that somebody that doesn't fit that culture like you zero in on and oh maybe they don't last.
00;32;18;10 - 00;33;00;12
Unknown
We're going to do it's just the way it's going to be. Right? And not just Tom Kaufman, but back in the day, Wayne Weaver and Maurice Weaver were community people, and it was in the contracts with a lot of our players to be involved in community. Interesting. Okay, so when just by choice, because what happens is a lot of players will go to their homes and do their things, their hometowns and this that, they want to make sure players here while they're here, we're going to try and represent the Jaguars, the NFL shield out in the community and help these kids and families be excited, grow, be better.
00;33;00;14 - 00;33;22;26
Unknown
You know, is bigger than just playing the game. Right. And we're on the same page of Tom, making this city of landmark and interesting, which is even more important when you're starting a brand new franchise in a, in a new city that's set the standard for that. So second year you make it to the playoffs. Amazing. How long were you in Jacksonville?
00;33;23;00 - 00;33;44;11
Unknown
I was here, what, nine years? Nine years. And remind me of the history. So Tom left and then went to New York right after or. No. Yes. Okay. Well, you know, right now, right after he had he sat out a year. Okay. So what did you do that year? I sat out a year. Okay. I talked to, you know, I turned down a few jobs in college.
00;33;44;11 - 00;34;08;26
Unknown
I turned down you know, I talked to Nick Saban at LSU at that they gear. And I was five years away from full retirement. And I said, hey guys. You know I don't mind recruiting and doing this and so forth. But you know something about being in the NFL and, and, and my dream was to be able to win a Super Bowl because that's all Tom talked about.
00;34;08;26 - 00;34;28;06
Unknown
And that's what I didn't know anything about it, but I wanted to be a part of it. But you had an idea Tom was probably going to no coach again or no. Well, we did, you know, Tom and I got together quite a bit and watch film. And Tom loved watching film. You know, he loves the game, you know, even though your head coach and you're busy about doing things.
00;34;28;06 - 00;34;47;08
Unknown
He loves the X's and O's, and we would get together and, you know, write notes and look at players. And to be honest, he was, you know, there was there was talk at Notre Dame and Braska and you know, he might had to go back in the college and he was fine. You know, he was okay with that as long as he can coach.
00;34;47;08 - 00;35;11;15
Unknown
Right. And then that came up with the I don't know, it came up and he called me and he says, hey, the new GI job might be opening up. I was like, really? You got my attention. Yeah. I just I mean, I just had a loyalty and a love for what Tom was about. That's awesome. So you skip the year, get the job at New York?
00;35;11;15 - 00;35;38;04
Unknown
Yes. Okay. So how long did it take you to win your first Super Bowl? There? Well, I mean, obviously, you know, we were there, you know, for and then it took what, three, three years. Wow. So what's it like coming in to a team that you're the new coaching staff. The new everything that that has to be a big kind of change right off the bat, especially in New York where it's tough place.
00;35;38;07 - 00;35;58;16
Unknown
Well, the thing is, they have a history there. It's a great organization there, you know, and the mayors, you know, there's there's a, you know, there's a strong history there, kind of like the Pittsburgh Steelers. There's a strong history. At that time they only had two Super Bowls. And we brought two more. Right. You know Pittsburgh six.
00;35;58;18 - 00;36;37;12
Unknown
But the history is established. They're just trying to get back to where they were. And they needed they wanted. Tom hadn't been there as assistant coach. They knew the type of person and direction that they had and instilling the toughness, the standard, everything that they wanted is what Tom was all about. Interesting. So when you you walk around in the tailors and, you know, the Carl Banks and all those great players that they had their walk around, and Mike Strahan is a phenomenal leader.
00;36;37;14 - 00;37;00;04
Unknown
Phenomenal, great to have around love talk. And you know he just he makes everything right. Wow. He's the extension that you need. So you know so the players can understand where we're trying to get at. You know what were some of the the bigger name players. And that's first Super Bowl. Strahan. Well we had we had Eli Manning.
00;37;00;04 - 00;37;19;07
Unknown
Right. And and I'd like to say the man that was the famous Manning family, you know, that was the famous catch, right? Oh yes yes yes yes, yes. You know that that in itself was a story. Tyree had a terrible practice that week, and he might have dropped the ball in practice, but he wasn't going to let anybody down in the game.
00;37;19;07 - 00;37;39;23
Unknown
And he scored the first touchdown, let alone the helmet catch. And one other play. But, he caught every ball on that during the game. But this week he was like, are you kidding me? Literally just like dropping balls. Like you can, can't even understand it. Oh, yeah. You know, because, you know, when you get to the playoff time, everything ramps up.
00;37;39;26 - 00;38;02;19
Unknown
Talk about that. They always say that on TV. But what does that really mean to the layman like me? You playoffs. Yeah. Yeah. You actually have a chance to get there. That's so it so. Oh it totally becomes real and you do not want it to. So it's a single game elimination. It's one game you're out. So it's not like the rest of the season trying to figure out how to get there.
00;38;02;26 - 00;38;25;23
Unknown
You're there. You just don't want it to end. So in that in that year of the 2007 year, we went on the road in the playoffs. So we came to Tampa Bay and played Tampa. So we were a wildcard team, right? We're the bottom end of it all. New England Patriots were was undefeated at that point in time with Tom Brady.
00;38;25;25 - 00;38;48;09
Unknown
And we win in Tampa. Then we go to Dallas which they won the division. And our division. You know Dallas is Dallas. And he tried to make it look like we didn't deserve to be there. And he's telling his team that you know let's bypass this game to get to the green Bay game next week. And we were saying that we weren't to have any of that.
00;38;48;09 - 00;39;13;04
Unknown
Right. So we beat Dallas and Dallas. And then we go to green Bay in green Bay and it's 27 below 27 below. Oh. Players were throwing water up and then it turned into snow 27 below. But I tell everybody, if you want to experience an NFL town which looks like a college town, like it was here back in the day, you know, green Bay's it,
00;39;13;07 - 00;39;39;28
Unknown
Green Bay, you go to go to Lambeau Field. The history, the people, they were firefighters holding the flag and some of the women firefighters had nothing but bikinis up under there overall. Oh my gosh. And was that cool? But it's like that every week. I mean, you go to green Bay game and I mean because they're all in because you know you know, they're all in on that situation there.
00;39;40;01 - 00;39;58;20
Unknown
But when we won that game, that one fan left the stadium. They just sat there in shock. What are you what are you teaching? You're running backs. What is that called? Like what? What a whoa. What are you talking about? Oh, during that week, we were talking about hitting them as you were not going to be cold if you were running around.
00;39;58;25 - 00;40;19;21
Unknown
Right? So you run around and find work to do. So the thing is, is, you know, I was telling the running backs that Brandon Jacobs is 64 to 65. He's actually bigger than the other kid. But, you know, you're just trying to deliver as much pain as you can. And can. We run the ball? You know, we don't know if it's going to be snowy or not.
00;40;19;24 - 00;40;38;04
Unknown
Well I want to make sure that we can, you know, we can show our physical toughness. And and I've always told from the standpoint that the game starts with us as runners, and we hope to end the game with us as runners. Right. And you want to shorten the game as much as you can, you know, with the clock and running the ball.
00;40;38;04 - 00;41;03;19
Unknown
But we're going to show them that our attitude, we're here to be here, right. We already won these other games, right. Like I said, when you're the playoffs, you know you got as good a chance as anybody else. Was that team considered a running team overpass or more of a post? We were a great combination, right? We were always a strong combination running past, you know, you know, I could throw the ball, but we set up the play action and those kind of things.
00;41;03;19 - 00;41;24;00
Unknown
But, you know, Tom always want to start with the men up front and the offensive line. And obviously the uncertainty, those kind of things. You know when people have front and the backs have got established, you know the the attitude of the game, you know, we affect the running back. Can affect offense and defensive players on the sideline.
00;41;24;02 - 00;41;46;04
Unknown
They will watch what we do and how we approach the game. Really. They will get excited about what we do because once they're standing there getting a break and we're running the ball, okay, so they're standing there and you know, it's not like 3 pounds, you know oh she's having it break. Now that clock is moving. But the attitude of the game makes everybody want to step up.
00;41;46;04 - 00;42;05;28
Unknown
Right. So that's the thrill of my position and being able to help out and protect the quarterback and and just help the offensive linemen. So the quarterback get the ball off to the receivers because we're all in on this thing. It doesn't matter who gets the credit or the name on the jersey is to win. Interesting. So you win in green Bay.
00;42;06;01 - 00;42;25;18
Unknown
Yes. Was that then the Super Bowl next or the same game and remind me of you play in that situation in that game when when we finally won that game. Kick the field goal because you already missed 3 or 4 okay. But he he kicked the final field goal to win. And Brett Favre was the quarterback at the time.
00;42;25;20 - 00;42;44;01
Unknown
You know everybody called me and said hey you're going to the Super Bowl. Is Tom Kaufman okay? His mask down the whole time. So his face was beet red and he thought, you know, everybody thought he had frostbite, right? You know, it was like, why did he do that? No, we're going to, Man. Yeah. What did that feel like?
00;42;44;01 - 00;43;10;28
Unknown
That meant? It was that many. It felt, you know, I mean, give me, you know, you almost have that Super Bowl moment because you're excited that now it's finally down to two, three, two teams. You're there. Wow. This find no one things we can do. Because now knowing the Patriots is in there undefeated still right. We played them earlier and you know, four weeks five weeks before then we lost at home.
00;43;11;01 - 00;43;29;15
Unknown
Everybody thought we should sit our players out. Everybody was thinking they were going to sit their players up. We played the game like it was normal. That's what we do and that's what Tom, you know, we talked to the team about. They agreed, you know, and we played that game and that might have been better than the Super Bowl.
00;43;29;21 - 00;43;50;29
Unknown
Wow. That game it was a great game. Interesting. Their coaches came to us and said, you know, we might be playing against each other in the Super Bowl. We ended up playing it. Wow. Amazing. But that whole week, of preparation for the Super Bowl and for the fans, you hope one day Jacksonville gets a chance to experience rain.
00;43;51;01 - 00;44;21;09
Unknown
I always heard Tom talk about it, but to live it, feel it and be in it is great for the fans. You know, the parties. There's a lot of things that go on during that week. Is it difficult for a player and a coach to prepare with all the distractions? That's no, no, I will say I give you one example for as players go, because you have to make sure the players go to their interviews and in meetings there's a set time.
00;44;21;09 - 00;44;49;03
Unknown
So we have to make sure they get out of a meeting and if they miss that meeting, you know, for a place like 50,000. Whoa. Okay. So you ain't trying to miss them. Okay. So you know, and then you walk into the caf, you walk into the ballroom and there's about 100 or 200 or more press people, you know, and everybody's got a mic and they're sitting at a table, and each table is full and each player is.
00;44;49;06 - 00;45;08;17
Unknown
I mean, it's a lot of madness going on. And then, you know, you had the press day, you know, and that's huge in itself. Right? It's just a lot, it's a lot to squeeze in. But would you end up having to do I mean, you have to you have to teach these guys how to handle the 30 minute half time.
00;45;08;19 - 00;45;28;06
Unknown
And lot of time you have to take a break in your practice for about 30 minutes, because it's a long time compared to what halftime is doing, is interesting. And think about that. 30 minutes a long time. Yeah, you really have to rehearse every little detail. Wow. And but you're preaching to the players. Don't get caught up in the moment.
00;45;28;06 - 00;45;55;00
Unknown
You get caught up in more one more game after that last game. You can do whatever you want and I'll tell you that Super Bowl party after. Yeah, until six in the morning. You hope to get on the next plane in the morning going back to New York, you know, to have the parade. And then we have when you win in New York, you have you have two things go to you go you have the parade downtown in the city in New York, but you also go into your own stadium in new Jersey.
00;45;55;00 - 00;46;14;03
Unknown
So you have two days. Wow. You know, and guys are still trying to go get over their hangover from the night before. Right? Right. You know, but it's a lot. But it's the best, greatest week. Imagine ever. I didn't even think about that. I mean, having a parade in and New York City in the city that's that's special.
00;46;14;03 - 00;46;30;19
Unknown
That's so unique, you know, it's so. And then the year after, I had to say this, one day I go to Tom Brady, be a Michigan guys. And Tom, I said, you know, I really don't know that. I said, I've been to two Super Bowls and I don't know what it's like to lose in both of them against you.
00;46;30;22 - 00;46;51;13
Unknown
And I said, I see you being a Michigan guy. You know, I can hit me. He chuckled. Oh man, that's funny. So you win the Super Bowl, skip a year, you win it one more time. How was the second one sweeter than the first one? And it's two completely different experiences or what? You know, it's, different experiences.
00;46;51;13 - 00;47;10;01
Unknown
Yeah. You know, the first one was out in Arizona and it's like being at a bowl game but plus. Okay. The media hype is higher. Right. Being a Super Bowl compared to probably what a national championship would be. But still the same. Yeah you're the best bets in college. But you're the best of the best in your field in football.
00;47;10;06 - 00;47;31;28
Unknown
Wow. In the Super Bowl but it's a different situation. So now we go to Indianapolis and hold. It was kind of nice. They had us downtown in the city of Indianapolis. So everything was right there in two blocks away from from the stadium. So that made it really, really nice. But just families have really enjoyed that. Right.
00;47;31;28 - 00;47;53;23
Unknown
Probably a little bit more rain, you know. Now Arizona they were we were out. They had the swimming pools. The weather was great. So the families hung out at the pool while we were practicing going to meetings. So we're trying to just stay focused, you know, and keep the players focused well on the task at hand because they don't want to slip, don't want to want to slip away.
00;47;53;26 - 00;48;12;14
Unknown
That's just such amazing. And you're you're a guy that strikes me is you realize how fortunate like to experience that. Like there's a handful of people in history that have ever experienced and you did it twice. Maybe it's a blessing. Unbelievable. Yeah. And we and I mean, the hard part is you always want more. Of course you want more.
00;48;12;15 - 00;48;32;16
Unknown
I mean, we would have loved to had two here. I mean, we, you know, we won here and went to New England. They turned the lights out on us. So we lose that one. And then we later on we come back again. And yeah, we lose three times to Tennessee Titans and two division games. I mean, that was the hardest year of my life.
00;48;32;16 - 00;48;56;21
Unknown
Yeah. We lose two games division games and both them to Tennessee. And then we play the NFC. They have C championship game here. I'm not thinking that. Oh it was fun. They got lucky but three times so it was hard. Well I want to get into what you're doing now and I have some questions.
00;48;56;24 - 00;49;16;20
Unknown
To wrap it up on advice that you have, but I want to go some rapid fire. Just some quick questions for you. But the thing that comes top of your head. So, best player you ever coached Fred Taylor for a Taylor. Interesting. Toughest environment to play in on the road in the NFL.
00;49;16;23 - 00;49;28;22
Unknown
At one time I would say Kansas City, Kansas City. Interesting. One rule you would change in the NFL if you could.
00;49;28;25 - 00;49;48;23
Unknown
What do we need a whole nother podcast for that? That that's all. Maybe that's oh, you know, if I had to say one beyond, I would say the hits on the quarterback. They they've ruined the game on that one. Right, I got you. Do you remember your most difficult loss would have been a few of those.
00;49;48;25 - 00;50;10;10
Unknown
Yeah, no, I did, you know, you don't want to bring them back on the spot. Interesting. Okay, so I'm a young kid, and my dream is like yours. You know, I wanted to be in the NFL, and I'm playing and and in high school, I'm a decent player. What advice do you have for me? Like, how do I get to that next level?
00;50;10;10 - 00;50;34;15
Unknown
What advice do you have? For the young Gerald Ingram when he is in high school? That's his dream. Learn to be consistent and disciplined, okay? If you can be consistent, that's the hardest thing for you. Consistent and doing. If that's your purpose, don't slip and say, hey, I'll skip today. It's okay to skip today. That was enough.
00;50;34;15 - 00;51;06;19
Unknown
No, it's not enough. Okay. But if you can be disciplined, you're going to get better throughout the year just by being disciplined alone and understanding that everything in life is conceptual. If you can understand the concept you you will block everything else to a sacrifice. Interesting, interesting. There's some of that have to do with being consistent. Why nobody's watching, you know what I mean?
00;51;06;22 - 00;51;31;06
Unknown
Not not just I obviously being a great, player in practice and all that, but also outside of practice. Oh, definitely. I mean, when you talk about all the the character and having integrity and all those kind of things. Yeah, that does come into part, you know, but even those who aren't the great players find a way to be consistent all the time.
00;51;31;08 - 00;51;51;29
Unknown
Interesting. They work hard. Is it fair to say the great players aren't always the most talented? Yes. It's just so amazing. You hear this all the time. You saw that in Patriots. You know for years that that they had all the greatest players you know playing for Brady. But you had the leadership. You know you had set the standard.
00;51;52;01 - 00;52;11;04
Unknown
But you had players who knew how and believed in the sacrifice and the hard work, and they were going to be consistent in what they do and bring to the table every single day, every single play. Details matter, right? I don't care if you're a football player or garbage man or anything else, right? You want to be great at what you do.
00;52;11;11 - 00;52;37;09
Unknown
We do interesting. Everything you do. Find out as much as you can on what it took somebody else to be great. Interesting. So spend more time not thinking that you have arrived, that I'm going to spend my time, that I can get better. Interesting. Well, you've evaluated a lot of talent. And your career. Like, do you can you go to a high school game now and see a player and you're like, wow.
00;52;37;12 - 00;52;54;28
Unknown
Oh, he could really go to all the way. Oh, Denver, you can see that in an instant. Oh definitely. Yeah. You can see it. Can you see it the other way. It doesn't mean that. That doesn't mean that he has the self-discipline to make sure he does it every day at the next level. Right. Because the pressure goes on.
00;52;55;01 - 00;53;19;01
Unknown
I remember, Kyle Brady when we brought Kyle Brady in. And I don't know if you've ever had Kyle Brady on. You know I have not. But I know who he is. He's busy right now and a great person. But his character's phenomenal I remember going to a Penn State game to him to recruit, to watch him play, and it was like the blindside.
00;53;19;01 - 00;53;44;11
Unknown
He brought the guy into the bench. Okay. No, they booed him going to the Jets. Now you have to understand how that feels. Yes okay. Oh so you go from being this All-American whatever. And then in the draft, they boo you because they chose to take a tight end. Okay. That's one thing, though, mom. You're under a microscope like you've never been before.
00;53;44;13 - 00;54;08;19
Unknown
It's just like players here. They'll be the same 3 or 4 beat writers here. I go to New York every. Every practice is almost 50. You know, 50 or 60 writers there. Just because the market right is different. Right? Okay. So he's up there and he says, you know what? It took my confidence away. You start to question yourself.
00;54;08;22 - 00;54;37;02
Unknown
So your mind is, you know, affects you more than your body and you shouldn't have zigged speed and all this. But the criticism and everything else that goes with it, the pressure, the expectation level. It's hard on guys, right? Not everybody can handle that. Interesting. You know, we've seen guys that quarterbacks that could throw great in college but in the NFL mentally can't handle.
00;54;37;02 - 00;54;56;05
Unknown
And all of a sudden they can't throw from here here to there. Wow. So the the mental game is is is as high as the physical game in the NFL. So when you see a kid in high school like yep he's got all the physical characteristics. There's no question at all. But where's the where's the mind going to end up.
00;54;56;05 - 00;55;17;02
Unknown
That's where's the mind. Where's the hard work. Is he willing to pay the price? Every single day. Interesting. And not be, you know, some people and we're not talking about bad people, right? We just talking people that just are mentally strong and focused to understand that I have to. When it's time to go to work, it's time to go to work.
00;55;17;02 - 00;55;39;17
Unknown
Right? You put all your problems behind you for two hours. You can't do anything about that. Right okay. You handled that another way. Life is about solutions. It's not about the gripes. It's not about complaining and those kind of thing, those kind of things that weigh you down and put you down. Life is about finding the solutions as fast as you can and move on and be successful.
00;55;39;24 - 00;55;58;18
Unknown
I like it, I like it. Well, let's talk about what you're doing now. You are on to do you have your own show on the internet? I know you're on no. Ten a lot. No, I do not ever. Okay, okay. I'm on there with Ryan Hacker and Leo surgery. We do the after dark. Oh. Very well. He does the after dark, right?
00;55;58;18 - 00;56;21;05
Unknown
We do the post-game show. Okay. That's awesome. That's got to be fun to do. Oh, it's a lot of fun. How long you've been doing that? I just started this year. Okay. You know, Dave Campbell did it for years here. Yeah. And former head coach, Dallas Cowboys. And we were at a golf outing, and, he threw my name in the hat because he was going to move closer to his family that are in Dallas.
00;56;21;07 - 00;56;40;17
Unknown
He came back here because his house, you know, they loved Jackson. And his house was here. But once they start having grandkids, it's like he's going back. Back for. So when he told them that they're you know he was going to leave and he mentioned they thought you know I would be a decent replacement at it.
00;56;40;17 - 00;56;58;24
Unknown
And I enjoyed talking for him, you know sitting around because my wife is tired to listen me three. She's been there since. Well how many times you going to say that. Well that's got to be a fun thing to do. And what else are you doing? I've read a lot about you that you really like being involved in the community and kids.
00;56;58;24 - 00;57;24;06
Unknown
Yes. I work with the, NFL Alumni Association. Okay. And there's a great group of people with the former players and cheerleaders as well. And, we speak to the kids in different schools here in town, and we try to stay involved as much as possible. Just give something back, you know, for children. Sure. Because, yeah. So that's very enjoyable because you've always loved working with kids.
00;57;24;07 - 00;57;42;14
Unknown
Oh, you said that in the beginning. Yeah. And a lot of these guys do, you know, there's a lot of former players here in town that are, you know, because once their life is over, I mean, if you if you are fortunate enough to stay in the NFL in your 30s, you're really blessed, right? So it's going to end one day.
00;57;42;14 - 00;58;00;13
Unknown
So you got another 30 years left. Okay. So you right on that money all you want, but it's going to end if you do that. Right? Right. Plus you you know, you want to grow, do things you want to. You know the more you help the better you become as a person. Right? So a lot of these guys have done that here in town.
00;58;00;13 - 00;58;19;24
Unknown
And, you know, you just proud of what we've established here as, as Jaguars and former players with the shield on our back. And we just try to make a difference. You were the first, really special. Jared. This was awesome. Thank you for spending your time. Thank you for coming to hometown. Jax I can't wait for this episode.
00;58;19;24 - 00;58;22;12
Unknown
Thank you. Oh thank you. Appreciate any time.
00;58;22;17 - 00;58;36;21
Unknown
The Hometown Jack's podcast is recorded and produced by First Coast Mortgage Funding. Located in the heart of Jacksonville. Do you want to be our next guest? Visit our website at Hometown Jack's podcast.com. We can't wait to hear your story.