Jim Everett On NIL, NFL Culture Changes & Maybe THAT Incident

[00:00:00]All right, this is episode 26 of the Hudy Chronicles podcast. I'm speaking with Jim Everett. We talked some NIL, some NFL culture back then versus NFL culture now, and did Jim touch on the infamous gym room incident from back in the day?

[00:00:11]I don't know, maybe. You have to tune in to find out.

[00:00:17]All right, Jim Everett, what's going on, man?

[00:00:20]>> Hey, Josh. Good to be with you, man.

[00:00:22]It's uh We're just talking about uh how hot it may be right now. Shoot.

[00:00:27]>> Yeah, it's always something. Always.

[00:00:29]>> It is something.

[00:00:31]>> So, what I usually like to do is I usually like to start and you know, go through your journey and stuff like that, but I figure we would do things maybe unorthodox and we would just bounce all over the place, but I first wanted to start with something that you put out on X or Twitter, you know, whatever you want to call it. You put a post out. I don't want to talk to you about the NIL as far as college football goes, when you said NIL is reshaping the NFL draft. More underclassmen are staying in college chasing max NIL cash instead of declaring early. These choices have thinned out talent in the later rounds. And we'll see shallower day three day three pools at first, but could be more polished and mature rookies down the line. So, just tell me your thoughts on that and talk to me a little about NIL and you know, maybe if it was around back when you played, how the landscape of the NFL would be changed, but just your thoughts on that.

[00:01:12]>> Man, Josh, this is You just You just unpacked like a full suitcase on me right here.

[00:01:18]>> I know.

[00:01:18]>> Uh NIL, uh name, image, and like likeness for all the followers that that that that realize that, you know, here's here's college kids that can get paid a Back in the day, you know, we couldn't get paid. We couldn't have jobs. We couldn't do I mean, everything was all undercover.

[00:01:37]And if you received something, it was always like on the hush or whatever it might be. And we knew guys that were getting stuff and some guys were I mean, we'd go to bowl games and get a jacket and a ring. You know, that was our our deal. And now our kids are growing up and we see them, you know, first of all, have stipends. They have all this stuff.

[00:01:56]It's a whole different different uh way of life right now.

[00:02:01]I actually like it. I embrace it. I think that I think college kids should have a chance to take advantage of their name image name image and and likeness and be able to promote items. I think that uh you know, we were at a time when we I felt like we were going to taking advantage of and now at least they have an opportunity to be fair and I think the NCAA is is is uh you know, addressing that. And so I I actually think it's good. Now out to that post you talked about about the talent in the NFL and the NIL. Let's first look at quarterbacks.

[00:02:37]If you're a first round quarterback coming out, you can look at you know, 5 plus million dollars a year uh in a contract. If you're a second rounder or below, it goes down south from there.

[00:02:51]But if you're one of the top 10 quarterbacks in the NCAA you know, what is what is Manny making this year? Going to be close to 4 million something like that. Um so it may make sense for that third or fourth year guy rather cuz they have 5 years to play now. If if you're if you're not first round talent like Ty Simpson Fernando was this year, it may make sense to go ahead and polish your game up so you can be a first round next year uh so you can capitalize and go back and get that 3 million or whatever it be rather than being on a NFL roster making under two.

[00:03:31]So that's the whole point of I think the the the the nexus of this comment was there will be talent that said, "Hey, I don't need to go to the NFL to chase sixth round money when I can make that at Alabama and you know, make fourth round money."

[00:03:49]And so if that's really going to the NFL's going to have to look at and the union's going to have to look at those discrepancies could change and those guys could be getting paid more more than the rookie salary cap and that's going to have to be addressed and I and I see that that train coming and that's that's kind of where I was going with that tweet one of many that NIL's going to put pressure. It's almost like another league putting pressure on the top league.

[00:04:17]>> I did appreciate the different aspect that you brought to that because a lot of people don't think of it that way.

[00:04:21]They think of well, yes, the players chasing the money but at the same time if they are chasing the money, they could be polished more when it comes time for the NFL draft. But for me NIL always worried about the conflict of interest like your quarterback maybe making you know 2 million your center be maybe making like 2,000. So I was just wondering when we may see a bit of a conflict of interest but if you're an athlete, you want to take care of your teammates, you're there to win. It's a team. So I would hope we would never see that but there was a lot of different aspects that I worry about when it comes to NIL but you know, I appreciate it.

[00:04:53]>> Josh, if your center is only making 2,000, your ass is in trouble. I'm telling you. No, there there's not a center there's a center in the big in the in the big leagues that you know, in the big 10 that's making 2,000. So I mean they they may be a division three.

[00:05:07]I have no idea what how far the NIL runs but yeah, you you want your center to be your stud and and most those guys have some sort of six-figure digit going at some some level but it's you know, it gets back into this point where we look at you know, is this really amateur athletics? I think that's what some of the some of the old-timers will look at but at the other part is we operated when we were in that structure more as as we we were captured. We didn't have an we didn't have an option to do anything and we had to let we we to um we couldn't make money and so I mean I think there's a fine line and does the pendulum swing a little bit more towards athlete? Yeah. Do I like that? Heck yeah. So I mean I think it's I like this situation for him. I think there's going to have to be more rules in the wild, wild west of NIL and I think they're coming but they also the hard part is, Josh, is with at least with the NFL there's a collective bargaining agreement and when you have a collective bargaining agreement you can you have a spokesperson that can negotiate for you.

[00:06:20]Right now there's really no one that can negotiate for the athletes of the NCAA because there's not a union because they're not employed. So that comes to the point.

[00:06:30]Are NCAA athletes employable? If they are then they have rights for union rights and then at that point then they could have union representation and then but that gets into the whole dynamics of amateur athletics. So that's kind of where we're at on the on the curve between calling it an independent contractor to employment to an athlete.

[00:06:53]So there's all these different levels.

[00:06:54]Then you call them student athletes then of course you don't have to pay.

[00:06:58]>> So like I said, we're going to bounce all over the place so I wanted to get to your time in the NFL now and you know, during your time in the league the league was in good hands obviously with Joe Montana, Troy Aikman, Jim Kelly and and then you have the era of your Aaron Rodgers and your Tom Brady, Peyton Manning, Drew Brees. So is the league in good hands today and obviously if you think it is, which quarterbacks kind of stand out for you when you can say that the league is in, you know, good hands for the next 10 years?

[00:07:23]>> Man, I love this league. I I love the way it's set up. I love the fact that they're protecting the quarterback. I mean, Josh, I'm sitting here with six new body parts and joints. And so I I don't you know, they were trying to they were trying to wipe us out. At least I know they may have gone a little bit too far on on part too but I think you got to you know, you're paying a guy now, what's Mahomes going to make? 65 million a year? I think he just signed an extension. Patrick Mahomes would be a guy that would be in good hands. I think, uh, you know, some of the the young guys, Williams, uh, up in Chicago, some of the throws he's making, unbelievable. I think, uh, I love the game. I love the the game as far as the offense. I love the Los Angeles Rams offense, what they're trying to do, what they're what they're what Matthew Stafford's doing. Um, I don't think he's going to be around the next 10 years, but, um, uh, I I think Ty Simpson running that system makes a lot of sense, um, because it's so cerebral. Um, Fernando, I like him. I I think this the game's in good hands. I Bo Nix surprised me. I think that, uh, um, that was, you know, you look at Daniels in Washington, he had a good rookie year, kind of you know, how's he going to hold up, uh, but he didn't have all the players around him. So, I think it's an I still like Penix in Atlanta. I know he's been kind of hurt, but, uh, man, he throws one of the one of the most beautiful balls, and he might not even be the starter down there this year at the start. So, you know, this this game is good. The game is always, uh, changing, um, but I like the fact that they're airing it out. I like the fact that the guys are throwing it, and and they're a little bit more mobile than than even during our era, um, of the Joe Montanas and Jim Kellys, and even though we were athletic, we kind of had to be built to hold up because we were getting jacked.

[00:09:12]And so, the Vinny Testaverdes and myself had to had to you better have some, uh, tendon strength because you were going to get knocked on your ass pretty good.

[00:09:21]>> Sorry, I got my Falcons hat on. I know you didn't play for the Falcons, but I've been a lifelong Falcons for 40 years now, and there's there's no, you know, going back now. You might as well >> Hey, Josh, I want you to know I wanted to play for the Falcons. You know, they had that second pick before, and they and they took Tony Casillas before, and then I got picked the So, the fact that the Atlanta Falcons did pass me up, I was motivated to play well against them.

[00:09:45]>> Right. So, today if a young QB comes to you for advice today, what advice do you give them about today's NFL?

[00:09:55]>> Well, it all it all depends where you're going, you know, I mean the first of all is, you know, work ethic. I mean, I think at first of all there's a lot of guys with talent. But who's going to put in the extra effort and put put put in the work when the cameras aren't on you?

[00:10:11]You know, when it when no one's on the sideline watching, who's doing who's doing the the strength training, the arm strength training, the the the mental work to to know because this game is so if you look at the Aaron Rodgers, you mentioned him earlier.

[00:10:27]The stuff he can pick up on the fly. If I can if I can have a 25-year-old, 26-year-old, 27-year-old um Josh Allen type pick velos things up earlier in his career and it'll extend his career. Tom Brady was probably one of the best guys of of being able to decipher what the defense is again against him. And that didn't happen just because he's just like a smart guy. He worked on it and he he had you look for tendencies. So, first of all is your work ethic and it's not just that day, it's every day. And so, you have to be tenacity. So, those are those are the things I would every you have to be a little bit lucky too to be hopefully on a team that has a has an ability for competition. You got to realize there are 32 teams. There's only going to be one that wins it all. The other 31 are frustrated. And so, you're in your they're in different cycles like Atlanta's been in this cycle besides the you know, the Tom Brady Super Bowl the 28-3 but besides that one the you know, you go through these cycles where your team's not very good and you're the quarterback for that team. And those are the those are the gut tests at that point cuz they're looking for change, they're looking for are you part of the answer or are you part of the problem? And you know, do the best you can to be part of the answer.

[00:11:43]>> So, whenever you're talking playing, do you have, you know, enough time has passed obviously now. So, do you have any locker room stories that you would like people to know since obviously enough time has passed that you may be able to tell me about those?

[00:11:53]>> [laughter] >> Locker room stories? Oh, man. I mean, that's that's a pretty broad a broad brush right there as far as you know, who's doing what, where, when.

[00:12:04]Um you know, I I think Philadelphia on intentionally had um cheerleaders right next to the visitor locker room and there was a there was a gap about a half inch wide and and and I I see guys I'm like, "What's what's going on over there?" And they're they're changing over in the other room.

[00:12:28]I think that was that was a distraction.

[00:12:29]Those Eagles wanted to distract you. So, I mean, there was there was there was stuff that that went on back in the day.

[00:12:35]I mean, I think with the locker rooms and the stadiums they have now, that wouldn't be an issue. I remember I remember coming into Cleveland's old stadium and we didn't have enough room in our in our underneath because like you're in this room and it's like you're underneath the stairs and you don't even have room to put your whole team mate in. So, the coach has to walk in this room and say it and walk in that room to say it to the offense and defense. Um so, we played at a time when things were a little different than than what they have going on right now. Um our AstroTurf actually hurt and it it was it was hard and we had mounds and they don't have that.

[00:13:14]Fields are flat now.

[00:13:15]Uh but back in the day, the the top of the middle of the field used to be higher than the sidelines because they needed water to run off that turf and now it just goes through. So, you know, when you show up to stadium, sometimes you'd have to throw the ball 2 ft lower or lower when you're throwing it to the outside if you're not on a flat field.

[00:13:34]But, Josh, there's there's uh so many different things that have changed in this game since since we've gone, but there's probably a lot of things that are still the same. I mean, the the the competition, the love of the game, everyone who makes it as a pro probably wanted to be a pro and was a dream when they were a kid. And now they get an opportunity to do it. Um No, do they have two-a-days uh like we did where they pounded each other and pounded your teammate. No, we don't have that anymore. Um I think they're smart. Um they knew that the the so many contact head hits to the head is uh is not a good thing. And even for offensive lineman who don't take the big hits that you see running backs and receivers, um I would say one of the best rules changes from back then to now is on the receiver, the defenseless receiver. Um at that point, Ronnie Lott would run by me.

[00:14:28]>> [laughter] >> He'd say, "Just don't do it today. Don't do it today." And I knew exactly what he meant. Because if you threw that ball in the middle and it was any bit chest high or this and that, Ronnie Lott would absolutely destroy your receiver. And, you know, look or not and and that was that was the name of our game. Um and so I would try to throw balls away down so if so my receiver could dive into the ground to catch it cuz I knew he was going to get drilled. And they appreciated that. So, I think you had a different mindset that you tried to take care of each other in different ways. Where today is is a little bit more like see it throw it.

[00:15:05]>> So, if Commissioner Goodell came to you today and some of the other owners and wanted you to give them two things. One that you could keep the same with today's NFL and something that you would change about today's NFL. What are some things that you would like to see?

[00:15:17]>> Wow.

[00:15:20]From from from the past, um man, I would uh one thing I'd like to change. I'd I'd like to be able to see like I think you know what I see right now when when they're just barely touching the quarterback and they're calling chintzy flat fouls like that, I'd like to see that change. That's that's not I mean I get you don't want to hit guys below the knee, you don't want to hit get get hit get guys guys hit in the head, but if it's an unintentional hit or if it's on that that again, it's it's small small things, but the just the the automatic pass interference on a third and 20 it's just seems seems to change the game to the offensive side and it's changes way too many games.

[00:16:06]Um so I'd like to see that part change where it could somehow tone down the the the the hits on the quarterback that causes the automatic first down, especially if it's uh super long. Um things I would like to keep the same.

[00:16:22]Man, um I'd like to see the biggest change I would probably say and I don't know if it's same or different, but I'd like to see all in the all the NFL on grass.

[00:16:33]They do it and they do it with American uh or with uh World Soccer Cup and I don't see why we can't play every game on grass and I know even back in the day when we were players, we would we would would take these surveys and they would ask us what we'd want and we'd go, "We want to play on grass." You know, it's more natural, it's more forgiving and and yeah, you can you still get hurt on grass? Heck yes, even that slippery grass they have over in Arizona, especially in the winter, but I don't know, there's something about the game should be played on grass and and if if World Soccer can do it, I don't see why a multi-billion dollar corporation like the NFL can't make sure every one of their games on grass.

[00:17:16]>> So in 1988, 1989, you obviously you led the NFL in passing TDs, but you know, and I know statistically that put you at the top of the NFL, but if was there another season maybe that you thought was also great that wasn't necessarily great statistically, but you know, kind of is up there for you?

[00:17:33]>> Yeah, I would probably say my first 2 years with New Orleans were were pretty special. Those were those were for me for me cuz I was coming >> [laughter] >> you know, you you look at I was coming from a team a Rams team that was kind of going down the the backside of I mean I I think they were the worst team of the '90s anyways.

[00:17:55]Uh statistically and win-wise and and everything, but I was on I was on a bad team and I ended up going to New Orleans who was a much more improved team especially on the offensive line. So, I got to really kind of rekindle my love for the game. I got a little dis when I when I say that advice earlier about the the young guys it's tough to sometimes to when you're running 16 games as a professional when you're not on a good team. You can probably ask Troy Aikman who's in the Hall of Fame about his 1 and 15 first year. That's just that's just tough for any competitor especially when you think you're at the top of your game.

[00:18:36]So, uh when I was with the Rams and we were we were coming down on the backside of stuff and you're the starting quarterback you get you get a little bit almost it's a tough job. It's a tough job. Uh but then to go to New Orleans and play with some guys that are that are really good. Quinn Early in matter of fact my my son is named Quinn. That's how much I think of Quinn Early. So, uh and this experience I had in New Orleans was just so special and and and I don't talk about that enough, but I would say '94 and '95 to me uh just because it would just kind of rekindle the the love of the game for me and and that and the passion and those things are hard to measure. You don't measure those in touchdowns or something, but you do measure those in heart.

[00:19:20]>> So what would 22 or 23 year old Jim Everett go back and tell himself?

[00:19:24]>> Uh, probably just just keep studying the game. Keep studying the game because I think sometimes when you're 23, 24, you think you just got it. You feel like you're Superman. You're you're you're getting all these accolades. I'd say just just just stay humble and and just keep working.

[00:19:45]You know, you look at it and I I I know and I know Tom Brady quite well, but that's what I saw in him is he, you know, he he was on a good franchise. He had a good coach and they surrounded with good people, but he also stayed in work mode and that's what I would tell any young quarterbacks and that's what I would tell myself is stay in that work mode, stay hungry and and keep learning because even even if you think you're on top, there's something new coming right around the corner. I Kobe Bryant always said it best.

[00:20:17]Is Kobe would have a move and then the whole the whole NBA would figure out what that move is. And so then he would have to put a move upon a move.

[00:20:27]And he kept doing that for 20 years.

[00:20:30]And so that's what I would advise anybody, even if you're in business, is work on not only your your your move, your quality move, but the counter to it and then the counter to the counter and at that point you're starting to be a pros pro.

[00:20:44]>> Minus field conditions obviously back in those days, where was one of your favorite places to play?

[00:20:49]>> What was the first part of that question? I'm sorry.

[00:20:51]>> Minus, you know, maybe field conditions.

[00:20:53]Might, you know, it could have been the culture, just the general atmosphere of the place, but the field conditions may have been terrible, but you just really enjoyed playing there.

[00:21:00]>> I loved playing in New York. I did. I mean it was it was a place where you knew you were going to get the best and we had to play against Lawrence Taylor, and Phil Simms was there, and they they always had a and Belichick was the coordinator. Um you always knew you were going to get one of the best. I I actually like playing in San Francisco as well because of the same thing.

[00:21:20]There's something about when you're playing the best that that you you have to rise up, and uh I like that part. Um not like, you know, I mean you still want to play good against the Atlantas of the world and stuff like that. Not to not to rip on you, Josh, but you >> [laughter] >> You kind of but there's something about know- knowing you're going to get going against one of these franchises that's going to be, you know, a possible world champion every year, and you just you just you just up your game, and that's just what you do.

[00:21:48]>> So, I got a couple more for you real quick, and I'll get you out of here. I want to talk to you about, you know, you mentioned '94, '95. I wanted to talk to you about the ball card, the junk wax era. How many ball cards have you been sent from that era to have signed, and just how many ball cards have you seen from that era that maybe people wanted you to sign when they everything was so mass-produced?

[00:22:06]>> Oh, yeah. I mean I I've got I've got a garage full of cards. It was It was funny because I know my rookie year in '86 it was a lot different than, you know, the mass production of cards they did in the '90s. And so, you know, they were they were just printing money at that point, and you know, and now they're not worth as much at all, but I I I've signed a ton of stuff, Josh, and then I can't believe um all the different fans from around this world, and I've got to meet from all all sorts of different types of people that that that are card collectors that I've gone to card collecting shows, and just a unique group of people.

[00:22:46]Um >> Definitely unique.

[00:22:48]>> Yeah, but it's a it's a it's a cool bonding thing, and then then have your own card. Um You know, it's I want to be real about it. It's it I never really thought about it, but when I was growing up I used to play with with Terry Bradshaw's card, Roger Staubach, and we used to have these games where we would flip a dime on them and do all these different things.

[00:23:08]And I have my own card. I think that's kind of cool.

[00:23:11]>> It really is.

[00:23:12]>> Yeah.

[00:23:12]>> And my last question I'd like to wrap up every interview with is what is one thing that you want people to know about you that they may not?

[00:23:19]>> Mhm.

[00:23:21]What what's one thing that I would want someone to know about? Well, there's a there's a couple different things because I think you you get known for your persona on the field, maybe a little bit off since I since I enjoy throwing reporters.

[00:23:35]But besides that part, I I enjoy I enjoy >> that, but I know you refrained from maybe, you know, drawing back on one one of them back in the day.

[00:23:43]>> I don't play tennis too much, but I do play pickleball. But uh I I think that one of the things that I do like finance a lot. And so, um I was a financial advisor, most people don't know that for 15 years. Uh I had my own practice. Uh I really enjoyed the strategy that came with that. Um it reminded me a lot of uh some of the stuff we did with football, but a little bit on a longer term. And the other part is I do like being in the kitchen and I do have some some chef abilities that uh that I like to break out. And so, uh you know, I I I I guess uh you know, I'm not teaching home ec or anything like that, but I enjoy I enjoy my chance, you know, when I was raising my kids to treat them to a good meal and and still do.

[00:24:29]>> Well, Jim, thank you so much. I'm glad we could do this today. And like I said, talking to Ray, your agent, you know, made this made this whole thing painless, and we've talked a good bit and kind of became friends a little bit, so I really appreciate it.

[00:24:39]>> I appreciate Josh. I know he said he spoke highly of you and he really liked you, and you guys hit it off, so man, I um appreciate you reaching out, and reach out when you need anything else, so appreciate it.

[00:24:50]>> Will do. Thank you so much.