Interviews: Saints legends Jonathan Vilma and Deuce McAllister

New Orleans Saints Linebacker Jonathan Vilma
Legends Video Call with New Orleans Media
Tuesday, June 30, 2020

Can you talk about how your new deal as a FOX analyist came to fruition?
“It started at Super Bowl time down here in Miami (in February). I met with Brad (Zager), (and) some of their other higher administration guys and we were just talking briefly about calling games. I told them that I had called games before (college and 2019 Saints preseason). I also told them that I really enjoyed my time at ESPN. I told them that my time at ESPN never felt like work. They told me they’d reach out in March and then of course COVID-19 happened so that got pushed back a little bit. They actually had me do the interview via Zoom which was interesting. I had to call a whole (NFL) game via Zoom. Fortunately, I’ve had previous experience calling games. They really liked my interview and at that point I was really torn between staying at ESPN or going to FOX. I think FOX sold me on the idea of being able to just talk ball for three hours. They know I am a student of the game, I like watching film, I enjoy breaking down the X’s and O’s of the game. They said if (I) really like that and that’s what you enjoy then why don’t you come over here and do it for three hours a day (on gameday) as opposed to 10 minutes at a halftime of ESPN or for maybe 20 to 30 minutes on one of the debate shows (like) Get Up or First Take. I thought about it, spoke with my family and it felt like the right decision. I enjoy challenges, this is another challenge and they welcomed me with open arms so that’s how FOX came about.”

What was the process like calling a game on Zoom? Was it like a weird situation for you just trying to feel comfortable doing that?
“It was definitely different because you don’t get the energy from your partner. You will know when your partner wants to say something or your partner wants to interject or if your partner is just mum on something and you can kind of keep going. Kevin Burkhardt was my partner for the interview and that was probably the hardest part. I wasn’t able to get the vibe or get any energy off of him, read his body language. Fortunately, Kevin, he’s awesome. You guys have heard him before, he’s awesome at calling games so he made it very easy for me. That was probably the biggest difference. I look forward to actually doing it live with somebody and actually being able to interact in person when it’s time to call games.”

Are you able to tell us which game it was you were calling?
“That’s a good question, I don’t know if I’m allowed to tell. Let’s hold off on that one. I do not know if I’m allowed to tell on that one.”

Was it something where you had some advanced knowledge of what game it was going to be?
“No. That was the other interesting part. They did not tell me until the day before what game it was going to be. I had, let’s call it 24 hours to watch the film, make sure I know the players, get the injury report of that time. The thing I did not do was watch that game. I watched the previous film from both opponents prior to that. As I said, I’m a student of the game so that’s really all I needed. I just needed time to watch a few games of the teams, of their previous opponents, understand their schemes and then go from there.”

Is there a broadcast analyst in the industry that you’ve idolized and taken advice from through the years?
“That is a good one. I really watched Kirk Herbstreit. I watched him from my playing days at UM and he used to come down for gameday when (the University of) Miami actually had a legitimate (championship-contending) team. It was always fun talking with him back then because you can tell he’s passionate about college football, he’s passionate about the sport and a true fan of the game and the players. So I watched his career and then as he’s evolved from not just gameday, but to calling games for the Saturday Night games. I was in studio for those Saturday Night games and I always made it a point to watch him. More about his delivery, more about his tempo, the way he’s able to explain things very clearly, very smooth in his delivery and his approach and then for the short time he’s on camera for a halftime or pregame, I like to watch his body language as well. I think Kirk has done a tremendous job. I think he’s really grown into that role as he’s gotten older. I think he’s gotten better. You can tell he’s still wanting to learn the game and understand kind of this new age offense, new age defense in college sports. I’ve watched him a lot. I really like him in his job.”

What was it like stepping into the booth for the first time where you have to be on the ball and analyzing things that are happening in real time?
“It honestly was like (back when) I was sitting with my linebacker buddies and we were watching film on a Tuesday getting ready for a Wednesday practice or on Wednesday getting ready for a Thursday practice. That’s what it felt like. You are up there, see what is going on and I would, when we were watching film, if it is with the linebackers, alright guys we are going to looking at X, Y and Z. Did you see that running back? Did you see his footwork? Do you see his steps? Did you see that O-lineman pull and the receivers and the catchers? Watching the game now is pretty easy now where I feel like I’m just talking to my linebackers. When I first called a game it was, this is what I’m seeing and based off of what I’m seeing this is probably what’s going to happen and this is what the OC (offensive coordinator) is looking at. You start looking at the matchups and the players. I would always talk about respecting the “phenoms”. You can’t disrespect the “phenom” players. The first game I called, who was it, it was a smaller game, but there was a linebacker there who was really, really good. He got drafted in the second round. I was talking about, just to give you an example, live on air, they needed to account for him because he’s a really, really good player. You can’t just disrespect him and not think he’s going to make all the tackles in the game. I just take that approach when I’m calling a game, I look for the really good players. I like to focus on the good of the players and talk about the tremendous athletes that they are and then talk about the scheme and go.”

Did it take a quarter, did it take a half, did it take multiple games to kind of learn the dynamic between you and the play-by-play of letting the play breathe a little bit, when to talk, when to not talk, when to let them go for a little bit, how long of an adjustment period was that?
“That was not as much of an adjustment as you think because I asked all those questions that you just said Caroline (Gonzalez), I asked ahead of time. I was told in-between plays is my real estate, during the play that’s their (play-by-play) real estate. For home games, when there’s a crowd and they’re really cheering, let that breath for a little bit. Really, really good plays, the crowd is cheering, let that breathe, touchdown, stuff like that. That was kind of easy. I always say, it’s their show. I’m just there along for the ride. I just talk ball so if they have something to say, they want to keep going, be my guest, we’re here for three hours. I don’t have to always feel the need to speak and talk about every little thing that happens. Sometimes you just let it go.”

Has being an in-game, in-booth analyst always been something you wanted to do or when did this kind of start for you?
“To answer the first part, no it wasn’t something I always wanted to do. Not in a bad way, I had just never thought about it. When it came about was, my first game I called was the UM (Miami) versus UNC (North Carolina) college game. It was a Thursday Night game and I remember I watched all the film and all that stuff then I was calling the game and before I knew it it was halftime. I was like damn, it only felt like ten minutes, that was kind of fun, I like it. Then the game ends and after the game I’m sitting there and my agent asked me and my bosses back at ESPN had asked me how I liked it and I sat and really thought about it and that was really a lot of fun. It was really enjoyable and it was because I got to finally speak at length about all the stuff that I see on film and then you see it come to fruition in the game and then be able to explain it. Like I said, it’s like talking to my buddies, like I’m talking to my buddy linebackers for three hours about the game. I like that. I like that a lot. That’s probably the first time where I really sat there and said if there is an opportunity down the road for calling games, I would definitely entertain it.”

As a linebacker, as a student of the game, when you watch Demario Davis, what are some of the things that stand out to you?
“Well, first Demario’s size. He’s a big boy, he’s about 6-3, about 240 (pounds), probably carries himself around 250 then comes down to 240 when he plays. His size and speed, especially in this era of football where it is like smaller players and speed, he stands out with his size and his range, ability to cover ground, very, very smart player. I don’t think he gets enough credit for being as smart as he is as a player and frankly I wish and hope that Dennis Allen and Sean (Payton) give him a little more rope to really have reign over that defense and start to check in and out of defenses, especially when he sees stuff. When I watch him I can tell, instinctually, he knows what’s happening and sometimes he’s allowed to check out and sometimes he’s not, but his ability, his size and speed and his smarts for the game they really stand out. You can tell he’s a very smart player.”

I know it hasn’t been that long, but how much different is the game today from when you played? You mentioned the differences in the eras and it seems like it’s evolving pretty quickly?
“It really is. When I first got into the league back in ‘04, you still had fullbacks. You had the blocking tight end, teams thought nothing of it to go with two tight ends, (one) fullback and one running back in the game and then try to beat your head in in the running game. My knock getting drafted was I was too small. That was kind of the era I got drafted in and then I slowly started to see one, the bigger, brawly linebackers getting phased out. You started to see smaller, rangier linebackers and it was because on the flip side you had the running backs now that were smaller, quicker, shifty running backs. Once it started to evolve, I don’t think it’s changed much except that there’s a premium on speed. Before, there wasn’t as much of a premium on speed except for a few teams and I think now all the team’s OCs and even on the defensive side, they value speed so much that they’re willing to take smaller guys, take a safety, shift him down to linebacker just so that they can have speed at that position.”

Has there been any adjustment on how you present things because obviously the role of a color analyst’s to articulate the game in a way that fans can understand, but obviously your top terminology’s so much different than what maybe the regular fan can understand. So has there been any adjustment of holding yourself back a little bit and then explaining things the way the fans can understand?
“Yes, there’s a big adjustment because I have to remember at the end of the day, no matter how much I know and try to show everybody how much I know about the game, the fans do not care. That is just the truth. The fans want to know what is going on in the game, (have it) explain(ed) it to them as simply as possible and then let them enjoy the game. They don’t want to hear me break down every single play and the little nuances. They don’t care, they’re fans, right? I equate it when I watch a basketball game, I don’t want to watch a basketball game and then somebody tells me all the little things that are going on. Like if a guy scores 40, he scores 40. He’s a pretty good player to me, I don’t care what you say. So I try to make sure that I don’t bog down the fans with too much of the technical stuff, keep it entertaining, keep it fun, let them enjoy the game.”

Where do you think this 2020 Saints team ranks talent wise to some of the great Saints teams in the past you were on?
“They’re up there. If you go position by position, I’ have our 2011 team up there. I think our 2011 team was offensively and defensively tops. I think the Saints team that went to the NFC championship they were pretty talented. I think they were a little light on the d-line, but still really, really good. When I say d-line, really the defensive tackle position. But really, really good man, the running backs, offensively I think they were probably a receiver short. We had at that time (Robert) Meachem, Devery Henderson, Lance Moore, (Marques) Colston, (Jeremy) Shockey, no we didn’t have Shockey, we had Jimmy Graham. We had more weapons offensively, they did have (Alvin) Kamara and Mark Ingram at that time. They were a pretty damn good duo. We had Pierre Thomas at that time. I still would put our 2011 up there (at the top) and then probably the 2018 team that went to the NFC championship, I’d put them at two. The others we could argue about it later on.”

What more can Demario Davis and this defense do to try and become a top five defense in the NFL?
“Turnovers, they have to create more turnovers. They’re really good, really stout. Last year they did not take the ball away at an alarming rate and I know Dennis (Allen) preaches it. I know he did back when I was playing. So that would be the knock on the defense right now. They have to create turnovers. If they created just an extra turnover a game, I know it sounds easy, but it’s not. Imagine putting Drew Brees and that offense (back on the field) and giving them an extra possession. That’s the way you literally put a game away. You turn the ball over and let Drew and them score real quick and now it’s a 17-point lead or a 14-point lead and the game’s done. So turnovers would be the thing.”

Do you have a go too or favorite Sean Payton story?
“I guess you guys must have heard of how Sean Payton turns Doctor Jekyll and Mr. Hyde, I think that’s the saying. Where he is cool, calm and collected all during the week and then turns into this big badass on Sunday and he’s trying to fight everyone. He is like Mr. tough guy. I remember in 2008 I just got there and I had not seen this other side of Sean on Sundays until we got a defensive stop and scored a touchdown. It was against Atlanta at home and he comes over like a big badass and is like I want another turnover, give me the ball back, give me the ball back. I was like who is this guy, what’s going on. We go out there and we actually got another turnover and he has that like big strut when he walks around and has that little face going. I go over there and I push him and I’m like what’s up now! He looked at me and he was at first was surprised, then he got back into his mode like I told you to get the ball back. That was the first time I ever dealt with the other Sean. I call him the other Sean or Mr. tough guy, but having him as a coach like that is awesome. Because you always want someone with a chip on their shoulder and you know he’s passionate about the game.”

Does your daughter know you more as an analyst or a football player?
“Yeah, it is true and it sucks. I have a ten-year old and she does not remember anything about where I played. All she remembers is doing touchdown dances and stuff (laughter). I was like do you even remember my number and she was like, ugh, I think it was like 51, right daddy? I was like ugh. I showed her some games when I played a UM (Miami) and she is looking and she was like that is you and she was like oh okay, can we change it? I was like damn, you do not even care. She does not remember and it definitely sucks. I wish at this age she would have seen me play, but it’s all good.”

Could this 2020 Saints team compete with the 2011 offense, when you look at the addition of Emmanuel Sanders?
“Yeah man, Emmanuel Sanders is good. He is good. I watched him probably four times last year with San Fran and then I watched him just to see the matchups before they played the Saints. I like him man. He is really, really good. I would out him a notch above Lance Moore, when you think about a possession receiver, but he’s a little more shifty and has a little more burst and a little size to him. Maybe the same size, but I think he is tremendous.”

What do you think would be the hardest part for Zack Baun to play in space compared to the edge in college?
“His issue will be angles and not to get too technical, but when you’re on the ball everything is kind of flat down the line, right. You kind of just make sure you maintain the wall and then everything goes away from you or if someone comes back you stay there and hold your ground. When you’re off the ball your angles are a little different. You’ve got to get downhill more and be able to quote unquote setup a wall or whatever you want to get done. As opposed to just going flat. So that would probably be the way he has to enter into plays, to make tackles or set the wall and things of that nature. Once he gets used to that he’ll be fine.”

Have you thought about what it would be like as a player going through this pandemic and how would you approach it?
“I would have had to buy some weights at home. Because everyone’s body is different, for me, my body I would get smaller if I didn’t lift weights. If I needed that size or that muscle and I would get my whole gym setup in my home and then I’d have to figure out how to get my cardio in. That’s probably the hardest part for the players getting into football shape and if you can’t get into football shape you really have no chance. I would have had to gotten with strength training coach Dan Dalrymple. I would have to get with him to really map out a cardio plan, knowing that I’m going to stay in shape as far as my muscle, my muscle mass up, but the cardio part would have been hard. That is one thing I really, really worry about for the players. Because you get a lot of injures when you are out of football shape. It’s not just being out of shape and you’re tired, it’s you pull a muscle and putting strain on your muscle and it is not conditioned for the stress that you are putting it under. Then you start to pull hammies, quads and these are things that happen. Then when you’re tired and lazy in your technique. So now you’re talking about full contact and if someone is tired and they enter a play wrong and a god forbid they hurt themselves or hurt their shoulder or neck, things like that. Those are things I’m concerned about knowing that not all the players have had the discipline to keep themselves in some sort of shape.”

As far as coming back to a facility, would you have felt comfortable doing that just knowing that the virus is still a thing right now?
“Yeah, I would have been fine. If the NFL has created a plan to make, let’s call it workable, to make it workable then I would be fine with that. I would anticipate that everyone is going to be cautious and not only practice social distancing when we can, assuming that we’re playing and practicing, but also wearing the masks and then being mindful of their surroundings outside of the office or outside of the practice field. It’s not like you’re dealing with 18-year-old kids, you’re dealing with adults that have kids and this is their livelihood. I would imagine that everyone is going to take this seriously and if I go back I would anticipate everyone is going to be as serious as I am about our health and our safety.”

The Saints had 51 sacks last year with a banged up Sheldon (Rankins) a banged up Marcus Davenport. I know you spent a lot of your career getting the D-Line lined up into their positions at times, how good can Cam (Jordan) and the rest of the defensive line be if they’re fully healthy?
“It would be the first time in a long time that I can recall that, I don’t think there ever was a time with the Saints that, oh no there was once, there was one year where you could say that the strength of the defense is the D-Line. I am a big believer that championships are won in the trenches so if you have a legitimate defensive line like the Saints could have potentially, the defensive line is the one that gets you out of a bad defense with a sack or a tackle for loss or things like that or getting pressure. If the strength of the defense is the defensive line and then you still have guys like (Marshon) Lattimore and Demario Davis, etc. that’s a recipe for a long run in the playoffs, hopefully a Super Bowl.”

With all the uncertainty with the pandemic and whatnot, who knows what the stadiums are going to look like, has that crossed your mind as you’re getting ready to call this season?
“Crossed my mind in what sense? As in I need to be worried?”

No, more so that you could be in a stadium that’s half empty or fully empty or you won’t have the crowd reactions and a situation that you’re maybe not used to.
“Yeah, I’ve thought about it a little bit and candidly speaking, all my thoughts have been selfish from the perspective of, well, if they’re not here that means they have to watch me on TV (laughter). I’ve kind of looked at it that way. I just left it at that and then was kind of like, alright well, I’d love to have the crowd and the energy of the game, but it’s not so bad. They have to watch me on TV now.”

As a player, can you pick up a lot on stuff that the offense is saying and crack their code if there is no noise at all?
“Oh hell yeah. I’d love that. It’s like practice against Drew Brees for 17 weeks. It would be so awesome if there was no fans in the stadium and I get to sit there and listen to everything the quarterback says the whole time. For the young quarterbacks, it’s too easy because they can’t get in and out if stuff, but the older quarterbacks they might mess with you a little bit, but I’ll just stand there and listen just like this.”

New Orleans Saints Running Back Deuce McAllister
Legends Video Call with New Orleans Media
Wednesday July 1, 2020

We asked (Jonathan) Vilma this yesterday, but where do you think the 2020 Saints prior to taking the field on paper rank among some of best teams the Saints have had over the years?
“On paper? I think that’s the biggest issue. On paper I think it is going to be ranked right up there at the top. I’d probably put it as a top three maybe even top two. The hardest thing to go back and do is go back and look at the 2011 team and I saw the conversation and just the analysis. The hardest thing to go back and do is you knew what that team was. You actually saw it. We can go back and compare and just look at the numbers and the things that they were able to accomplish, but this team on paper, this team could really challenge a lot of things that that team did, but unfortunately we don’t play it on paper. And then the other thing, my concern and my worry with this team is the injuries and then how will not having an offseason truly affect them.”

How do you think the Saints did last year working Latavius Murray into that running back rotation and what are you expecting to see out of that group this year?
“I want to see more. I think that’s the biggest thing. When (Murray) received his opportunity, he was able to excel. He was able to really go out and produce and you just want to see more of it. I think that was probably the biggest thing, that you just go back and look at this overall season, they probably should’ve used him more and obviously I know (the) game dictates what you can do and what you have to do as far as that’s concerned. At the end of the day, you have to be able to try to get him the football and maybe not just as a runner because we saw him catch the football out of the backfield probably more so better than he did in Oakland as well as in Minnesota. So as a receiver, I think he’s a viable option, but you’ve got to lean on Alvin (Kamara) for the majority of those opportunities, but I think also you can use him in that manor. As a pure runner, you’ve got to figure out a way to get him 10 to 12 to 15 touches, legitimate touches, in a football game.”

What’s it been like for you as a guy who’s been retired for a decade now to see what’s happening with the way that the running back position is being valued with contract negotiations and free agency?
“They are not getting paid. You have very few of them that have been able to raise that number as far as the average of running back is concerned and it’s truly more of a specialty. What do you do? Can you be an every down back? You have a couple of guys that are doing that are doing that, but it’s more of a specialty in the league and that’s really because of the rules and how you can protect the quarterback and advance the football quicker or faster through the air. You understand that and so as a running back, you either have to have some versatility or be a truly elite ballcarrier and then you have to hope you can get to the playoffs so it really can payoff. That is what it is really all about. Once you get into that dance as far as the playoffs are concerned, you know that your possessions are going to be limited, the weather will normally have to play a factor and you’re going to kind of lean on the things that you feel like you can do best. The other part of it that we often sometimes forget is what can we take advantage of as far as the matchups are concerned. Not to say that that doesn’t necessarily happen in the regular season because it does, but it’s amplified a lot more once the playoffs hit.”

You mentioned injuries with this team. Is that one of your bigger concerns is just some of the injury history with these guys and how they stay healthy? Do you think that’s kind of the thing that they need to overcome?
“Yes, I think so. I think there are two critical spots, linebacker and tight end. I know you were able to address a little bit of it as far as free agency as well as the draft’s concerned, but at the end of the day, when you are depending on some of those younger guys to come in and step up, that is tricky. Then you have two guys coming off (season-ending injuries) in the linebacker room. You lose A.J. Klein so the question becomes how do we address it? Dennis (Allen) will get creative with the ability to have some of those safeties (involved). Yes, they can play a little bit more nickel, a little bit more dime, but you have got to get teams in long-down situations because if not they are just going to run it at you and so that is a concern. It has to be a concern. You wonder how (Marcus) Davenport’s progressing. You wonder how Sheldon’s (Rankins) truly progressing. Now they’re able to get these guys in the building. Most of these guys have been in the building already, but you talk about once the games start, how are they going to hold up?”

How crazy is it for you to think about how long you’ve been out of the game and that Drew (Brees) is still playing and playing at a high level?
“Drew is the old man in the room, the old man in the building. It’s amazing to watch him be able to go out there and do it and I think it shows you how well he’s prepared, how he’s changed, not only how well he works out, but what he eats, what he consumes. And then for him to be able to say, look, my body is okay, I think I can give it another run and then truly commit to it, I think that’s probably the most amazing part about it just because of the player that he is. Look, he’s not the Drew Brees of 2011, the Drew Brees of 2006 either, but I think he’s still good enough and he’s still an elite enough of a player that can command the huddle, has the respect of the players and then the question is can he go out and do his job effectively. That’s the biggest question. You listen to Sean (Payton) and how they will manage his throws, how they even may manage some of the games he plays in. Look, we all know Drew, Drew is not going to want to miss one play. Drew, this one is over, you are up 21 and there are ten minutes left in the fourth quarter, get out. That’s not him. He’s preparing from a physical standpoint and a mental standpoint to be able to finish the game, but sometimes they have to protect Drew from himself in that instance just because he is so competitive.”

If there’s no crowds in the stadium and the defense can hear every single word the offense says all year long, does that become a challenge to protect your calls and the stuff that you’re saying at the line and do you have to protect against that as an offense?
“It becomes a challenge, but I think also you’ll see a lot more hand signals as well. I think that’s one of the things that they can do fairly easy and then what’s interesting is they were probably going to do that anyway because of the situation in Carolina with your backup quarterback (Teddy Bridgewater) as well as with the new OC (Joe Brady) over in Carolina so they were going to change a lot of that anyway. If there’s no crowd in there and defenses can really hear your checks and really hear your calls, man, they’re going to have so many dummy calls in there. It’s going to (be) ridiculous where he’s just out there saying one word, he’s just out there saying letters. Some of that maybe true, but Sean (Payton) has always had words that you listen to or listen for and this may be a hot word this week. Last week, it might’ve been something else. The key thing for Drew (Brees) and the receivers and the backs (is) he’ll give them a little reminder of something and then he will always, based off of coverage or based off of something they see, he will have a hand signal that he can give to that receiver or that back and it’ll be like clockwork. That’s probably the thing, the advantage that will have, if that’s the case, because most of them have been together so long. Emmanuel (Sanders) will pick it up, but the other guys it’ll be an easier transition for them.”

Are hand signals easier to protect because you’re showing them while guys are trying to get lined up or is there difference?
“He uses those hand signals now. Some of them, like I said, they may change week to week just depending on what they see and who he is giving that hand signal to. That is the other thing as well, certain guys you knew you had to get their attention for them to be able to see it or there may be a miscommunication. You go back and you look at the last game against Minnesota, there was a signal given and just have to go back and look at it, I’m not going to (say what it was), there was a signal and we missed it. I’ll just put it like that.”

How confident are you that the NFL is going to pull off a season this year?
“I think we’re just taking it day by day. I think we’re all just preparing and thinking that, yes we will go forward, but I do think there will be some type of an adjustment. I saw some of the articles out there where teams are thinking about flying out the same day, as far as (for away) games. Certain west coast teams, yeah it would be impossible to kind of pull off. You’re talking about a Pittsburgh situation where they took the train once, but it may have been a preseason game. Where they took the train down and maybe they played Washington or Baltimore or something like that, but it has been done before”

If you were still playing what would be your biggest concern heading into the season since the NFL can’t really have a bubble like the NBA?
“Testing, what’s our protocol? Are we testing every player? Are we texting the immediate family of that player? What is the protocol that we have? I know from an organizational standpoint and the NFL standpoint that is what they are working on. But that is the biggest fear and we talked about this me, Kristian (Garic) and Bobby (Hebert) the other day on the radio. It’s one thing to kind of say, hey, look this player can go ahead and get the virus and he’ll be okay in 14 days. Every NFL player’s not perfectly healthy. There are a ton of guys that play this game and they have some underlying conditions that they are dealing with. So it would be a big risk to say and this is even in the college world. It would be to say that all those guys get the virus now and we can get it out of the way. It’s just not that easy and it’s a risk in and of itself. But I think the biggest issues is the testing and what mandates are in place to kind of protect those individuals as well as some of the coaches. Because it’s not like every coach is under 30 or in that range as far as from a health standpoint. Those guys are even going to tell you their dealing with some underlying health issues. That would probably be my biggest worry or fear and those are some of the conversations that they are obviously having currently, right now, before you even get together as group as far as training camp is concerned.”

How closely are you watching Drew Brees knowing that this year or next year may be his last and what are your thoughts on Jameis Winston and Taysom Hill?
“You are watching it close, but I guess the biggest problem is we cannot see anything. We’re watching videos and going by word of mouth as far as how both of those guys are doing, particularly in the offseason. I think that is probably where you’ll give the biggest advantage to Taysom (Hill). They are doing exactly what we are doing, Microsoft teams (meetings). They’re doing some things as far as on the board and talking and going through it. But that’s still not me working with Pete Carmichael, Joe Lombardi, Sean Payton and you may get with him for a day. But nothing like what you would have done if you got with them as far as an OTA’s concerned. Will watch it closely, but it will not be what we truly think. Either of those guys would’ve progressed if they had an offseason.”

What does it mean for you to grow up near New Orleans and to not only play for the Saints, but to then get to stay and do the radio color analysis?
“Man it is a unique blessing for me. Most of you that have followed me and know me, I would not say New Orleans was the first place I wanted to go. I thought that I’d be off the board a lot sooner and quicker or faster than pick 23. But it ended up being a true blessing in disguise because my family got to see me play. Look man, I played my high school ball, college ball and I played my pro ball all within probably about a five and a half (hour) window, as far as driving’s concerned. That doesn’t happen a lot and so it ended up being a true blessing. And then to be able to, like I said, have my family and friends have that opportunity to where they could drive and see me play. That doesn’t happen often. Then to have the opportunity to talk about the game and be involved with the organization. You are truly humbled, you are humbled by it, but at the same time for me I know that I want to go out there and prove and show a knowledge standpoint of some of the things I learned. A lot of times you may question why aren’t you coaching? Why aren’t you teaching more as far as the game is concerned? Because I feel like I had some of the greatest teachers of the game, as far as football is concerned. Obviously, with Sean (Payton), Mike McCarthy, Coach (David) Cutcliffe from a football standpoint they were some of the best teachers that you can imagine to have and so that’s one of the things that I want to be able to give back. Just to be able to share some of the knowledge and things that I see and am able to understand. For myself, it was just truly a blessing in disguise because of that draft in 2001, there was no way that I would have figured I would have been there at pick number 23.”

You think all the stuff you learned from those coaches helped you up in the WWL Radio booth?
“No doubt about it. I mean just from a formational standpoint, a situational standpoint, from what they are thinking. I think that has definitely helped me. One of the things, probably two or three years ago that I wanted to improve on was just a defensive side of the ball. Talking to coach (Dennis) Allen and talking to Mike Nolan just picking their brains and obviously JV (Jonathan Vilma) was on (one of these). As a former player one of the things I wanted to do with him when we were playing was, hey look, this is what I’m thinking and this is what I’m seeing, how do you react and what are you reading? And so just being able to pick some of the guys that you truly know and you trust, as far as what they are seeing and what they are understanding. I think that just brings you closer together as far as a unit is concerned and from a knowledge standpoint it gives you an edge. In this game from a talent standpoint, not to say you’re all the same, but there’s not a true gap, as far as range is concerned or as far as talent. It’s the knowledge and how quick can I process something. It’s from an understanding of situational football, what individual can process that and how can he take that and use it to his advantage.”

What are your thoughts about the running backs behind Alvin Kamara, especially Latavius Murray?
“I think they’re fine as far as the backs behind him. I know in just talking to coach Joel (Thomas) they’re always trying to find a guy that can come in and fill a role. They are always looking for that and are always going to find a guy and what’s his role and what’s our vision for him and that’s what Sean (Payton) always talks about as far as a player. What is our vison for him? I think one of the unique things that you see them do this past year and really the last two years and go back to Boston Scott, was if this player goes down do we have someone in the building or on the practice squad that we can bring in and kind of plug and play. You don’t want to have to be from a drastically (different) standpoint, from an offensive game-planning standpoint, where you have to change everything completely. You may get away from (what you typically do) a few plays if Alvin isn’t available. You may get away from a few plays that he does really well. That goes back with Sean when me and Reggie (Bush) were playing and so you always want to have a guy in the building that may not be on an elite talent level, as far as Alvin is concerned and Latavius is concerned, but you have somebody that can do maybe a little bit of what they do and it doesn’t change so much philosophy wise, from an offensive standpoint. The guys that are behind them, as far as those two guys, I really think they will have a role and it’ll be interesting because you have to remember, there are only so many that you can dress and there’s only so many that you can keep as well. It’ll be interesting to see how many true tailbacks they keep and then how many fullbacks they will have on that roster. But I think they are fine as far as guys they have behind them.”