Unbroken Spirit: The Jordan Travis Story

Hinzugefügt: 2026-05-22

[00:00:00]Hey man, what's up y'all? This is boy Freddy Stevenson from Trials of Triumph and I just want to say thank you to everybody that supported last week's episode with Super Bowl champ Gary Brackett. But y'all know how we do it.

[00:00:10]We bring you another banger this week.

[00:00:12]Man, we got FSU legend Jordan Travis. He embodies everything that Trials of Triumph stands for. Man, this episode got deep, man. Before we get into this episode, I love to take the time out to thank our sponsors. Hal W. Buc and Strong, Game Changer Recovery, Any Atlantic Films, and Concord Coffee.

[00:00:33]But buckle up for this one. It got real.

[00:00:35]Let's get it.

[00:00:40]What's up, man? How you feeling?

[00:00:42]I'm good, bro. I know we've been trying to get on this this call for for a while now. Um I'm excited. I'm really excited to talk with you, bro, and dive in to to life a little bit. Yeah, no, man. When when you think Trials of Triumph, man, you one of the people that really embodies everything that the the brand that, you know, stands for, underdogs that have, you know, beat the odds to go on to win, man. So, just having an opportunity to have you on the platform, man, it's it's a blessing, for sure. So, I appreciate you taking time out of your schedule to to come on. But I I want to get into the early parts of your journey, man, you know, before you went on to become a Nole legend. You started off and you went to Louisville.

[00:01:22]Didn't have an offer from Florida State coming out. So, I I want to kind of talk to you and figure out how you ended up getting to Florida State during that process and how everything went that led led you coming to FSU.

[00:01:33]Yeah, man. So, I It's kind of I know Florida State. I don't know who exactly came out and watched me throw um towards the end of my What was it?

[00:01:44]My senior season um or maybe end of my junior season. They came out to watch me throw and I'm like, "All right, this is it. I'm going to get an offer." I felt good. I'm like, "I threw great." And the guy the guy loved me. It was like one of my best throwing days. I'm like, I'm I'm going to walk away with the offer because that's how I got all my offers.

[00:02:00]I didn't go to all the camps. I wasn't like a lot of other kids where you go to camps and um do 7-on-7 stuff. I literally just did my 7-on-7 with my my high school team when we played in little tournaments around Palm Beach. Um but all the coaches flew down um and watched me throw in person and that's how I got all my offers. I got a lot of offers like face-to-face on the spot which was really really cool and I feel like it's an uncommon thing in today's world to get offers over Twitter and text messages and stuff. So that that part was really cool but yeah, man. Um went to Louisville. Uh I was between UNC and Louisville and kind of how I went to Louisville was I wanted to I was said I was going to go on two visits. I went on an official visit to Louisville and then I went on an unofficial I drove over to UNC.

[00:02:44]Um I went on an unofficial visit. My My My visit at Louisville was amazing. They um welcomed me with open arms. They had everyone waiting outside the stadium when I pulled up and they make you feel special and they kind of roll out the red carpet for you and then I went over to UNC and it was it was an unofficial visit but I got thrown on the field and had to do a camp.

[00:03:05]I I was expecting this to go look at the look at the campus um they threw me on the field. I didn't have anything. I didn't have my cleats, didn't have nothing. So I had these huge shorts on.

[00:03:15]13 size shoe and I think I was a 12 11 and 1/2 12. Um so I'm out there just you know, not comfortable. Um I'm in a place where I'm like, "Dang, I was coming on a visit visit to look at the school and kind of just get an idea if I want to come here to Louisville." And I'm like, "I just rubbed me the kind of the wrong way." Um and I ended up going to Louisville and things didn't work out and um I ended up going to Florida State.

[00:03:40]And I'm not going to dive completely into because I don't want to get anybody in trouble but yeah, I I I got was going to go to UCF and I was committed to UCF and I was all in which this story is pretty crazy and it shows how God works is I was going to commit to UCF and I was I went to two games and I'm like I'm I love it. Like I'm close to home. I'm going to UCF. Like the bounce house was sick. Um and McKenzie ended up breaking his leg against USF and that was kind of Coach Jeff Lebby came down and talked to me who was the offensive coordinator at the time and spoke to me. He's like, "Hey man, like me and him built a really good relationship." He's like, "I I don't know if this is your best option to come here."

[00:04:23]Um obviously because McKenzie broke his leg, I was possibly going to have to sit a year. He's back then you had to sit a year.

[00:04:29]Um and McKenzie was probably going to come back the year after that and take his job back.

[00:04:35]Um So he's like, "But my brother-in-law is going to Florida State." So he kind of put me in contact with Coach Briles which Coach Briles recruited me to FAU back in high school and I used to blow Coach Briles off. So if you're a young recruit, do not blow these small schools because these coaches could be at the next place you want to go. Um but yeah, I ended up going to Florida State and yeah, the rest is history and I was blessed obviously. It was a dream come true for me and being there with my cousins, my brothers.

[00:05:03]Um I had everybody. Like literally everybody in my family went there. My younger sister, um my two cousins, all my best friends.

[00:05:10]So yeah, it was a dream come true, bro.

[00:05:13]And now I know a lot of times people on the outside looking in, they kind of view athletes from this lens as if you know, us being on a higher level, they they dehumanize us in in a way. You know, we go through issues just like anybody else. And I remember, you know, a report coming out at one point that you were considering, you know, giving up on football, just being discouraged early on. How did you navigate through that process?

[00:05:38]Honestly, man, I I look back and I it's kind of like a blur to me. Like I could sit here and give you like an answer. I think I remember what happened. I always try to go back and picture where I was at that time and I can't I can't I can't imagine where I was at. I can't even picture it because it was hard and I tried I think I tried to Um I tried [clears throat] so hard to live in in the present moment which I do I don't do that often. I mean I I sometimes I catch myself. I'm usually a guy that looks forward like what's to come instead of looking back and I can't remember what what it was like. I mean I know it sucked.

[00:06:09]It sucked but I know God had me the entire time. I don't think I was very deep into the Bible. I don't think I was deep into the word and I wish I was at that time. I wish I depend on him. I didn't walk like my shirt my shirt I put a shirt on today and I looked down at at the the verse and it said walk by faith not by sight and it's it's so true.

[00:06:32]Um I was I was walking by sight. Everything I saw I was so scared of everything that was around. I was so scared of going out in public to be judged by other people and at the end of the day it doesn't matter what John anybody says about me because I know at the end of the day where I end up is going to be in heaven one day and there's only going to be one one person that judges me and it's our Lord and savior Jesus Christ. So I wish I had that mindset back then but man I I don't know where I don't know how I got through it other than God guided me.

[00:07:05]No for sure. Man I think I feel like that's a lot of us though, you know, ultimately I'm going through going through that journey.

[00:07:12]Some things we have to you know, learn the hard way and then ultimately go through that fire and see like man even in these moments when I wanted to give up even in these moments where I should have lost God was there with me the entire way.

[00:07:23]Um I do remember DJ DJ Matthews. I would we were walking through I was hitting him up one day and you know, we were hearing you know, seeing you in the game your athleticism a lot of times you would get you know, brought in as the you know, the the running QB. I'm like yo, what's what's up with Jordan Travis man they don't give him an opportunity to to throw the ball. He's like "Bro, he can play. He can play." And DJ would say me I was like, "Bro, he can play. Why why don't they play him?" He's like, "I don't know why they don't play him." And then 2020, you finally got your opportunity in the season and then the team kind of rallied, you know, rallied behind you.

[00:07:57]What was that moment like for you if you can recall, you know, going through those doubts and then finally getting the opportunity and seeing the team respond to your your energy and your leadership?

[00:08:06]Honestly, I I I like the night before the Boston College game Well, the week before I was on scout team, so I didn't have any I mean, at that point I'm like, "Well, this is it?" Like, I'm on scout team now. You obviously when you're on scout team and you're young and you don't understand what it means.

[00:08:22]Like, obviously it's to help the team, but at the same time you want to get out on the field and play and it's like dang, like that was kind of like a confidence like it was either going to boost me or or tear me down. And I allowed it to tear me down a little bit there on the weekend.

[00:08:35]Coach Coach Taggart got fired and Coach Briles and Coach Odell said, "Hey, like you're going to play this weekend."

[00:08:40]Yeah, man. I tried to prepare my best because it's hard to go from having zero confidence to hey, you're going to play this week, you know? Like, you're playing on the biggest stage and in football, I mean, you're playing at Florida State University and it's like it's what I dreamed of and it's like this is my one opportunity to go out and show what I have and yeah, man. That first play I scored a touchdown and the rest changed everything. Like, my mindset, my confidence changed in that moment. I mean, obviously I went through a little highs and lows throughout the rest of my career with confidence, but my confidence changed because I mean, I honestly think it takes one play. I always I always tell everybody it takes one play to change the outcome of your career and your game because you could be in the dumps and one touchdown, one first down one carry can change your entire career. Um and that's kind of what happened for me.

[00:09:27]Uh so, yeah.

[00:09:29]It was it. Going through navigating through those tough times, it all made me who I was and the player that I was and I wouldn't change it for a thing. Like, I wouldn't go back and say like, "Hey, I want to start from day one." No, like how my journey started and ended, I wouldn't change a thing cuz everything happened for a reason and I'm here today and able to help somebody else um through their journey. So, that's what it's about. Um I've had a lot of helpful people, my family, God, um my coaches, my teammates have always helped push me. Um James Blackman was a one of the my greatest mentors throughout my college career.

[00:10:02]Um He's like my best friend. I actually ended up like in a way that not taking his job. I don't like saying take his taking his job, but I was handed the baton and I ran with it. But, James Blackman was one of the most important pers- people in my career. I mean, he showed me how to lead, how to treat teammates, how to treat your backup quarterback because I was his backup quarterback for a while.

[00:10:26]He treated me with the most most respect. I mean, James and I were so close. I mean, back in back in high school, I didn't really know James, but I just knew he was James Blackman, Florida State commit, and I remember playing Glades Central. And those boys are no joke out there. And I I was at Palm Palm Beach Central and I got hit in the sideline, got knocked out, and I just remember like opening my eyes and all the guys were over talking to me, you know, talking crap. And I just see this little skinny, scrawny, 6-ft 6 guy coming out of nowhere and get off my quarterback. And mind you, I don't know James. He's like, "Get off my quarterback. Get off my quarterback."

[00:10:55]He's pushing everybody back. And I remember he's the person that grabbed and lifted me up.

[00:11:00]Um And obviously, that stuck with me forever, you know, like it's like now he's the starting quarterback. I remember like watching him and how he grew and I I mean, even still today, like we are like so close. Like, we talk pretty often. I mean, he lives not to Well, he lives in Orlando now with the Orlando Pirates, but just a special special person that deserves a lot of um credit in my career because he was I mean, he's the reason why I I was able to play football for five, however long I was, five years at Florida State.

[00:11:33]And that does that's dope to hear cuz you see a lot of times in those situations, man, for for whatever reasons for you guys competing for a job, you know, against each other, a lot of people wouldn't want to help you. And you know you know how it goes.

[00:11:49]You know, so for him to have been the situation where he's no longer the starting QB and still wanting to help you out, that says a a lot about his character. And like I said earlier, sometimes you'll have a lot of these athletes from outside looking in and you know, being dehumanized.

[00:12:03]So to see the person that he is and what he stood for behind the scenes, man, I I respect it.

[00:12:08]Um I do think that black men, you know, he was in an unfortunate situation coming in like, you know, it made it hard for him to, you know, ultimately develop. Had a lot thrown his way from, you know, when Jimbo came in and you know, Francois going down and him being thrown in the fire as a freshman and then the coaching changes.

[00:12:27]Now, it was definitely a tough situation and even in the midst of all that, him keeping his head and still leading even when things weren't going his way. You know, I respect respect to him for sure.

[00:12:36]I got a I got a lot of slap from fans because I would always push for him just cuz his character, things I heard about him.

[00:12:43]Now, he's like the ultimate the ultimate no, man, and I got tons of respect for, you know, him and how he carried himself off the field cuz you know how it goes, man. A lot of people tell us the things behind the scenes. Um but after that season, you know, it was your job. Going into 2021, you guys have that that big game against Notre Dame.

[00:13:01]You know, things unfortunately go your way, you go down in that game. And I don't know I don't know if you remember this, man, but this this ties into your story.

[00:13:11]At the time, it's ironic because you talked about going wanting to go to UCF and then McKenzie getting the injury and then he comes to to Florida State. So it's like, damn, it's crazy how life comes full circle at times.

[00:13:22]Crazy. [clears throat] I remember he goes into the game and you know, he he has his run and does does fairly well. We always pull that game out.

[00:13:31]And you see the fan base on Twitter just kind of you know rallying behind McKenzie at the time. And like I said we're human. Like it's going to look on social media, you know, especially when you're in the the infancy you [clears throat] know building out your confidence and you're not we're still not like even though people look at us as these warriors like I said we're human. Like there's areas that we struggle with. And I remember you I don't even know if you remember this bro. You had we had recently had you on with me and James on the inside drills. And you hit me up he's like bro this is a tough process because I just got injured and it looks like the fan base doesn't really want me to have an opportunity. And I'm like bro just keep going control what you can control because that's just how this game goes.

[00:14:15]Like nothing against any fan base but that's just how people are they build you up to tear you down and then when you're winning again they they're behind you.

[00:14:23]So you keep going you're going to you built to overcome this. And you know, ultimately you got an opportunity again in that season and you you took it and ran with it. I don't know if you remember that but kind of walk through that time when you see you see kind of the fan base that rallied behind you the year before it's like damn they're giving up on you.

[00:14:41]Um that that season was tough.

[00:14:44]Um that that was a tough fall. I mean obviously I love competition. I always tell people like competition is so important and it makes you makes you who you are.

[00:14:53]And yeah it was tough. I mean going to your dream school and getting booed by your fan base no matter what a lot of starting quarterbacks have experienced it but being a young kid it sucks. And I know people like to say oh you make money. I didn't make money at that time. I made whatever it was a thousand dollars pay for my rent at Champs. And we're not going to say here and say like oh money changes everything and I feel like that's one of the main things now is like oh he makes money now. Yeah it makes it a little bit easier but I can tell you that money don't make make you happy. And and know a lot of people will say that it does make you happy, but shoot, I can tell you first hand that I made some good money in college and it didn't make me always happy. I was living a life that I wasn't supposed to be living, man.

[00:15:33]Yeah, it was it was tough, man. Um but once again, McKenzie was another quarterback that I was so blessed to have in my life and I'm so blessed to have in my life because we still talk so often.

[00:15:42]Um he helped me I mean, get through so much. I mean, I I hung out with McKenzie literally every single day. Ev- like every day he's at my house. Every day we're sitting on the balcony. Um we have some funny stories we can't get into right now, but um yeah, we we hung out every single day, man, and it was a journey for us. Like one day we will he's starting and then the next game that you know, it was it just tough and it was a tough situation for me mentally to go through and I didn't want to go on the field all the time. There was times where Norvell wanted me to go on the field and I didn't want to go on the field. It was hard for me. Um cuz I was so dang scared to go out there cuz I was embarrassed. I was I didn't want to get booed. I remember a freaking Jacksonville State, I went in through two hitch routes. I'm throwing it over the guy's head and it it it just it ruined my my entire confidence and not even just confidence on the football field, confidence as a man. And that's when it gets to a point where it's tough. It's like where you football carries on to your afterlife and you got to walk around campus and get talked about. My little sister is crying 24/7 because people are talking about her brother all the time on campus. And when she walks to class, she's getting jokes.

[00:16:46]Um so yeah, if you're going through something like this, like just know it gets better. Um God is the only person that can judge you and that's all that matters and that's what I've learned is, man, like the judgment of others is is is so is so we could sit here and I think it doesn't affect us, but it does when people are talking bad about you. My mom always used to say, "Don't go on Twitter. Don't look at it. Don't worry about what people say." Yeah, it's easy to say when you're on the outside looking in. It's easy for me to say now I'm on the outside looking in, but who cares what people say, man? And I'm still struggling with it till today. Like I have PTSD going to stores. Like, I can't even go on a date with my girlfriend because I'm so used to people talking about me.

[00:17:23]Like, whether it's good or bad, like, being the center of attention when you're not when you're an introvert person, which I am.

[00:17:28]Um sitting at restaurants and having people constantly look at you and it's tough. And now I literally have PTSD where I order Instacart and Uber Eats more than anybody in the world.

[00:17:39]Like, I just got my money back yesterday because I didn't get my I didn't get my food. I canceled my order a little bit late and they were refunding my money because they said I'm such a loyal customer.

[00:17:48]Um but yeah, like, it's it's it's a lot mentally. Um and it's tough even after football, which people don't realize is it's kind of like I I have a therapist that I talk to um every single week and I've dealt with obviously my mental health issues and I have no shame at all in talking about it because a lot of people as men, we feel like we're so tough and we don't have to we have to hold it in hide it, man. Like, show your We have emotions. We're allowed to be people.

[00:18:14]Um so yeah, um I have to say, man, it it's it's tough.

[00:18:21]It's it's a lot. It's a lot, but just know that it gets better always. It always gets better. The grass may not always be greener on the other side.

[00:18:29]Um but guess what? God is here for us every step of the way and I'm willing to go through whatever life brings at me and cuz I know God I have God uh protecting me at all times, bro.

[00:18:42]We would like to thank >> [music] >> Howell, Buchanan & Strong for sponsoring today's episode of Trials to Triumph.

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[00:19:16]Now that's real. I definitely I definitely want to dive into the the mental health conversation later in this um um interview during this interview cuz you know I've had my my own struggles and like you said like it's not just as athletes but as men a lot of times we will try to just put a band-aid over those situations just act like you know everything's okay and I was that person and a lot of times football was that for for me. I didn't realize that I had a lot of issues until football was no longer um in my life. [snorts] Like football whenever I was dealing with certain issues I would just go out on the field let out you know let out some steam and then I'm good. But once you know that ain't in your life you're like damn bro I'm not really you know internalizing these situations the right way. I'm not dealing with them the right way.

[00:19:58]Um so at some points in life it's been tough for for sure. Um but again as I as we navigate through that season there was a huge huge moment that you know a lot of a lot of people know you for um the rubber game you won the first quarterback at FSU to beat Miami three straight times and it start you know that that big play that fourth and 14.

[00:20:17]Kind of walk us through that moment.

[00:20:19]That was during the up and down season that was the moment that people looked at it and were like oh Florida State might be uh turning things around next year.

[00:20:28]Yeah.

[00:20:30]Um that's a moment that we practice a lot like Odell runs runs through every single situation.

[00:20:37]Um on Friday practices and you kind of get tired of it sometimes you know you're like damn man like I'm tired of going over like when is this play going to happen? Like when are we going to have to throw the ball out roll right and throw the ball out of bounds when there's 4 seconds on the clock and it's fourth and five and we just got to get the time we got to I got to throw it as high as I can and out of bounds so they can't pick the ball off. Like you don't you get tired of these situations cuz like you're like when is this going to happen? And I remember we used to practice all the time in the end of game situation.

[00:21:03]Fourth and 15, fourth and 20, fourth and whatever. You to be prepared for those moments.

[00:21:08]And yeah, I remember we had two post routes on the inside and I think it was I don't know if it was 3 by 1 or 4 by 1.

[00:21:15]I know that. We had Andrew Parchment on the outside there in a dig route um at 15 yards and he got his proper depth and we needed 14 yards and we ended up getting shoot close to the damn touchdown and and that that play forever will will stick with me and it was such a I mean beating Miami I I don't like Miami. Like I haven't like I have no respect for Miami at all. Like zero. Cuz there's yeah, just like you know, the rivalry rivalry for Miami is just different. People always ask me like who do you not like more Miami or Florida? And it's like Miami. I just there's something about like green and orange that when I see it on someone back of their car and I see so many fans now that have Miami shirts that never wore Miami shirt in their entire career.

[00:21:59]I've never seen as many Miami fans as I have down in South Florida, but they're all coming out of the woodwork now. Um And yeah, man, beating Miami is just it will stick with me me forever, man.

[00:22:14]Then of course like that led into the the '22 season. You guys had that big match-up with LSU to start start the year and get that huge win against them.

[00:22:23]Um ultimately go 10 and 3 that season.

[00:22:26]What was it like cuz if your first year you're there you guys are what 3 and 6 second year 5 and 7 and then you flip the switch and you turn things around you're 10 and 3. What was it like making that transition?

[00:22:37]Yeah.

[00:22:39]That was just I mean a lot of hard work, man. My the team put so much work in.

[00:22:43]The coaches put so much work in.

[00:22:46]And they made it easy for me.

[00:22:48]I mean my '22 season was way better than my '23 season, but the players around me just responded well and I I've learned that it's not always like playing quarterback position yes, like I have to be the the point guard and pass the ball and be a leader and do all the things, but I learned that literally just simply just leading and making guys want to play for you is the most important thing over your performance because we can run the ball 40 times a game and win a football game just because that offensive line respects you so much and that's what it was like. It was It was a lot of um We had a lot of fun. A lot of fun. I would do a lot of a lot of things just go back and have that season one more time. Um but yeah, the '22 season was probably my favorite season over the '23 season just because of the ups and downs that we went through.

[00:23:34]Like '23 obviously was was pretty going up and then one quick down, but I mean, the the '22 season we were just up and down at the beginning of the season. We're playing really well and then we start losing through a pick to at the end of the NC State game. Lost to Clemson close.

[00:23:50]Um and then we just took off for the rest of the season season and the Cheez-It Bowl was amazing.

[00:23:56]Playing a good Oklahoma team.

[00:23:59]Um but yeah, man, I just learned that I always tell these quarterbacks I'm like, just make your teammates want to play for you. It's not about you, it's always about them. No matter what. Like if it's a bad play, you take ownership because you can handle it. We're mentally tough. We're supposed to be mentally tough enough to handle situations like that. Um and receivers, you know, and maybe running backs are a little bit more emotional sometimes. So, you take the blame. Don't sit here and point fingers because you can handle it.

[00:24:25]Maybe you keep coach your coach your players up in different ways because everyone's a different player. And I learned that it by '22 and '23 that like when I have Keon Coleman and Jaheim and Johnny Wilson and there and Trey Benson, they're all completely different people and you have to talk to every single person differently when you disagree with something that they're doing.

[00:24:43]And that's what I had to learn and I think I learned it by the time and I was so blessed to have the players and the quarterbacks in front of me um to show me the way. So, yeah, I mean, '22 season was probably the best season I I played and enjoyed the most.

[00:25:01]You know, I remember that big play against Florida in in 2022 at the end of the game. It was all over all over ESPN.

[00:25:10]Um Could you could you walk us through that? That's that's a legendary play, bro.

[00:25:15]Honestly, man, I don't really remember much. I just I blacked out. I mean, you're just running around and you're praying you don't get tackled and thank God I somehow slipped out of it.

[00:25:25]Um It felt like a video game almost. Like I just remember it just felt like a video game. Like this can't be real. And I remember seeing the guy Everyone's always like why did you slide? Why did you slide? I mean, that's a tough situation because it wasn't really The guy was diving at my head. So if I dove headfirst, I probably went head head to head and I feel like everything was just moving in slow motion and I kind of like I slid sideways. Like So he slid past me, but he still hit me. So it's like if he slid and he got hit typically, that's that's usually a a flag, you know? And so how are you going to call the a slide and not call a flag? So I kind of that that always confuses me still.

[00:26:04]Um but we scored the next play. But yeah, man, that was kind of just felt like a video game. Everything was slow motion. It felt I don't know. It was weird.

[00:26:13]I know you talked about your your hatred for Miami. Um I hate them as well, but I got my one of my older cousins that I go to the gym with them all the time. And he was Miami fan. He talks trash all the time.

[00:26:26]But he's probably one of the people I'd say from a Miami um fanbase standpoint has the highest level of respect for for you. And I'm going to use this to get kind of give you your flowers in this moment. Um cuz we go through even when, you know, we're having seasons where we're not really doing that good. He's like, "Bro, I'm He's like, "I wasn't worried the once Jordan Travis left." I was like, "Why you say that?" He was like, "Man, it's just something in his DNA. He's a winner. Like no matter what you throw at him, he's going to find a way to win. Like, and he's like, even when we had teams that I felt like could beat you guys, I just know that that guy on the team is going to buy into his leadership, and it was going to be hard to beat y'all. And he was like, not to say that the other guys can't, you know, lead, but it's just different when you know that you got a guy no matter what's thrown his way, he's going to win. And I'll text you this all the time, bro.

[00:27:14]Like, you like, when whenever I just want to send you words of courage, like, bro, you a winner. And I ain't talking about trophies or none of like, man, no matter what life throws at you, like, this platform, trials and triumph, you're the type of person, yeah, you may have a a moment where you're down and um you you're doubting yourself, all this stuff, we're human. But winners find a way out of that. We think people like, "Yo, yo, I don't overcame worse stuff than this." And you're one of those you're one of those people that no matter what's thrown your way, like, you're going to win. I I always remind you of this, bro, like, you were never one of those people, and that's why I try to like, remind a lot of athletes, we got to where we were, you got to have some level of ability, but think about how many players that we played with that were just as good as us or better that didn't make it. So, it's something about us that set us apart from everybody else. Same with yourself, right? You were underdog, like, nobody wanted to give you a shot. So, it's a reason that you were able to achieve what you achieved. And understanding that, like, I go through it all the time, like, I'm a I'm a quiet dude, but sometimes I got to remind myself, like, you're built different, like, God don't allow you to go through the fire, and you came out of it without smelling like smoke. So, understanding that, so I'm using this moment to kind of, you know, give you your flowers, you know, before we headed to the '22 the '23 season. Um you know, great season, you guys, you know, of course had that that huge run.

[00:28:36]Um had like, you talked about Keon Coleman coming in, Jaheim, and a few other guys coming in.

[00:28:42]Man, what was the that season like as far as the the expectations once you guys had that big win against LSU, you know, a lot of um people in the country are counting you out against LSU. Did you guys know that early on that you could make a run at you?

[00:28:55]Yeah. Before I Before I say anything about that, I just want to say thank you, bro. Like I I appreciate that very much. And I did want to hit on one thing you said. I said like I don't want to piss the Miami fans off too much. At the end of the day, we're all on like I've learned I've learned in church a few weeks ago that they were talking about like football and how we all have different teams. And on Sundays we we kind of root for the failures of other teams. And it's like I Leonard Taylor like I met Leonard Taylor with the Jets. And he's a person that we have a very funny story. I'm going to get back on your topic, but um during that game I remember getting my my chain snatched. Um it was kind of a it was like he snatched my chain and threw it on the floor. And I remember I had it was like a little cross. It was like a little skinny chain a little cross on it. Um I remember the dude snatched it. I was like, "Ref, he snatched my chain." And then I remember Leonard Taylor looking at me and saying like, "Get a bigger chain, boy." And I just remember that over and over. And I'm like, you know, the next day I went to the store and I got a bigger chain.

[00:29:46]And I was like, "You know what? I'm going to send it to him." But we ended up with the on the Jets together. So it's like I was going to like make it clear like yes like I don't like Miami. I don't like Miami.

[00:29:56]Um but at the end of the day, we're all people and we're all on one team. Um so that's why I get a lot of hate mail from Miami fans all the time. And it's like, "Listen, man. Like I don't like Miami. I don't like the colors green and orange. But I I have no hatred against you. Like you know, it's like I just don't like the colors." But we're all on one team at the end of the day.

[00:30:15]And that's what I that's kind of what I just wanted to say. But yeah, back to that '23 season is um yeah, LSU game coming out the gates in Orlando with my entire family there. I had about 30 40 people there.

[00:30:29]Um it was it was I mean it was such a such a great season on the field, man. But I I was living such a life off the field that I don't really respect looking back on it. Like I obviously you have to live and learn. But I was going out a lot. I was partying. I was drinking a lot. And I think it was more so dealing with my stress and I don't know. I just wasn't a person that was living like a child of God how I said I was after the games and um I talked at the FCA event this past this past What was it? This past month and kind of hit me hard that like I was on the field after games and like praise God like I'm so thankful like you know, and right after the game I would go to recess and it's like that's not a child of God. Like I can't I was living a life where money was number one and God was not number one. God was second and I was praising him, but I wasn't praising him off the field. And so um yeah, I mean 23 season was was was definitely the interesting. I mean it was great. Obviously winning is was amazing, but I think that we learned that life is bigger than football and I learned it really quick on obviously November 18th and my life changed and I'm here today and I've dealt with a lot of mental health issues um because of that day. But guess what? I'm here for a reason. I made it through the fire and I'm still going through the fire, but I know I got God protecting me every step of the way. So I'm going to be good. Um But yeah, that season was obviously winning. I love winning. You love winning. Everyone loves winning. The fans had a great time a great time and that's what it's all about for me. I wanted to win. I wanted to bring wins back to Florida State for that fan base.

[00:32:03]You know, it was deeper for deeper than that. Like I wanted to win for Coach Norvell, Miss Maria, Mila.

[00:32:09]Um Tocar's and his wife.

[00:32:12]Um Like I was playing for everybody else.

[00:32:16]It's I'm never I'm never going to put anything on me because I don't At the end of the day I don't need much. I don't need much. I just want the happiness. I want smiles. I want family.

[00:32:23]I want God. That's all That's what I want to talk about. I want to talk about the positive things in the world. Not politics and all the bad things that are going on. Um I want to live in the present. I want to be be So I did that all for everybody else. Like I obviously we love winning, but I'm at my dream school. I want to win for Florida State University and that's what I wish we could bring back to Florida State a little bit obviously win but NIL now we don't get much of that. We don't want to bring back wins for the university and for the for the names on the front of our jersey just as much as the names on the back of our jerseys and Florida State has gave so much to me and then so obviously um I'm still a big part of Florida State and talking with Norvell and recruits and >> [snorts] >> yeah man I'm just I was so grateful for that season that I learned a lot. I mean I would never trade change anything I don't have any regrets once again because the end of the day you learn you learn.

[00:33:12]I say you live and you learn and you don't lose so I'm just living and learning each each day and I learned each day there and just man I am today and I'm grateful for it.

[00:33:22]Uh coach Norvell on the pod last year and he said one of the most special moments he's had at Florida State was after the ACC championship in 2023 when he was able to hand the trophy to you. After after your injury that season and you know going through what I know you were going through behind the scenes.

[00:33:41]What was it like being able to experience that moment when your team was able to come through and you know bring bring home the ACC championship?

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[00:34:48]I was probably thinking probably on Percocets to be honest with you, bro. I was on a lot of medicine because I just got my surgery literally 2 days 3 days before that. So, I got I got like my full surgery 2 days before us. I had the rods and screws in my ankles. I was I took a lot They didn't want me on the field.

[00:35:06]>> [clears throat] >> Um but I'm like I'm going to be on the field. So, like I remember sitting behind the the box with with the plastic wrap on my leg just protecting it from the rain.

[00:35:14]But, [clears throat] yeah. Um it was a great feeling. I mean, it was everything I I've ever dreamed of, you know? Obviously, a national championship was what I dreamed of and I wasn't able to do that. So, I mean, I I forever I would always I'm always going to have that in the back of my mind like dang, I wasn't able to like do what I I always said I was going to do. So, hopefully I can do it in a different way one day. Um getting involved at Florida State one day. I don't know what what, but I want to bring back a national champion back to national championship back to Florida State in any capacity. So, I I want to be a part of that and I want to help it.

[00:35:48]Um so, I always promised I was going to do that and I didn't get to reach my promise, but I won an ACC championship and I'm not going to allow that to to dwindle away like we were able to win one and seeing where Florida State was at 4 years prior 3 years prior, I mean, the growth of men, the growth of Murray Smith, Derwin James, Washington, the guys like that was that's something that I look back on and I'm like, "Wow, that was like it's cool to see that I was able to impact someone else's life, you know? It's not so much about me. Once again, it's about Murray Smith that was able to transform into a man coming from Miami and living a tough tough childhood and being able to host I mean, a hold up a freaking ACC championship. Um and just watching them turn about the man that he became. Um I'm just so proud of those guys and who they're still becoming every single day. Fathers. Um So yeah, man. I mean, it was a dream come true. I don't say I can't sit here and act like I remembered all of it. I remember after the game and I tried to get up on the bus and I couldn't get up the bus. So, my parents ended up driving me all the way from and North Carolina to Tallahassee that overnight because obviously the whole we had the ACC whatever the what's it called? The playoff committee the next day. So, I drove all the way there for no damn reason. I could have stayed in North Carolina. So, I we rushed back overnight and I remember sitting there and yeah, we didn't get into the playoffs and we'll probably get into that topic a little bit, but yeah, it was definitely interesting for sure.

[00:37:15]Yeah, that's what definitely what I was going to go to go to next is I don't necessarily want to ask you how you felt during that moment, but looking back at looking back at things now that you had time to um kind of sit sit on that season and then just look back at your career. What are your thoughts on that process after after you guys did what you did on going 13 and 0 winning the ACC championship and not having the opportunity to go compete for a national championship.

[00:37:43]Um yeah, man, it sucks. I felt like I let the whole whole university down like in a way. You know, like you like you start looking at stuff like you always can find a way to blame yourself. You know, like it's like looking back now, it's like, "Hey, man, like you did every everything you can." Like we're not going to sit here and blame yourself and I think I still carry that burden a little bit of like saying I let everybody down, you know, but it's like it wasn't that like I can I go to I have that thought process sometimes and then I'm able to like kind of switch back like, "Hey, everything happens for a reason. Um Do I agree with what they did? I don't.

[00:38:15]I would never agree with what they did because it kind of takes the way takes the winning out of the game and the team out of football and um that's part that sucks the most is like the team. Like that team was so special and like we see that team is so special. We have guys playing in the XFL, um, the UFL, all these different the NFL. We have freaking defensive rookie of the years. We have Tatum Bethune taking over Fred Warner's job after he got hurt and you got Braden Fisk, I mean, a very close second, um, in defensive rookie of the year and it's like you have all these guys that are absolutely balling in the in in the NFL and we told them no because the quarterback, who was a fifth-round pick, I mean, yeah, he got hurt, but fifth-round pick that was a nobody a year before, um, got hurt. So, we're going to take you guys out and say you guys can't you guys can't get in.

[00:39:07]Um, I mean, I just I I think it's it was sad. It's a sad moment, but everything happens for a reason once again. Like who knows what would have happened. I don't know. I mean, maybe we would have won it all, maybe we wouldn't have.

[00:39:19]I would have liked the chance. I would have loved to go to whatever bowl game it was. That would have been a dream come true. I mean, finishing fifth is just kind of like a slap in the face. Um, I don't think we were one at all that year. Obviously, Georgia was a really good football team and we can sit here and talk about they beat us 63 to 3, which I see pretty often. You can say what you want, but >> [clears throat] >> 63 to 3 is I just like I don't know. I I I just don't We had no one playing.

[00:39:44]Our whole defense is not playing. Our receivers aren't playing.

[00:39:48]We have a a true freshman out there that's got thrown into the game a week before that didn't know he was starting week prior. He just got thrown into the game. He's supposed to be a backup quarterback and obviously, our our backup quarterback leaves and transfers and Brock Glenn gets thrown into the fire, which was makes me sick to my stomach that that was sad for me. Once again, I think that Georgia could have gotten should have gotten in that year. Do I I I think Georgia should have got should have gotten in that year. I think Florida State should have gotten in that year. I think Georgia was one of the top four teams in in in the world in the world in the in the US and I don't think there's a question about it. Obviously, they lost Alabama right before, but obviously, late losses, they hold against you a little bit more than early losses, and I don't agree with that.

[00:40:27]What they lose? Did they lose in the SEC championship to Alabama? Was that what it was, or I mean, you get punished for playing in in in championship games, and I don't agree with that. I do think Georgia was one of the best four teams in in um college football that year. But once again, everything happens for a reason.

[00:40:46]Um We had [snorts] a I had a great week in Miami, sure I did. I I enjoyed I'm like, we're at the Orange Bowl, man. Like, I'm not going to sit here and allow this to beat me up, you know? Like, we're living we're at the Orange Bowl. We could be playing at freaking the El Paso Tony the Tiger Bowl, but um so, I lived it up, and I had a great time rolling around in Miami with my my scooter.

[00:41:07]Um but yeah, man, everything happens for a reason, and we're here today for a reason.

[00:41:12]No, for sure. Not a thing, but I may be wrong. Georgia might have lost to him earlier in the year, and they didn't get into the SEC championship, so that's why they were out the game. Um SEC championship game. But yeah, you talked about being drafted by the Jets in in the fifth round, you know, ultimately, you know, due to the injury, you had to medically retire in 2025. Um how how difficult [clears throat] was it to navigate through that rehabilitation process and not not necessarily be able to just live out your dreams in the NFL as far as playing on the field?

[00:41:42]Yeah, um extremely tough. Um I was so close to my dream. I mean, I I I lived my dream. I heard my name called on draft day, and that's all I ever I'm like, I never thought that would happen, you know?

[00:41:52]Like, I thought I was like college was like the end. I'm like, obviously, early on in my career, I'm like, then I'm just going to play college football, and that's it. But I had my dream. I got called by the Jets.

[00:42:01]I'm a Dolphins fan, so I was kind of like, damn. Um but I went up there, man, and once again, I many people don't know, but my injury, like, they always like said, like, why couldn't you come back? Why couldn't you come back? My injury was a lot worse than a lot of other people's injury. I shattered my bone. They said it was like a motor vehicle accident rather than a regular clean break which a lot of guys do get.

[00:42:24]Um, I broke I fractured part of my joint.

[00:42:28]Obviously when your joint gets fractured it's it's very hard to come back from that. Tore my deltoid.

[00:42:33]Um, my doctor said he was like felt like he was putting back together a puzzle piece.

[00:42:38]So yeah, I mean the Jets took a chance on me and I'll be forever grateful for that. I do think some things could have went differently there. Obviously with rehab, but everything happens for a reason and I I I trust them more than I trust myself because I can sit here and say like I I think anybody would look back and say I I feel like I could have came back if I was something was different, but maybe not, you know? It's easy for me to say. Um, but I gave everything I had and I I learned a lot from Aaron Rodgers and Tyrod Taylor. I mean I I was I was in the same quarterback room as Aaron Rodgers and Tyrod Taylor and I I don't want that to like slip past my mind. Like that was a dream. I I mean I watched Aaron Rodgers since I was freaking two years old. Um, and now I'm sitting in the room with Aaron Rodgers. I'm like this is like a dream come true. It would be a dream come true for anybody in the world.

[00:43:24]Um, and I learned a lot from them.

[00:43:26]Um, and yeah, I just I'm I'm grateful man.

[00:43:30]I'm grateful for how everything happened. I'm grateful my girlfriend was able to be there for me through all of it and she's still with me through all of it and I'm just so grateful man.

[00:43:39]And uh, one shout out to you shout out to your girlfriend cuz bro, that's one thing a lot of athletes just a lot of people that experience success don't don't know.

[00:43:50]Um, while you're going through it you think people certain people are for you and then once they can no longer benefit off of you, they scatter like roaches. They gone.

[00:44:00]So you don't really know who people truly are until they can no longer benefit off of you. So salute to you for being a solid man. I got I'm looking forward to seeing >> off of you, so to leave the whole thing for being a solid man. I got I'm the kind of the black sheep in the family cuz I'm the one, you know, when I played, I was always so locked in I wouldn't be I wouldn't really speak on stuff. But then it was a point in my life I just learned how to use my voice.

[00:44:19]I was always quiet when I played, but I called people out on everything now.

[00:44:24]So they mad at me.

[00:44:25]>> [clears throat] >> They like, "Man, you you fake, man." But anyways, I want to get into that like having opportunity to play in the the NFL after, you know, being a underdog.

[00:44:37]I'm looking at this message right now from Coach Dillingham when he went when he left FSU.

[00:44:42]He's messaging me. We had him on the pod with me and Big Game on Inside the Reels. He's like, "Jordan is a special kid."

[00:44:50]Uh see, "Jordan is a special kid. Make sure that the fan base takes care of him."

[00:44:56]He's like, "Nobody believed in that kid.

[00:44:58]All he needed was a little love and support and he would be great. Just want to see him continue to shine." Yeah.

[00:45:05]Yeah, that's my guy. I mean, that was I could I don't give him enough credit obviously cuz he wasn't there for the What was it? The '22 '20 Was he there for the '22?

[00:45:16]Yeah, he was there for No, I don't know.

[00:45:17]I All my years start running together, man. I'm I'm lost.

[00:45:21]Um but yeah, Dillingham was like one of the biggest game changers in my that like kind of turn. Um he was someone that had my back there at all, man, that Notre Dame game like when they booed me out. Um Dillingham was there literally every day. Like he used to check on me 24/7.

[00:45:39]He would come by my apartment. He would Like Dillingham and I were like best friends. Like and we're still really good friends today. Like he was like my best friend. Like I don't know many times where like I He was a He's a big crier, so he used to like always whenever he told me he loved me, he would start crying.

[00:45:54]And I think he liked me for like just the person that I was because it's deeper than football always. Like these relationships that you grow with your coaches and your teammates like they're deeper than just what you do on a football field. Like, screw scoring touchdowns, man. Like, I don't Let's Let's have a relationship. So, when football's over, when life gets really hard, like, I'm there for you and you're there for me. Like, that's what That's what I want. Like, it's like That's what we We think football, we're like, "Oh, these are just like teammates." Like, no, these are brothers. Like, these are people that you'll have forever. Because I got to tell you like that that statement about my girlfriend, like, I don't have many friends anymore. Like, I used to have so many people that were like like like, "Damn, I got a big group of friends. Like, everyone loves me."

[00:46:27]Like, where are they now, you know? And I'm waking up every single day and I'm struggling mentally, but you haven't reached out to me and said like, "How you doing?" Or when it's my birthday, you don't reach out and say, "Happy birthday." But when it was my birthday back then, you wanted to be at my table and wanted to be at my my house and you wanted to be hanging out. You wanted to go to lunch all the time. You wanted to go to dinner all the time. You wanted to go hit Like, you know? And I was like, "Where are you now?" And it's like, I got I always said like, I got like three two three four friends that are like I can call my friends, you know?

[00:46:55]Outside of my teammates. Like, these are my teammates like I got Maurice Smith, Johnny Wilson, Gene Bell. I got all those guys that we're close. Like, those are my friends. Like, you know, but those are like my brothers. Like, I got like three friends I'm saying outside of football that four friends that outside of football that have been there through the thick and thin, you know? Like, they have been with me through the thick and thin of it.

[00:47:15]And I learned who my real friends are real quickly. And I was Everyone always said like, "You're going to learn who your friends are." And I have learned a lot. I've learned a lot and I don't I don't hold grudges against people and it's like I never call nobody out.

[00:47:30]But it's like I learned who who who who my friends are, you know? Like, I'm there for everybody else, but when I need someone to be there for me, like, who who can I call on, you know? And you don't have as many people as you had on before when you won a won a big Clemson game or or um won the ACC championship. Man, yeah, man. I I learned really quickly.

[00:47:50]So, I'm grateful for everything. Once again, I I'm so grateful that God has showed me who who's there [snorts] for me.

[00:47:57]Yeah, man, for sure.

[00:47:59]For sure. No, it's it's it's part of the it's part of the the the journey. I say time always reveals who was really living and who was faking it. You can't fake it forever.

[00:48:10]But it's it's a blessing. Like that's a quote that's a quote I see on Google sometimes. Like God's going to show you the hearts of everyone around you um before he elevates you so that you know who to take with you and who to leave behind. Like them tables up them tables always turn. And like I told you like this ain't being bitter or whatever the case may be. You're a winner. Like so they could be laughing right now. They could be all whatever. But he'll win. He may not It may be down right now but it's only a matter of time before he win big again.

[00:48:38]Believe that. But um for you during while you were playing success was defined by winning games, you know, winning championships. What is success How do you view it now?

[00:48:50]Man, that's [clears throat] a good question, bro.

[00:48:52]Um Success is Let me think about this. This is a good one.

[00:49:00]I would say I mean success means a a lot of different things to me now. Um success means changing people's lives.

[00:49:06]Success Success to my life means bring people closer to God, serving God in everything thing I do through the thick and thin even on days where I don't want to believe in God and the devil's trying to tempt me and there's temptations around me and I'm still pushing I have my head forward and I'm focused on on the end goal is which is going to heaven. I feel like success is just honoring God in every single thing I do.

[00:49:28]Um and being a great man and a great person to everybody around me through all the tough times. Um cuz I I've dealt with a lot of anxiety and depression and all these all these different thoughts, man. I've struggled really hard and um I've learned that success like is just waking up every single day and honoring God. It's not It's not about the big things. It's not making millions and millions of dollars. I tell God every single day I don't need millions and millions of dollars and maybe that's why God took it all away from me. I always said like God maybe I would I have it written on my on my mirror and it's like maybe God took it all away from you to show you who you really are without it and that's something that will stick with me forever and it's like football is gone now and I was so my identity was in football. It wasn't in Christ. It wasn't in serving God and everything I did. It was more in scoring touchdowns and maybe if I kept playing football that I would have never reached this level, you know? So until later on when you're 45 years old and that's a lot tougher than at 25. At least I got a lot of time to like develop and turn my life to God. Um so I always said that like maybe God took it all away from me to show me who I really am without it.

[00:50:36]And I was nobody without football for a while and now I'm starting to turn that point where it's like hey like I belong and God has me here for a reason and my purpose is greater than scoring touchdowns and now I'm going to sit here and inspire people and I want to be a light in people's lives. Like I want people to say like dang like when you're around him it makes you feel lighter and I've learned that from my my backup backup backup backup quarterback Gino English. We always make that joke like that's my guy like he's been someone that's like one of those real people that have changed his life and now he's changing my life and he always I always said like bro like you used to look up to me a lot and now like I look up to you. Like I look up to the man that you have become become from 2019 when he was sagging his pants and had hair that covered his eyes and lived in his parents lived in a two really really expensive house like a really just rich kid that was just trying to fit in and now who he's turned into like he looks like a completely He was just at my birthday this past week and drove down from Orlando for one day and everyone in my family is like I've never met anybody like that. Like he just makes you feel lighter. He makes you feel happy. Like you just being around him like you just don't you know those people that just make you feel like he doesn't talk crazy a lot. He just like sits there and you just feel safe with them and it's like I want to be like that. Like that inspires me. I want to be a people a person that like people like, oh, he just made me feel good about myself. You know, like not someone that tears you down.

[00:51:57]Um and I'm working on myself every single day, but it's not easy. You can't 25 years of life of always joking with your friends and like knocking on each other and tearing each other down and now I want to give you a compliment. It almost feels like uncomfortable, you know? So, it's like I want to just push past the point of um I have to Norvelle used to always say, be comfortable being uncomfortable.

[00:52:15]So, I got to get back to that. I got to start being comfortable where I'm at even though it might not always be comfortable.

[00:52:21]I got I got two more questions. They may be long they're deeper questions, but Yeah. You started your pod with your brother the Travis take two pod and I know your brother, you know, battled through injuries during his career, you know, ultimately had to retire and you know, no legend himself you know, how has he been able to you know, help you navigate through this this new journey for you?

[00:52:45]Yeah, um Devon has been there my entire life. Like he's been my best friend.

[00:52:48]He's 10 years older than me and he's been my best friend since I was literally like a baby. Like I everywhere Devon went I went. Like literally when he I was 5 years old and he was 15 16 when he was driving around. I went everywhere with Devon and like I used to get mad when I wouldn't wouldn't be able to go somewhere like going out to the club or something like that and um yeah, Devon has been such an inspiration to me like just the man he is, man. Like he cares so much about like the person and yeah, like that's that's that's one of the biggest things like the person that he is on a daily basis even now like he's managing three jobs as a freaking parent of two babies and he's trying to manage like being a husband and he's working all day day long and then he leaves on the weekend and I'm like, I don't know how he does it. He still like has a smile on his face sometimes. I'm like, I don't know how he does it and it's really inspiring to me cuz like I I'll complain about something that I have and I'm like, he goes from work from 6:00 a.m. till 7:00 p.m. 8:00 p.m. at night. Doesn't get to see his kids some night.

[00:53:47]Then has to leave on a Thursday and come back on a Sunday and then starts work again on Monday, you know? So, it's like he just just a great great person.

[00:53:56]And [clears throat] he showed me a lot about life and that hard times don't last. Tough times don't last last, but people do.

[00:54:05]And yeah, I've I've been very blessed in to have him in my life.

[00:54:13]And this this last the last question, man. I I was talking about this on social media a few weeks back. Um it's a different answer for every single one of us, but you know, now that you're no longer playing, what's something that you miss the most from the game?

[00:54:27]I miss [clears throat] the brotherhood.

[00:54:28]That's That's the main thing is the brotherhood and being around like-minded people um that are all striving for one goal.

[00:54:37]Um yeah, man. I I still one thing I miss a lot. I miss the the pressure because the pressure used to like I like I used to be so comfortable in the pressure. Now I'm not comfortable in the pressure because I'm not used to the pressure.

[00:54:49]I'm used to structure.

[00:54:51]Um and I have going from football and having a lot of structure and schedules to having no schedules is one of the toughest thing that people don't talk about enough and prepare you for enough.

[00:55:01]Um yeah, man. That's That's the main thing, but I'll say brotherhood is is top of top of the list.

[00:55:09]I'm going to get this. When I When we're talking about mental health earlier, this is what I was speaking to it. You know, for me I would say the biggest battle for me is missing the missing the violence of football because what I experienced in my childhood, the traumas and a lot of the things that I experienced early on, football was I was able to use that as kind of a bandage over some of those issues and I never had to internalize them. I would just go out on the on the field um to the point where I was so locked in on it to where people like, "Yo, bro, like this person disrespect you. Why you not saying nothing?" Like, well, I'm finna go on the field and I'm I'm not finna allow them to trick me out my position. Like, we finna go to the league. Um, but then once no once football was no longer in my life, it's like those same issues that I would be so locked in on my goals. Like, God still had a purpose for me. He still had a plan for my life, but with me being so locked in on football, I couldn't see it once it was no longer part of my life. So, those same obstacles that I would go through on whether it's people testing you, whatever, I would be like snapping.

[00:56:08]Like, "Yo, I'm not I felt like I didn't have a purpose anymore." Like, "I ain't got to chill no more." Um, so for me, I realized during that time multiple things.

[00:56:19]I wasn't the person that I you know that I thought I was cuz sometimes we'll play we'll downplay stuff. We'll be like, "I'm good. I'm good." Like, "Man, I'm failing all these tests. I'm not you know the the where God, [snorts] you know, needs me to be. I'm failing these tests miserably." And um or I would I would say pop quizzes cuz really the only reason that I'm I'm here today I was failing pop quizzes all the time. And the really the only reason I'm here today is because when those midterms came, those finals came, God was like, "Man, nah, he ain't ready for those. He's finna fail miserably." And I wasn't even trying to study for the test. Um, I was finna fail miserably.

[00:56:52]Um, but just looking looking at it, man, just realizing and being honest with myself, it's it's okay to get it's okay to get help. You talked about it going to therapy. Like, I'm in the first point of my life where I you know, I'm I'm looking actively seeking going to going to therapy cuz you know, things There was a point in my life, bro, like recently there's been situations recently where I thought I had kind of evolved in my life and I wasn't at that space anymore. But situations came up and I'm like, "Bro, I was ready for things to go all the way left." Like, crash out completely and thank God that they didn't, but that's just where my mindset was at because I didn't have football or anything to kind of um and to help me navigate through that.

[00:57:33]So, going through a to a therapist and allowing them to kind of walk me through this process and just finding things to to replace that with because I didn't really know what football meant to me early on in my life until it was no longer there. I didn't realize how much trouble it kept me out of and for a lot of athletes it's going to be the same for them like navigating through that space.

[00:57:53]Like there's the famous clip of Mike Tyson when he was talking about not being a boxer anymore and how it bothered him. Like he said he said I feel like a a b-word.

[00:58:03]Like not being able to walk down to that ring and you know, be a warrior and it's real. Absolutely.

[00:58:11]>> to to replace that and ultimately understand that you were created for more than this.

[00:58:17]This was ultimately give you the platform to walk into your your ultimate purpose. So, developing your skills behind the scenes. A lot of people a lot of people get pushed to the front before they're ready and they haven't developed the skills. They haven't really worked on themselves behind the scenes and they fall flat on their face. So, looking at everything in its totality, I thank God for not sending those midterms, not sending those finals before I was ready cuz I would have messed up everything that he's I'm putting on my path right now. So, that's one thing I would say that I'm I'm missing.

[00:58:50]There's this quote I'mma say to you as you navigate through your journey, man.

[00:58:56]We see it all the time. You know, one day you'll talk about what you overcame and it'll become someone else's survival guide. Yeah.

[00:59:02]>> Um God gave you that platform. Your your story, your journey. Somebody's watching you right now. Like some may even be rivals and they're just watching you.

[00:59:11]Like yo man, what this dude has overcome has helped me in my life and you may not realize you may not realize that and um like remember who God created you to be, man. Just as as a humans we're only human sometimes and it's easy to get down when you see when your family members um turning on you, you see people that were friends um quote-unquote um turning their backs on you. And I don't say turning their backs, I say they just take the mask off cuz they were never rich with you in the first place. But um and it it gets hard on you, but understanding that, man, heavy is the crown. All right. Yeah. That's just ultimately what it is. Um people turn their backs on Jesus um his people his followers. So, what is going to make us any different when we're being bold in our faith and walking in our path?

[00:59:56]Absolutely. And understanding that, you know, every day is about, you know, sharpening our tools and in every single aspect. And that's why I talked about the struggles with, you know, not having football in my life because where God is taking me, you talked about it. The ultimate win at this point is walking in everything that God has for us, you know, leading people to Christ and being able to, you know, walk in the kingdom with him later on. So, I got to be on point, you know, spiritually. I got to be on point with my mental health. I got to be on point physically.

[01:00:25]And because of some of the things that he allows you to go go through it's made you aware of some areas where you're weak. So, now you're self-aware enough to work on those issues versus, you know, some people unfortunately they're like, "Man, no, I'm good." So, I'm proud of you for just being self-aware enough to be like, "Man, no, I need help. I got to get better in these areas." Because I was just talking about that with somebody last week. I need to go to therapy. If not, I'm going to crash out about certain things. And um but hearing you say it, man, that's just that's just confirmation. And I know a lot of men think it makes them weak, but there's there's true strength in saying that I got an issue and I I I'm going to take the accountability and work through that issue. Um that's that's true manhood. So, I appreciate you even being open about that and on this platform for sure.

[01:01:11]I see, bro. Yeah, I mean, it wasn't wasn't always like my girlfriend pushed me once again for a long time. I've dealt with like severe anxiety, severe I mean, honestly severe depression at different points. Obviously, right now I'm I'm starting I'm on the come up of out of it. Um once again, when you think you're in the come up, sometimes it gets you get to where you have days where it's like, "Damn, what what's going on, man?" But she pushed me every single day and I was like, "I think you should see" Every time I got to have a breakdown, she's like, "I think you should see a therapist." And for so long I I pushed against it. I'm like, "I'm not seeing a therapist. I can get through it myself."

[01:01:41]And then you try all these like holistic things and I'm looking up things. I'm taking all this stuff and it's like trying to do meditation by myself and sometimes you just need someone to talk to that doesn't know everything about you. Like you can just sit here and just talk to and he generally does like his job is to make you better and to help you understand what you're feeling and I think that's like their strength in the asking for help, like you said, and I consistently I don't know what over the over the past few weeks I I've been asking myself a lot and I feel like God speaks through the way like sometimes people like I feel like God was speaking to me. Like I feel like God best speaks through you that through people that you either don't know at all or people that love you a lot and I feel like I was sitting I was sitting here talking with someone recently and I'm like, Why am I [clears throat] Gino English for this past week actually was my my sister's like first time in church in a little while and it took so much courage. She Gino is a person that says like he's a follower of God in every single way of his life and he told my sister he looked at her and said, "I think you need to go to church." The next next day my sister was still at my house. We're all getting ready and she was like, "Should I go to church?" She just said it out of out of nowhere and I just I heard her from the bathroom. I'm like, Like my I think my cousin, my girlfriend were in the other bathroom getting ready and she she like, "Yeah, come on." So she got ready and went to church and it just shows me that like God speaks through different people. Um and I keep asking why, why am I dealing with anxiety? And every single day I ask myself why and I I think I got my answer a few days ago when I don't know why it popped in my head or I spoke to someone about it and they're like, "Before I have this anxiety, none of my family members went to church. We went to church on Easter, on Christmas Eve, like like the holidays that you know some people there's some people out there that go to church like every like just like Christian holiday and I was sitting in church this past weekend and I looked over and I just saw like a whole row of like 10 of us and I'm like, what I went through like anxiety, maybe this all this stuff was to help bring my family closer to God. Like my entire family I looked down the row and it was like my brother, my nephew, my sister-in-law, my sister, my cousin, my mom, um my girlfriend we're all just sitting in church and every Sunday and it's like this is what God I think he did like for not just for me but for us, you know?

[01:03:51]And and steeper than just me it's like my my mom supported me and she went to church the first day. I'm like, can you go to church with me tomorrow? I remember one random Saturday and she went to church with me and then I don't know if she got the word that like it felt like it it hit her in the heart and she's at church every Sunday even when I don't go some Sundays and I watch on TV.

[01:04:08]Um but yeah like you might be wondering like why you're going through what you're going through whether it's it could be a loss in your family, could be depression, could be anxiety, could be a loss of a job, it could be your career ending in football, could be a lot of different things but you're going to learn soon that God's plan is greater than any plan that we can have for ourselves and happiness isn't just in the luxuries luxur- uh the luxury um and buying stuff and going on Amazon. I went on Amazon's free. I just go on Amazon and I'm like looking through stuff I could buy and I'm like it's it's not fun. Like I'm I just got a Cybertruck and I'm like I got the Cybertruck now and I'm like, why did I get a Cybertruck? Now I want to get rid of this damn thing. I'm like, I just want to be back in the simple life, man. Simple life again where you just wake up and just take a breath of fresh air and walk outside in the sun in sunny South Florida and and just enjoy enjoy enjoy the things that we have sitting around us.

[01:05:02]Yeah, no.

[01:05:03]Um you know, that's what what I'm you know, realized over the past you know, few years cuz I my faith like yourself I grew up my pops was a pastor, a preacher and um I I never really believed in the church stuff cuz I seen so many crooked people in the church. So I was like, bro, I see the streets and I see more evil in the church than I see in the streets. So it's hard for me to buy into it early on until I went through my on my own journey with with God. But the reality is, man, just understanding that God is the foundation and there's no peace like having God at the center of your life. And sometimes I think back to myself if everything would have went the way that I wanted it to exactly everything I mapped out, would I have ever built a relationship with with God? I guarantee I wouldn't have. So those low moments allowed me to, you know, kept me on my knees praying. And now that, you know, things are going going well for me, I'm still on my knees praying because I understand that regard regardless of if life is good, life is bad, if I got God, I won. Um so these situations while we look at them as problems as blessings we look at them in the long run is like, man, like when in the championship the ACC championship you guys held up.

[01:06:13]You see people crying and happy and stuff not because they reached their goal, but because they know the adversity they had to go through to to accomplish that goal. And it's the same same way in life. Like if we had everything easy, we wouldn't appreciate any of the blessings that we had in life. So I appreciate all of the like the day something's going to happen and I'm going to have to come overcome some adversity. And I'm like at this point God has allowed me to overcome so much.

[01:06:37]I don't doubt anything like I remember my documentary my pops said something he said, "Hurdles are known to try to trip you." All right, it's meant for you to get over it, but you got to remember that I just got over this hurdle 10 m ago. Sometimes we forget what God brought us through.

[01:06:52]So ultimately remembering that God has you, God has your back, God has you covered. And as you continue to walk in this journey, don't be surprised by anything that's coming your way cuz God has prepared you, he's built you for this road. Like like I say all the time when I I know I probably get annoying, but you're a winner, bro.

[01:07:10]Like you're a winner for sure. Like you're a winner, remember that. And don't ever dim your light to make other people feel comfortable. I know you I'm an introvert myself. Like I was a person when after games at Florida State, everybody in the front of the stadium signing autographs, I would sneak out the back.

[01:07:26]Cuz I like my social anxiety was so bad.

[01:07:29]And then it would get to the point where like if I scored a touchdown in a game, like some of the fans would find out I was sneaking out the back and meet me in the back. I was like, "Bro."

[01:07:37]Yeah, like but understand that you God has built you for everything that you're going to deal with and he's trusted you. He's trusted you with with this platform. He's trusted you with this calling. He's trusted you with this gift. And understand heavy is the crown. So, you're going to have to go through some stuff.

[01:07:52]Yeah. But you're going to overcome every single bit of it, bro. So, I'm continuing to pray for you, man. And I'm looking forward to continue to watch as God blossoms everything for you.

[01:08:01]Okay, bro. I appreciate you. Proverbs 16:9 says, we can make our plans, but the Lord determines our steps.

[01:08:08]That's kind of what I'm living by every single day, bro.

[01:08:11]I appreciate you, bro. Thank you for having me on, bro. Yes, sir. Much love.

[01:08:15]Much love, bro.