On the latest NFL Players: Second Acts podcast, former Pro Bowl running back Steven Jackson joins hosts Peanut and Roman. Steven discusses his running style and shares the types of running plays that helped him become the Rams all-time leader in rushing yards. He also explains the significance behind wearing jersey number 39 and how it felt to lose in the AFC Championship game in his final season. Steven discusses his post-NFL ventures, including opening a barber school, starting the NFL Legends YouTube channel, and his apparel company OBS.
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Episode Transcript
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Speaker 1 (00:00):
What's up? Everybody? Is Stephen Jackson, the Los Angeles RAMS
all time leading rushier, co founder of the original Barber's School,
as well as you can find our clothing line, the
original brand dot com. And this is the NFL player
Second Acts Podcast.
Speaker 2 (00:21):
I'll peed up, gentlemen, and this is the NFL Player's
Second Acts podcast with me as always is my guy
room and then Waves, boy hidden look at him.
Speaker 1 (00:30):
Waves.
Speaker 2 (00:31):
It's like a skunk. It's a lot, you know, getting
the gray hair to do right. It is just it
just takes a little bit more work, a couple more
brushes every night, a couple more brushes in the morning,
and I show up like this.
Speaker 1 (00:44):
All right, I'm ready.
Speaker 3 (00:46):
You can introduce that her next guess I'm.
Speaker 2 (00:49):
Okay, this next, gentleman. Classic part of my class, all
pro running back for twelve seasons, RAMS all time leading rusher,
top twenty on the all time NFL rushing List, co
founder of the original barber School.
Speaker 3 (01:08):
Ladies and gentlemen, Stephen Jackson get hot.
Speaker 2 (01:13):
I would also like to say, this is the same
guy that when anybody asked me, who's the toughest running
back you had to tackle when you played? You are
the guy that I named, not Adrian Peterson. I talk
about Michael Michael Turner the Bardner a little bit too,
because he was sure.
Speaker 3 (01:31):
Tough to hit. But you are the man. Yes, yeah,
I appreciate that man, no doubt. Like it wasn't even close.
Speaker 1 (01:38):
Quite often I hear that question. A lot of casts
named a lot of running back. I said, damn, was.
Speaker 3 (01:42):
That that easy? No?
Speaker 2 (01:43):
No, no, you were the most definitely not most definitely not.
Stephen Jackson was the first running back that I legit
had to like, no, you need to tackle plan going
into the game.
Speaker 3 (01:55):
Yeah, like a plan to how to tackle one person.
Speaker 2 (01:58):
And it was also a rule to like if if
he gets past the linebackers, it ain't nobody touched him yet,
It's not my fault if I missed.
Speaker 3 (02:06):
That's just another rule. He was running through them arm tackles. Yeah,
it was kind of the day. It's unfortunate. You know,
you still look like you could play. Though.
Speaker 2 (02:12):
I know there's a lot it's a podcast, so people
are listening right now.
Speaker 3 (02:15):
But yo, we got video too. We got video.
Speaker 2 (02:18):
But for the ones that can't get the video because
they're driving, like Steve Jackson is, like he still swollen
like you can't.
Speaker 3 (02:24):
You can't run up on him.
Speaker 1 (02:25):
I try to keep it together, how much you're.
Speaker 3 (02:27):
Wearing it, Like you you played around, what two forty,
two thirty.
Speaker 1 (02:30):
Between two thirty five and two forty, I'm two forty
right now. It just it's not as package as tight
as it uses.
Speaker 3 (02:36):
Fine, it's fine as the base pack is basic. No tak,
no jumpo. Yeah.
Speaker 2 (02:44):
I mean that's like when you bow the extras when
you get a car. Yeah, I just want the base package, you.
Speaker 3 (02:49):
Know what I said.
Speaker 2 (02:50):
Still getting to forty, you just less muscle it down,
you know what I mean?
Speaker 3 (02:54):
Less mustle it to forty still base back.
Speaker 2 (02:57):
I kind of feel like that's where we all say
because I'm still kind of mind playing with And I'm
like two ten two eight ish, I say, I like
two of four or two or five is two of
three depending on what that And I kind of feel
like each year i'm away for football, like I just
try to maintain that playing with. That means I'm healthy
if I can. If I I ain't played in almost
ten years, but if I can still maintain my playing
(03:18):
with that's kind of how I maintained my health exactly.
Speaker 1 (03:20):
How I look at it, same thing.
Speaker 3 (03:21):
You know, it's the same way you look at it.
It is okay.
Speaker 2 (03:24):
I got to give you one more compliment too, because
my oldest brother, his name is Brian Harper. We call
him b Harp. He talks a lot of trash all
the time. You are the one person that he referenced
to that. Like you know, Rome, I used to always think, like, man,
I could get out there. I hear all these people
say like, oh I could do this, I could do that,
And then I guess you guys came to the Dome
one time and he saw you jump about two or
(03:45):
three cuts, two or three holes and then got outside
and ran over somebody and then got out of bounce and.
Speaker 1 (03:50):
He was like, nah, you can't do that. Many did these.
Speaker 2 (03:53):
Running backs of the league. They next level. So it's
always been about your speed or your power. Which one
would you say is your best attribute?
Speaker 1 (04:00):
Oh wow, I would think. I always try to time
up my impact. So I was like a baseball player aspect, right,
So when I knew it was about to be impact,
I try to explode through the shoulder paths or whoever
was about to tackle.
Speaker 3 (04:12):
You want to deliver.
Speaker 1 (04:13):
I wanted to deliver, right, I knew I wasn't quite
four two four three. I was four four respectable, but
then at the same time very respectable. You got to
understand who were talking to, Like this person ain't never
ran a full fall, that's true.
Speaker 3 (04:27):
Person hasn't ran a four eight.
Speaker 1 (04:28):
That's It's like, you know, the thing is because we
have we all have kids to think about. When you
say stuff like that, the kids to them it's like, well, dad,
you was only for four I'm like, so, you're right.
Speaker 3 (04:38):
I'm talking to teenagers a lot right now.
Speaker 1 (04:40):
I get it to get it, so yeah, impact, I
would say, you know, it was always a blend. I
always wanted to, you know, leave the game. Having everybody
like that was a tough one.
Speaker 3 (04:50):
I didn't want that smoke. I'm just gonna say it, like, nah, I've.
Speaker 2 (04:53):
Dude, everybody made business decisions tackling this guy. I great
about you all the time. I'm a big family you
ors you know that. Well, I would say this. I
was talking to some of our people here today, Jake
and everybody, how you are my generations? Derrick Henry Where
now we look at Derrick Henry and he's big, he's fast,
(05:14):
he has a stiff arm and he's roll tied and
so went to a great university. I mean, he's amazing,
he won a Heisman, he's done all these great things.
But in our generation, we had Steven Jackson. And so
how do you feel about that comparison? And do you
think you get enough of your flowers from those that
maybe because you played with Saint Lucient, you probably didn't
(05:36):
win as much as you guys wanted to at times.
Speaker 1 (05:39):
No, I appreciate the compliment. I could see the similarities
in our game. You know, once being a running back,
it's a small fraternity. But what's even smaller within that
fraternity is the big backs. Yes, right, So, like you said,
like I felt like the torch was handed to me
from Eddie George. And when I met Eddie it was
one it was a huge honor. But we talked about,
(06:00):
you know, it's some smaller guys, they're gonna feel like
you can't do certain things. You just go out there
and do your thing. So when I seen Derek come
on the scene, it kind of it was like, Yo,
the big back is still alive. Right, It's not a
whole bunch of scat backs and running backs by the committee.
It is a guy out there that just do everything
and be that that soul. But for Derek, what he's
doing in the career he's had, it's amazing because at first,
(06:23):
you know, at Tennessee, when he didn't win the Super
Bowl there, I was like, man, are they going to
use up his years? Kind of like what happened to
me in Saint Louis. But to see what has happened
and this year he had in Baltimore, it was like kudos.
And then you pair that up with taekuon doing like
the big back in the running back is back. So
I'm excited about.
Speaker 2 (06:39):
That now when you say big back, because you know
I'm not. It's not always about weight, No. I think
when you refer to the big back, it's the hype, right,
It's the way you know you're talking about scat backs.
We scatbacks are there's still two hundred pounds, but they're
like five eight five ten. Yeah, you are six two,
six six two, you're six two. Derek Henry's six three.
Speaker 1 (06:58):
He's at least six four. I think he got two
inches on me, six four. I think.
Speaker 3 (07:05):
Vegas they never still to him he was I was legit.
I was like, he probably six two No, he's definitely
not six too. He's definitely that. He's definitely telling me,
damn crazy.
Speaker 2 (07:16):
But that's what you mean by big back, right, And
I forgot that Eddie George was. Eddie George is extremely
tall back as well, probably Eric Dickerous to the guys
before that, I would assume all the big backs. So
how do you feel about the resurgence of the running back?
How big of a year has it been? Because everybody
tried to downplay the run of the position, and all
of a sudden, now the teams that are here are
(07:39):
they got running backs?
Speaker 1 (07:40):
For sure. I think it's important for the position. I
think for a lot of times, as we know, the
NFL is a copycat league. So when teams are having
successful multiple running backs, and then you could you could
couple that excuse with having insurance because guys don't last
the whole season. It makes for a great argument when
somebody's building a team for scratch. But I think you know,
when you start talking about and later in the season,
(08:01):
you need a big guy that's a possession guy that
the moment won't get too big for him. He get
you know, gets you a first down, but he also
hits your home run for you. And also with the
way defense are playing, you guys are on your side
of the football field. You guys are going more exotic.
You guys are going smaller linebackers. I could run with
the tight end and cover out the backfield. So if
you start thinking about, like where's my advantage? Where do
(08:23):
I take? You know, where's on offense? Can we take
advantage of that matchup? You're talking about five six man
box with smaller guys. You put there, you put myself in,
and then you know you at least expecting five yards. Yeah.
Speaker 2 (08:35):
Yeah, what was your favorite run play?
Speaker 1 (08:41):
So at Oregon State we were a single back offense. Yeah,
and I learned to run inside the zone and it
gave me the freedom that if I found the hole,
I could get there. So it's it's my bread and butter,
it's my stable. I say, I made a lot of
money off that play because all you got to do
is get someone overflowing and you can take that backside cut,
you know, and you can crease them. So I would go,
I would say inside zone and then after that, I
(09:02):
gotta go gap scheme. I like power, Yeah, hat on
the hat, let's go.
Speaker 2 (09:08):
I like that I hate that cutback, bro, because that's
usually the safeties gays exactly.
Speaker 3 (09:15):
Decision, decision. I'll tell you I never had to worry
about it. No, bro, if it.
Speaker 2 (09:21):
Got all the way out there, you could just push
him out of bounds, you know. And you're a big
corner two peanuts, So like you know, it's different. How
would you describe your running style?
Speaker 1 (09:31):
I would like to say I'm a classic. I'm a
nineties and nineties back. I think I'm a guy that
could I could protect it in the backfield. I mean,
your last line of defense, small enough to run the hots.
If I need to run a route out the backfield,
I got soft hands. But then you know from the
from the center on out to the tight end, I could,
I could hit it, I could crease it, and I
(09:52):
had enough speed to pull away. So I believe I'm
a back that I give coaches problems because he has
to figure out when can he take me off the field.
And as my my oldest son, our oldest son is eighteen,
he's a running back. He'll be going to Oregon State
next year. That's my relations sure, dude, So that's that's
what Skyler Jackson Colear Jackson don't put pressure on him
(10:13):
to make sure that he's all around. I don't want
him to just say I'm a scatter on this on
that you're neither you are what the coach needs you
to be.
Speaker 2 (10:20):
Yeah, but I think that's a huge compliment to you
because that was one of your big things. I know,
I compared you to Derrick Henry. Well, our generations Derrick
Henry were, You're this generation. You know, he's you're their generation,
Stephen Jackson in my opinion, but you caught the ball
the backfield. You're like a true truth threat. You were
the number one option pretty much mary An he catches
one season, you were the number one option, Yes, sir,
(10:43):
that's a very slept on season, too, very very slept
on season. I saw that on my Instagram real the
other day, like that is a great slept on season
for Stephen Jackson running backs.
Speaker 3 (10:52):
And so with that, was it the hands? The catching?
Speaker 2 (10:56):
Is that just something you always had or is that
something you had to literally work on? Because for me,
I had to work on catching the ball because I
wasn't used to the The NFL ball doesn't have a
white strike right, So for me, I really struggled picking
it up with my eyes.
Speaker 1 (11:11):
No, for me, I was a natural catcher. But what
made me want to get really good at it my
rookie year back to Marshall fault, right, and you can't
tell coach Mike Martz something that I can't do it.
He like, well, Marshall could do it. You know. It
kind of put that pressure on me to become all
around really good. I just understanding route running and then leverage.
Right when you get on on on the defender, what
(11:32):
he leaning are you giving him something at the top
of your route. All those things came later, you know,
once to do my career. As far as being a
natural catch, I was able to do that, you know.
And then again it goes back to college career. We
ran a pro style offense. I had Dennis Erickson, but
he ran that. You know. We would go three four
ride and we're gonna we're gonna just let you pick
your poison. Yeah.
Speaker 2 (11:52):
So I know in our era we had some big
we have some big running backs, but yet we also
had the we had the big linebackers. Yes, and you're
an all around back. You can run, you can block
and catch. Give me a name of a player that
gave you the business in the backfield when he was
trying to protect.
Speaker 1 (12:10):
They happened in practice. Pem okay, mine's happened in practice practice? Yeah,
Chris Clayborn, Yeah yeah, sc big linebacker two fifty two sixty.
We're doing one on one protection and you know, in practice,
especially trading camp, you know, you gotta you gotta bug
(12:31):
your Chinstrapstely, I will never forget. We was like it
was like the last ten plays in the School of
damn teen script.
Speaker 3 (12:39):
You have made it, we'd have made it. We about
to go to we about to go in the locker room.
Speaker 1 (12:42):
Here we go and Chris came in on the bliss
man and I I didn't take him serious, and he
got you got this. You gut his helmet underneath me
and he split my chin. I had to get I
had to get stitches out the practice so my you know,
I have fun memories of that, but there's no nummy
for the chin really, so you just they just sewing
(13:03):
you up. And I was so mad at critical you
would do that. We got to be out of practice.
What we do? What are we doing here? Yeah? What
year was he? Y'all? Events we were I was probably
year two or three. I was skill a puppy. I
was still a puppy, but he was coming over to
the team and his first year with us, so I
(13:24):
get it right. It was point.
Speaker 2 (13:27):
Yeah, you having to be the point, to be the point. Ye,
what is your welcome to the NFL moment?
Speaker 1 (13:37):
Lawyer malloy in Buffalo.
Speaker 3 (13:39):
Ye, this is another thing, pop right out.
Speaker 1 (13:41):
Yeah yeah, lawyer malloy in Buffalo. At that time, I
wasn't playing a lot, so they were just spot giving
me plays. We're on the we're on a goal line,
and coach calls a run play for me to run in.
I came in high. I'm just used to run over
everybody in college. Lawyer came in and clean my clog man.
I thought I swallowed my tongue. My running back coach
(14:05):
at the time, he was like, Yo, don't you ever
do that again? And the next damn film we just
kept rewinding it and I was just like, Okay, I
get the hazing, I get it. I would never do
that again. Was it was?
Speaker 2 (14:20):
It just a constant slower wind back and they just
keep talking, just running back, just keep running back.
Speaker 3 (14:29):
Those are like the most embarrassing moments.
Speaker 2 (14:30):
So I remember being in games and I would get
hit by a line and a run, you miss tackle,
someone runs you over. And the first thing that I
would say that was like, damn, we gotta Washington team.
We gotta Washington team. Film and you're sitting there, Washington
and they're watching it and it's like you falling and
going back and she's falling going back and she falling
going back, and everyone's.
Speaker 3 (14:51):
Like damn, damn, hey, look look, and you're.
Speaker 2 (14:54):
Just like, oh my god, just go to the next
play already, Why don't please?
Speaker 1 (14:58):
Special one is on that's running back. Yeah, you know,
you guys got three or four people to watch because
you guys in a group.
Speaker 3 (15:03):
Like it was on the one back. Then I see
what I did.
Speaker 1 (15:08):
I see what I do? You know what?
Speaker 3 (15:10):
That is a great point. Actually, I never actually thought
about that.
Speaker 2 (15:13):
When you're coaching the running backs and y'all are in
the meeting room and it's just one running back and
you mess up, like.
Speaker 3 (15:18):
Bro, we ain't got to do that six times, but
we all saw it. You don't have to, Like we
got two corners.
Speaker 2 (15:25):
We got to talk about what they do in the
play so much embarrassing. So it's a lot like we
could get through it. That's just like bro ain't but
one of us like like we got it.
Speaker 1 (15:35):
Try to go to the bathroom, they're palls and wait
on you.
Speaker 3 (15:38):
I I.
Speaker 2 (15:42):
It's the worst. So RAMS all time leaning rusher. Where
does that rank in all the list of your accomplishments.
Speaker 1 (15:51):
It's a big, a huge, no, it's a big deal.
So when I when I was able to take the
starting job, it was a golden mine and become the
RAMS all time leading rusher. And when it happened, it
happened in Tampa, it was one that I was extremely
proud of because I knew the two people I had
to pass to get to be number one, and to
(16:11):
have those names the second and third now behind minds,
it means that I had at least a career that
I could be like, I could hold my head up high.
And it's one of those things that means a lot
to me. Who knows, there's a hall of famous you know,
to come knock it or not, but it's one of
those things that I can say, Hey, in that organization,
(16:32):
I rang up there with two of the greats that
ever played the game. So it's something that I'm very
proud of.
Speaker 2 (16:36):
Well, you're a head of two Hall of Famers, So
that that matters, you know what I mean, that's a
beautiful thing.
Speaker 1 (16:41):
That's about telling my family and they ain't listening.
Speaker 3 (16:47):
Keep that football in Tampa.
Speaker 1 (16:49):
You have it?
Speaker 2 (16:49):
Yes, who is the team that you struggle you felt
like you struggled versus if there were any team?
Speaker 3 (16:55):
Was it a defense? Was it a scheme?
Speaker 2 (16:58):
Who's somebody that you actually like, feel like Steven Jackson stroke?
Because when I watched you play, I don't think anybody
ever like made Stephen Jackson struggle.
Speaker 1 (17:07):
I would tell you the toughest is three four to
two gap guys.
Speaker 3 (17:12):
Yeah. San Francisco did a lot.
Speaker 1 (17:15):
Yeah, when they were on their run, they were one.
They were on there justin Smith yeah yeah yeah. He
showed you had one way and then discard. Yeah. So
those were the defense that gave me frustration, made me
really like question my eyes. I remember coming up to
the sign like am I seeing it right? Like everywhere
they are everywhere. So I would say those particular.
Speaker 2 (17:36):
Kind of schemes, okay, three three fours.
Speaker 1 (17:41):
Guy that could disengage, right, he got to be strong
enough where he could just he.
Speaker 3 (17:45):
Could show you one hat in one hole and then
you know full.
Speaker 2 (17:48):
Yeah, Justin Smith was a big problem for a lot
of people. Yeah, I want another.
Speaker 3 (17:52):
We're gonna take a short break and we'll be right back.
Speaker 2 (17:59):
I got to pick him the thirty three, and I
had my reasons for doing it. Why did you get
the number thirty nine?
Speaker 1 (18:05):
Thirty nine comes from me and my dad. My dad
has always been like I wouldn't say he was my coach,
but he was my professional critic. He was never a
coach on the staff, but the rides home from practice
in the game, he let me know, like, hey, play
seven like that you was stripping. So that was kind
(18:28):
of dad I had. So he toughened me up for
the media and the criticism that was to come in
the future. But I would say it had such great
He's still here on the earth with us, but I
had such great respect for his opinion on things. So
I remember getting to the NFL, like Dad, I warned
thirty four all my life out of a you know,
tribute to Walter Payton and Bo Jackson. But now I
(18:49):
want to do my own thing. I want to be
able to have somewhat of an impression on another generation
the way those guys had impression on me, and I
was like, I was looking around the league and no
starting running back in the NFL has thirty nine. I
was like, what do you think of that? And he
goes and we're in the car right and he goes,
I was thinking about this as well, and he was like, yeah,
(19:10):
I think that's your number because it's thirty nine books
in the Old Testament. And I'm come from a very
religious background and in that it was me taking one,
me and my dad agreeing on the number, but taking
my faith on the on the field with me because
I feel Gods who placed me there.
Speaker 3 (19:26):
I love that. I usually make fun of thirty nine.
Speaker 1 (19:30):
Well, Marshall fall did it for a long time.
Speaker 3 (19:38):
I'm glad that Marshall from Louisida bro I get it.
Speaker 2 (19:41):
Yeah, no, because ain't better though, No, So let me
tell you the difference because for me, it's heavy. It's
it's not heavy, it's it's how wide. So the three
is a big number naturally, so it was four. It's
a big numb back now. But the one is very slimmy, okay,
So it helps with my body with just having the
slim one.
Speaker 3 (20:02):
You you can carry it, you can hold a thirty nine.
Speaker 2 (20:04):
It doesn't look big on you, but if it was
on me, it would look big because I got a
big three and a big nine because nine is a
big number two, So you got to think about those things.
It's a full back number, bro, I don't care how
you try to make the one slimming and sexy forty one.
Speaker 3 (20:19):
It's forty. It's like a full back number, Brun. I
can see that.
Speaker 1 (20:22):
That's that's all right now? Yeah?
Speaker 3 (20:25):
Aka, I meaning jersey sales every day.
Speaker 1 (20:28):
Yeah, for men go to the thirty nine.
Speaker 3 (20:36):
Know when the start is getting.
Speaker 1 (20:40):
You know.
Speaker 2 (20:40):
That's another thing too, because like NFL teams, they don't
just put your jerseys up. Has Oregon State retired? Has
or I mean, has the Rams the Rams all your college?
Speaker 1 (20:51):
No, No, I'm in. I'm in my university's Hall of Fame.
Speaker 2 (20:54):
They haven't retired, and they don't do the number. They
don't do it, okay.
Speaker 1 (20:57):
And then as far as the Rams trash, no, no,
it's a youngster was wearing it this.
Speaker 3 (21:02):
Year, Okay, sore subject.
Speaker 1 (21:04):
I Wonmber.
Speaker 2 (21:05):
I just remember today I retired. They gave my number
away literally the next year, and I was like, damn,
y'all couldn't let it like rest, no for like a year,
a season.
Speaker 3 (21:14):
We need that couple. Yeah, we need that Week one,
we need that, We need that. I was sorry.
Speaker 2 (21:20):
I want to know how tough it was losing in
twenty fifteen in the AFC Championship Game because you went
to New England.
Speaker 3 (21:26):
I'm assuming you were like, I'm coming here.
Speaker 2 (21:27):
I'm trying to win me a super Bowl because that,
like all of us, at some point, that's like a box.
I think we all as natural athletes, and when you
get into an NFL locker room, you want to check
that box. How tough was that for you to actually
experience that?
Speaker 1 (21:43):
It actually wasn't as tough as you think it would
have been. Right that year. I had turned down earlier
in this season that Arizona Cardinals had to offer me
a deal, and I kind of stayed away from it.
My dad was dealing with cancer. He's bat on a cancer.
I wanted to be there for the family. So when
I passed that opportunity up, I didn't get another phone
call right and that you're talking about August training camp
(22:04):
and then the phone stops. So my wife's here in
the studio and I told her, I said, hey, we
get to Labor Day weekend. I don't get a call.
I'm just gonna shut it down. I know, cause we
all see that that guy come in and out the
locker room. Hey, I'm hoping I get on and it's
like October November. You're like, bro, So I'm just keeping
on when I I don't want to be. I don't
(22:27):
want to be that guy. So I shut it down.
And then sure enough, we're out Christmas tree shopping. I
get a phone call and at the time, you know,
Coach Belichick's the GM. So I answered the phone from
an unknown number of Massachusetts and I'm like, yo, who's
this And he's like Steven.
Speaker 3 (22:44):
And I was like that's my voice. Everybody know that voice.
Speaker 1 (22:47):
Yeah, I'm like yeah. He was like this coach, what's
the name? Just went down and uh, we need to
we need a running back, I said, Coach. I stopped
working on in September. I'll be a shell of my
stuff if I took this opportunity. So he said some
words and sold me. He was a pretty good salesman.
(23:07):
He was like hey, and I will never forget. He
was almost like an Oul Bundy. He's like, you don't
want to be that guy? On the couch in your
forties and fifties, saying, why did I not, you know,
take that opportunity because I could have got a super
Bowl out of it. I was like, man, coach booked
a fight.
Speaker 4 (23:26):
Hit you with the oul Bundy to be that sees
my wife, You're not you just feel a glare right,
you can just feel a good babe.
Speaker 1 (23:38):
I just committed to New England. I don't think we
need to get the tree right I don't think we
need to get the tree right now. She was so
mad at me. Get on the flight, go to New England.
Things are working out and this is when Lugarrett Blunt
went down. Sorry, So when I get there, I was
(23:58):
telling myself this whole time. I said, hey, you got
there calling in the summer. It didn't work out for you,
So this might be your last run. Definitely try to
win the super Bowl, but if you don't do anything else.
I just try to remember everything. I remember Wednesday practice.
You're like, I was just taking it all in and
it was almost over the movies. I can see the
(24:18):
title coming on, right, I can see it. So those
things of preparation like that was starting to kind of
brace me for the moment. Get fast forward to the game.
I scored the first touchdown on the SC Championship game,
So in my head, I said, Oh, it's happening. Oh,
we're gonna win this game. We're going to go to
the Championship, were going to Super Bowl. Then Peyton Man
(24:39):
and does Peyton Man and things, and you know that
defense they had at the time they beat us. They
got the best of us that day. And it was
one of those things where like when I walked off
the field, I just said thank you. I just said
thank you, because prior to that, I hadn't had a
chance to say thank you. I didn't know it was Indy,
I didn't know it was over. And at that point
I told myself and like, I put my family through enough.
(25:03):
Anytime I turn on the tape, anybody look at the field.
I don't think they ever said took the playoffs. I
love that.
Speaker 2 (25:09):
I'm so glad you shared that perspective because we're thinking, like, oh, man.
Speaker 3 (25:12):
It was your one chance.
Speaker 2 (25:14):
How disappointing were You're like, nah, bro, I was literally
just thankful every every Wednesday, every Thursday I had because
you knew you were there.
Speaker 3 (25:22):
Yeah, that's awesome.
Speaker 1 (25:23):
Now if I didn't get that opportunity, I think i'd
probably be like some other some of our other peers, right,
just angry, Yeah, just angry. And I just think I
thank God that I got that moment to just say
at peace with everything.
Speaker 2 (25:35):
Well, I think it's it's a blessing that you got
a chance to retire and do it on your terms.
We talked to a couple of guys and it was like, well,
I didn't retire football retired me.
Speaker 3 (25:45):
I still would have kept playing.
Speaker 2 (25:47):
And it sounds like you were at peace and you
walked away when you wanted to walk away.
Speaker 3 (25:52):
I think that's the cool thing. That's that's Can I
ask you a question, yes, sir.
Speaker 1 (25:56):
When you lost the one year play the what did
you lose one? Yeah?
Speaker 2 (26:01):
We lost in fifteen lot fifteen, Yeah, the same different team.
Speaker 1 (26:05):
How did that feel? Right? So that was losing one
game before losing in the super Bowl.
Speaker 2 (26:10):
Oh, definitely in the Super Bowl, I've lost. So I've
lost an NFC championship once and I've lost two Super Bowls,
and I think they both are pretty painful. I still
have PTSD because I have yet to watch Super Bowl whatever,
the one in Chicago.
Speaker 3 (26:26):
I forget that one, the one.
Speaker 2 (26:29):
I still have yet to watch that game all the
way through, and I have yet to watch Super Bowl fifty.
Speaker 3 (26:34):
Like, I don't know.
Speaker 2 (26:35):
I like coming here and I like doing shows and
things for Super Bowl and everybody, But at the same time, it's.
Speaker 1 (26:41):
Like, damn, oh, that's right, we would have played each other.
Speaker 2 (26:44):
Oh yeah, so shout out to room. He's always throwing
shade my way because he got his Super Bowl Where's Yeah,
but no, it's it's hard to get over though, for sure,
because you know, like that was my that was my
one shot, or this is my opportunity. And I remember
Brian Urlacker in the huddle as they're doing their victory.
(27:05):
He goes, hey, we'll be back, don't worry, and he
never went back. I was the only one on that
defense to ever go back to to a Super Bowl.
Speaker 3 (27:14):
I was the only one.
Speaker 1 (27:16):
Got to share something with you my rookie year, Saint Louis.
We go to the playoffs, right b Seattle three times,
get out the wild card round, go to Division on
lowis to Atlanta, and same similar speeches, gaven, we'd be
back next year. I didn't go back to the playoffs
until my twelfth season. Yeah, I had eleven year drought.
Speaker 2 (27:36):
It's bananas to me that because you always think we'll
just get back, yeah, and it like, but you never
get to carry over this year's success is the next year,
and every team's different. It's so weird, Like we went
to the NFC Championship game my rookie year when I
was in New Orleans two years off, didn't won a
(27:56):
Super Bowl, then went on this stretcher like I went
to the playoff every year in my career, be side
like two.
Speaker 1 (28:02):
Just weird.
Speaker 2 (28:03):
And then all of a sudden, I went to a
couple of Super Bowls. Losing it stinks and I'd almost
rather like not go. Honestly, I think you did yourself
a favor. I'd rather it's the whole thing, Like you'd
rather have loved and lost or never loved it all.
Speaker 3 (28:18):
I think it's never loved it all.
Speaker 2 (28:20):
I truly, truly believe that I would much rather never
go than actually having to sit there and lose the
Super Bowl, because you know what, that owner they still
playing that Super Bowl party and people still show up.
We got to pretend like it's still a good time,
and ain't nobody happy smiling?
Speaker 3 (28:38):
Super is the worst absolutely worst. And I've been on
the other side.
Speaker 2 (28:42):
We're like the super Bowl party jumping and I gotta
leave because Miami clubs still calling me.
Speaker 3 (28:47):
And it's two am. I got stuck up, you know,
like like.
Speaker 2 (28:50):
It's still going, you know, so like it's two totally
different sides of it. And for me, honestly, Steven, I
would say, you, it's better off that, you know, you
didn't lose the super Bowl and you lost it in
the championship game. I appreciate that.
Speaker 3 (29:04):
Let's flip it real quick again.
Speaker 2 (29:07):
We were in Arizona and we were at the NFL
Legends Lounge and I don't know any barbers or anybody
like that in a z So we're at the Legends
Lounge and I got to cut talking to these cats
talking to the barbers, and they had they had the school,
learned a little bit about them. Thought it was great.
They went on and chopped me up real quick.
Speaker 1 (29:27):
Great.
Speaker 2 (29:28):
Last year super Bowl was in Vegas and I see
the same barbers out in Vegas and I thought.
Speaker 3 (29:35):
It was great.
Speaker 2 (29:36):
I was like, oh, okay, there was one dude. He
was a a I don't say that. I forget his name,
but he's a fan of the Green team. Oh the packer.
Yeah you know what I'm talking about. Yeah, the Green team.
And he was just chopping it up about this Green team,
this and this Green team that I didn't really care.
So fast forward, I'm in Vegas again. I do something
(29:57):
with the Raiders. So I call up a April.
Speaker 3 (30:00):
I was like, I need the barber. Well, you know
that's Steven's school.
Speaker 2 (30:03):
I was like, wait what, yeah, loss barbers. He's got
a he's got a college. He's he's got a barber school.
So I went on and I called you up, and
you can't folk.
Speaker 3 (30:12):
He went on.
Speaker 1 (30:13):
I went over to carrier.
Speaker 3 (30:14):
Yeah, I went over to the shop. He went on
and shopped me up, had a great convo.
Speaker 2 (30:18):
My question is what made you want to get into
opening your own barber school.
Speaker 1 (30:26):
So in high school I went to a vocational high school, Okay,
and during that time I learned drafting and I wanted
to be an architect, like that was my long term goal. Yeah, yeah, big.
And seeing some of my peers go on to study
other things, right, electricians, some with cosmetology, other was like newscaster.
I would watch all my high school peers go on
to have successful careers and still some of them are
(30:46):
still doing it to this day. Fast forward, here we
are in twenty twenty. All right, careers over. I've experienced
a dream life dream of mine, and I know what
the other side feels like to achieve something. So me
and Carl, my best friend in my hare since high school,
we're talking and, like all of us go through a screen.
I said, Hey, if the world was to stop now
(31:06):
or open back up, what do you wish you had, had,
have done or we'll have when it opens back up?
He said, a school two thousand and four. I've always
had that foundation based around children literacy, so I'm always
big in education and I always wanted a school on
my own. I just didn't know what kind of school, right.
So he and I were talking about our plans and
wishes in life, and he was like, I want to school.
(31:27):
I'm like, WHOA, Like, I've never shared this with my
friend that I wanted my own school. I'm like, what
kind of school you have in mind? So he had
the genius idea of the Barber School. I'm like, wait,
that makes so much sense. It goes back to my
trade school in high school, and the realization is you
can help young people achieve their life goal. It doesn't
have to be anything you know that we've achieved. Like
(31:48):
I always tell the students when I talk to now,
achievement and dedication to something is what you want to
fulfills your life and help you provide for yourself and
your family. So in that we opened the barber school.
Now what's funny is any story always has is lumps.
The month I bought the building, governments shut down the world.
(32:09):
So I just buy a brand new commercial building and
I can't use it for eleven months. So now questioning
did I make the wrong decision? Yeah, pulling my hair out,
stuck with it. We just gave us time to work
on the curriculum, start working on the build out, getting
things done. At least we could work on the construction
part of things. Then once we got to the point
where the world opened back up, our first class is
(32:31):
only five people. So now I'm stressed, Right, did I
make the right investment? And is this thing going to
work out? Second month that turned into fifteen students. After
that we were completely occupied. Forty forty students. Right, that's
where we're license to carrying given our size. Now we're
to the point We've been so blessed that we have
(32:51):
a five month waiting list just to be a new student,
and every month we take new recruits in that show
them that we have interest in this. Just this January,
last week we had fifty new arrollies. Let's say they
have interest to come to the school. So I say
that to say is it was two friends saying what
we wanted out of life, if it was all over,
what we hope to achieve, and we put our two
(33:12):
minds and talents together and that's how it happened.
Speaker 3 (33:15):
And that's awesome.
Speaker 2 (33:16):
My barber and Charlotte he started at barber school like
two years ago and he's owned shops before. But now
it kind of feeds itself now because the school is
able to like when you get guys to graduate or
young ladies to graduate, they can just go right over
to the barbershops school and it's awesome. And he talks
about everything that you're saying. It's like, dude, this ain't
about me. It's about me being able to let these
(33:38):
other young people find a skill, to be able to
provide and do for their own families and set their
own kind of schedule and be their own professionalism.
Speaker 1 (33:46):
Yeah, and it's not even just young people too. As
you said, you know, we have some people that have
second and third career choices. Someone transitioned to one of
our oldest students that were in their forties and she
was someone that she was in the office and she
just wanted to get out the office. Right, Yeah, you
had a skill set. She was go over her hands,
she did hair on the side, and she was like, Hey,
I just want to get my license in this opportunity
because I just tied of being behind a cubicle. So
(34:07):
we have transitions as people looking for a second and
third careers. And then we also I always tell young
people you could go anywhere and be a barber nowhere
you go in the world. It's one of the oldest
licensed professions. So it's one of those things that continues
to give back to the community. Haircuts for students or
file dollars and for adults with twelve dollars. So it
helps the family too that needs to help to have
(34:28):
a budget. We will be right back, all.
Speaker 2 (34:35):
Right, tell me about the legends show that the NFL
legends that you do.
Speaker 1 (34:39):
So legends is my thing that I do on my
social platforms. It's just to teach the younger generation or
football hits about guys that may have forgotten about. Right.
So this last this last two weeks ago, I just
didn't want to see me there. I've done other ones,
you know, on guys it's just the forgotten, the forgotten
legends that if you heard their name the name recognition,
(35:00):
you're like, oh yeah, I remember Sterlish shark, right, so
you throwed out these names. But the younger generation and
people that don't always hear the name again, they forget
how great a career that person had. And I think
so much in our industry, we're like, it's he a
Hall of Famer, and then if he's not a Hall
of Famer, it's like they just scard us. It's just like,
well the guy had a damn good run, like it
was really good. So it's me just re educating the
(35:21):
football world about some of the guys in their careers
and also giving their flowers if they're still here on earth.
Speaker 3 (35:26):
I love that they forget about you. Oh I mean,
be a good one. Two episodes.
Speaker 1 (35:34):
I'm looking at it.
Speaker 2 (35:36):
I appreciate that my son needed because my son is
like Dad, like you're slow, bro, Like my son.
Speaker 3 (35:41):
He's one of them.
Speaker 2 (35:42):
He's like the young generation generation that's like, no, so disrespectful,
so disrespect They only watched film themselves, that's it.
Speaker 3 (35:51):
And somebody else playing Madden or one of the other games.
Speaker 1 (35:54):
And that's crazy.
Speaker 2 (35:54):
They watch each other, which is mind blowing to me
watch other people play the game because we were waiting
to play, right, They watch it just because they like watching.
Speaker 1 (36:05):
Yeah, and be on FaceTime without looking at the TV
or the phone.
Speaker 3 (36:10):
Yes, yes, yes, it's like, why ain't you talking? I'm
just playing a game, like.
Speaker 2 (36:17):
But you Yeah, all right, I ain't got that one yet. Yeah,
it is coming, trust me. You got a clothing the
brand called OBS. Talk to me about that.
Speaker 1 (36:28):
The clothing line is like a marketing and an extension
of the barber school. But it came about from just
want to be motivational. I believe a lot of things
are there's a lot of negativity in the world. So
if you can have subtle motivational things and put you
in a positive light, I believe in trying to adding
add to that portion. So OBS stands for overcoming both
mm so in that you know, we all go through
(36:50):
something either gender, you know, socioeconomics, whatever. We all have
something to go through and get over, and a lot
of times people want to have to always me story,
but that's no story is just going to be a
straight line. You have to overcome something and be appreciative
of the way you're trying to go. So for us,
you know, overcoming the bullsh life is just a monster.
(37:12):
Reminding yourself, keep going.
Speaker 3 (37:13):
Love that they got sweatshirts.
Speaker 2 (37:16):
Where can we get the brand at obs brand dot com.
Obs brand dot com. Peanut's way better about supporting than
I do, because like I say something, then I forget it.
Peanut like he'll go buy right now.
Speaker 1 (37:28):
I want to reach out to you.
Speaker 2 (37:29):
Yeah, that's perfect with that stuff, like supporting the locals.
We got to help each other out. I wouldn't be
where I am because people help me out. So I'm
just you know, plant that seed and I.
Speaker 1 (37:41):
Love your dog. Keep it going.
Speaker 2 (37:43):
Here's another question. Peanut usually does this more eloquently than
I do. But we've all had you know, these people
in our lives, influential people, things that matter to you
and who is on your personal mount rushmore of influence
and Steven Jacks since life.
Speaker 1 (38:03):
A mentor of mind to my mom and Dad found him.
Actually his name is Anthony Gowins. He's he's in the
financial world. He works for five serf now, but Wall
Street guy. When I was going to the NFL in
two thousand and four, was introduced to him in a church.
He was through the church relationship. But we've become really close,
(38:24):
so close that I gave a commissment speech this year
and he was actually the source and the inspiration of
the speech. And the speech talks about we hip Malcolm
Manjar with Chris Long and the water Boys group. And
in that hike you invite a veteran and Anthony is
a veteran. And in that hike, when we get to
(38:45):
the top, you know, it's five days on the mountain, right,
so there's some challenges, but in that hike you go
through emotional, all kinds of stuff. And to have someone
that accomplished all the things he's accomplished but not be
an NFL you know of zeke and talent and he's
twenty years of my age. For him to finish it
out and see it through it lets me know that
(39:07):
he's a guy that just gets We get each other.
He just gets it. And it's you know, so in
the speech. It talks about the three takeaways, and a
lot of it I learned from him, through him and
with him, is that after each day, have a joyful noise, right,
be thankful for today the God giving us. I went
on to go and discuss when you get to the
(39:27):
heights to where you're going. Right, So in the commissment speech,
we're talking about young people and this is your moment,
this is your you know, you've you've come to the
point and you can't stay there. So, like you know,
Kim and Jarl, something that large to nineteen thousand feet
in the air and you get that high, you realize,
as hard as I work to get here, I can't
stay here because there's nothing on up here that's going
(39:49):
to sustain life in the air up here is too thin, Right,
you can't stay there. You got to be motivated to
keep going. And although you reach certain heights, you may
leave people behind to continue on your journey. You got
to come down from where you are to go to
where you want to head next.
Speaker 3 (40:05):
Damn, that's life though, it is life.
Speaker 1 (40:07):
Yeah, that's awesome.
Speaker 3 (40:09):
Okay, So my mount rushmore of people.
Speaker 1 (40:12):
My mentor is definitly there alone with my father and
there's there are some other people in the world. You
got two more. I mean, I gotta go easy mom.
Mom's there, he's more spiritual bone, She's the one that
helped me get to some of the lean years of
Saint Louis. I'm not winning? Why am I doing this?
How do I stay motivated? How do I show up
when I know somebody else is not showing up? Right?
(40:33):
We've seen some of those eyes in the huddle, you know,
when somebody quit on you, absolutely and those could be
moments that break you. So my mom is one of
those people that's still that faith in me when it
seems like there's nothing else to believe in. And then lastly,
I don't even want to blow smoke up somebody. I
think that option is left there for family. I think anytime,
(40:54):
you know, anytime I think about why I'm doing something
where I'm going, it's always that I could just try
to later role, to pave the role for the kids
and for my wife to be a little easier. Yeah,
you know, I always you know, I don't hope I'm
not going anywhere anytime soon, but I definitely want to
make sure that if it ever comes to that demise,
everybody like Stephen had it, but he was buttoning up.
(41:14):
He took care of things. Yeah, the truth.
Speaker 3 (41:18):
You off the hot seat, brother, I appreciate you coming over.
Speaker 1 (41:22):
That awesome. I couldn't remember some stuff.
Speaker 2 (41:26):
That's him all the time, that's me all the time.
We getting older is not everybody, not everybody Plase, y'all,
y'all know me.
Speaker 3 (41:39):
I had this since like as long as y'all known me.
Speaker 1 (41:42):
I've had this.
Speaker 2 (41:42):
You wear well, brother, You appreciate it, man, Stephen Man, dude,
I appreciate you man coming in here.
Speaker 1 (41:49):
Sign off. I've been waiting to get on this show.
I'm a big fan of it because you guys started.
I love what you guys are doing. I love the message,
I love the title, and I think you guys are
the best to carry.
Speaker 3 (42:00):
Thanks man. We appreciate that.
Speaker 1 (42:01):
Man, I receive that and all.
Speaker 2 (42:03):
Honestly, I think Pina and I love this show so much,
like I've seen so much growth and Peanut personally, because
when we first retired, just like everybody else, we really
had no idea what we were doing or what that
second act was going to be like. And for us,
I think we have learned and been able to give
so much love to all of our viewers and all
(42:23):
of our guests that we have on here, because genuinely,
you guys are pouring into us by telling us these things,
and then we get to just pour it right back out,
not only to you, but to the next guest, but
to the next person that we have on And it's
been so fun for us. We've stopped blaming ourselves for
a lot of mistakes that we've made. It's brought us
closer as friends. It's allowed us to see a lot
(42:45):
of different things from a lot of different angles, and
truly there is no right or wrong in doing it,
and it doesn't come with.
Speaker 3 (42:51):
A rule book either. They're all just figuring it out.
Speaker 2 (42:53):
And it's always great to hear great stories people that
are pouring into their families and we genuinely root for
each other. Man, there's no locker room like a football.
Speaker 1 (43:02):
Yeah, I agree. I'm glad to hear that, because you know,
for many times, for many years, we've been greater by
a grade sheet did you do it? Did you not
do it? And we're so hard on ourselves that I'm
glad you guys have each other and we have the
community that we can lean on. Each other and know
that we're not perfect and that's okay.
Speaker 2 (43:17):
Absolutely, this is my experience is just like what Room said, Man,
it's this is therapeutic for me.
Speaker 3 (43:22):
I enjoyed.
Speaker 2 (43:23):
I enjoy listening to the stories. I enjoy uh the
players trusting us and opening up and telling their their story,
you know, and it's uh, yeah, this is it's been fun.
I don't know how long this is going on, but
it's a blast and I'm ready just to tell the
stories for you know, all of our other peers that
we have on the show today, tomorrow and in the future.
Speaker 1 (43:43):
As long as they allow y'all to do it, keep
doing it because we're listening.
Speaker 3 (43:46):
Thanks dog man, I appreciate you that for real. Thank you.
Speaker 2 (43:48):
As long as Thomas in the corner keep doing this thing.
Speaker 3 (43:54):
As long as you keep doing this thing, going to
be right.
Speaker 2 (43:57):
Yeah, you know what else doing that thing? Who man
our viewers and our listeners out there, they are most
definitely man. Give us a five star rating of review,
like comment, subscribe, tell a friend to tell a friend
to do what peanut. I've been working on that and
you can now check us out on the YouTube page
or the NFL.
Speaker 1 (44:14):
Uh.
Speaker 2 (44:15):
Yeah, NFL our NFL YouTube channels, that's.
Speaker 1 (44:21):
What it is.
Speaker 2 (44:22):
Make sure y'all leave a comment. Please do that, man.
Thank you guys always for tuning in. Peanuts, get us
out here, man, I'm Peanut. That's my guy Roman, Steven Jackson,
the show, y'all. We appreciate y'all. Thank you for watching
The NFL Player's Second Act podcast, and we out
What's up? Everybody? Is Stephen Jackson, the Los Angeles RAMS
all time leading rushier, co founder of the original Barber's School,
as well as you can find our clothing line, the
original brand dot com. And this is the NFL player
Second Acts Podcast.
Speaker 2 (00:21):
I'll peed up, gentlemen, and this is the NFL Player's
Second Acts podcast with me as always is my guy
room and then Waves, boy hidden look at him.
Speaker 1 (00:30):
Waves.
Speaker 2 (00:31):
It's like a skunk. It's a lot, you know, getting
the gray hair to do right. It is just it
just takes a little bit more work, a couple more
brushes every night, a couple more brushes in the morning,
and I show up like this.
Speaker 1 (00:44):
All right, I'm ready.
Speaker 3 (00:46):
You can introduce that her next guess I'm.
Speaker 2 (00:49):
Okay, this next, gentleman. Classic part of my class, all
pro running back for twelve seasons, RAMS all time leading rusher,
top twenty on the all time NFL rushing List, co
founder of the original barber School.
Speaker 3 (01:08):
Ladies and gentlemen, Stephen Jackson get hot.
Speaker 2 (01:13):
I would also like to say, this is the same
guy that when anybody asked me, who's the toughest running
back you had to tackle when you played? You are
the guy that I named, not Adrian Peterson. I talk
about Michael Michael Turner the Bardner a little bit too,
because he was sure.
Speaker 3 (01:31):
Tough to hit. But you are the man. Yes, yeah,
I appreciate that man, no doubt. Like it wasn't even close.
Speaker 1 (01:38):
Quite often I hear that question. A lot of casts
named a lot of running back. I said, damn, was.
Speaker 3 (01:42):
That that easy? No?
Speaker 2 (01:43):
No, no, you were the most definitely not most definitely not.
Stephen Jackson was the first running back that I legit
had to like, no, you need to tackle plan going
into the game.
Speaker 3 (01:55):
Yeah, like a plan to how to tackle one person.
Speaker 2 (01:58):
And it was also a rule to like if if
he gets past the linebackers, it ain't nobody touched him yet,
It's not my fault if I missed.
Speaker 3 (02:06):
That's just another rule. He was running through them arm tackles. Yeah,
it was kind of the day. It's unfortunate. You know,
you still look like you could play. Though.
Speaker 2 (02:12):
I know there's a lot it's a podcast, so people
are listening right now.
Speaker 3 (02:15):
But yo, we got video too. We got video.
Speaker 2 (02:18):
But for the ones that can't get the video because
they're driving, like Steve Jackson is, like he still swollen
like you can't.
Speaker 3 (02:24):
You can't run up on him.
Speaker 1 (02:25):
I try to keep it together, how much you're.
Speaker 3 (02:27):
Wearing it, Like you you played around, what two forty,
two thirty.
Speaker 1 (02:30):
Between two thirty five and two forty, I'm two forty
right now. It just it's not as package as tight
as it uses.
Speaker 3 (02:36):
Fine, it's fine as the base pack is basic. No tak,
no jumpo. Yeah.
Speaker 2 (02:44):
I mean that's like when you bow the extras when
you get a car. Yeah, I just want the base package, you.
Speaker 3 (02:49):
Know what I said.
Speaker 2 (02:50):
Still getting to forty, you just less muscle it down,
you know what I mean?
Speaker 3 (02:54):
Less mustle it to forty still base back.
Speaker 2 (02:57):
I kind of feel like that's where we all say
because I'm still kind of mind playing with And I'm
like two ten two eight ish, I say, I like
two of four or two or five is two of
three depending on what that And I kind of feel
like each year i'm away for football, like I just
try to maintain that playing with. That means I'm healthy
if I can. If I I ain't played in almost
ten years, but if I can still maintain my playing
(03:18):
with that's kind of how I maintained my health exactly.
Speaker 1 (03:20):
How I look at it, same thing.
Speaker 3 (03:21):
You know, it's the same way you look at it.
It is okay.
Speaker 2 (03:24):
I got to give you one more compliment too, because
my oldest brother, his name is Brian Harper. We call
him b Harp. He talks a lot of trash all
the time. You are the one person that he referenced
to that. Like you know, Rome, I used to always think, like, man,
I could get out there. I hear all these people
say like, oh I could do this, I could do that,
And then I guess you guys came to the Dome
one time and he saw you jump about two or
(03:45):
three cuts, two or three holes and then got outside
and ran over somebody and then got out of bounce and.
Speaker 1 (03:50):
He was like, nah, you can't do that. Many did these.
Speaker 2 (03:53):
Running backs of the league. They next level. So it's
always been about your speed or your power. Which one
would you say is your best attribute?
Speaker 1 (04:00):
Oh wow, I would think. I always try to time
up my impact. So I was like a baseball player aspect, right,
So when I knew it was about to be impact,
I try to explode through the shoulder paths or whoever
was about to tackle.
Speaker 3 (04:12):
You want to deliver.
Speaker 1 (04:13):
I wanted to deliver, right, I knew I wasn't quite
four two four three. I was four four respectable, but
then at the same time very respectable. You got to
understand who were talking to, Like this person ain't never
ran a full fall, that's true.
Speaker 3 (04:27):
Person hasn't ran a four eight.
Speaker 1 (04:28):
That's It's like, you know, the thing is because we
have we all have kids to think about. When you
say stuff like that, the kids to them it's like, well, dad,
you was only for four I'm like, so, you're right.
Speaker 3 (04:38):
I'm talking to teenagers a lot right now.
Speaker 1 (04:40):
I get it to get it, so yeah, impact, I
would say, you know, it was always a blend. I
always wanted to, you know, leave the game. Having everybody
like that was a tough one.
Speaker 3 (04:50):
I didn't want that smoke. I'm just gonna say it, like, nah, I've.
Speaker 2 (04:53):
Dude, everybody made business decisions tackling this guy. I great
about you all the time. I'm a big family you
ors you know that. Well, I would say this. I
was talking to some of our people here today, Jake
and everybody, how you are my generations? Derrick Henry Where
now we look at Derrick Henry and he's big, he's fast,
(05:14):
he has a stiff arm and he's roll tied and
so went to a great university. I mean, he's amazing,
he won a Heisman, he's done all these great things.
But in our generation, we had Steven Jackson. And so
how do you feel about that comparison? And do you
think you get enough of your flowers from those that
maybe because you played with Saint Lucient, you probably didn't
(05:36):
win as much as you guys wanted to at times.
Speaker 1 (05:39):
No, I appreciate the compliment. I could see the similarities
in our game. You know, once being a running back,
it's a small fraternity. But what's even smaller within that
fraternity is the big backs. Yes, right, So, like you said,
like I felt like the torch was handed to me
from Eddie George. And when I met Eddie it was
one it was a huge honor. But we talked about,
(06:00):
you know, it's some smaller guys, they're gonna feel like
you can't do certain things. You just go out there
and do your thing. So when I seen Derek come
on the scene, it kind of it was like, Yo,
the big back is still alive. Right, It's not a
whole bunch of scat backs and running backs by the committee.
It is a guy out there that just do everything
and be that that soul. But for Derek, what he's
doing in the career he's had, it's amazing because at first,
(06:23):
you know, at Tennessee, when he didn't win the Super
Bowl there, I was like, man, are they going to
use up his years? Kind of like what happened to
me in Saint Louis. But to see what has happened
and this year he had in Baltimore, it was like kudos.
And then you pair that up with taekuon doing like
the big back in the running back is back. So
I'm excited about.
Speaker 2 (06:39):
That now when you say big back, because you know
I'm not. It's not always about weight, No. I think
when you refer to the big back, it's the hype, right,
It's the way you know you're talking about scat backs.
We scatbacks are there's still two hundred pounds, but they're
like five eight five ten. Yeah, you are six two,
six six two, you're six two. Derek Henry's six three.
Speaker 1 (06:58):
He's at least six four. I think he got two
inches on me, six four. I think.
Speaker 3 (07:05):
Vegas they never still to him he was I was legit.
I was like, he probably six two No, he's definitely
not six too. He's definitely that. He's definitely telling me,
damn crazy.
Speaker 2 (07:16):
But that's what you mean by big back, right, And
I forgot that Eddie George was. Eddie George is extremely
tall back as well, probably Eric Dickerous to the guys
before that, I would assume all the big backs. So
how do you feel about the resurgence of the running back?
How big of a year has it been? Because everybody
tried to downplay the run of the position, and all
of a sudden, now the teams that are here are
(07:39):
they got running backs?
Speaker 1 (07:40):
For sure. I think it's important for the position. I
think for a lot of times, as we know, the
NFL is a copycat league. So when teams are having
successful multiple running backs, and then you could you could
couple that excuse with having insurance because guys don't last
the whole season. It makes for a great argument when
somebody's building a team for scratch. But I think you know,
when you start talking about and later in the season,
(08:01):
you need a big guy that's a possession guy that
the moment won't get too big for him. He get
you know, gets you a first down, but he also
hits your home run for you. And also with the
way defense are playing, you guys are on your side
of the football field. You guys are going more exotic.
You guys are going smaller linebackers. I could run with
the tight end and cover out the backfield. So if
you start thinking about, like where's my advantage? Where do
(08:23):
I take? You know, where's on offense? Can we take
advantage of that matchup? You're talking about five six man
box with smaller guys. You put there, you put myself in,
and then you know you at least expecting five yards. Yeah.
Speaker 2 (08:35):
Yeah, what was your favorite run play?
Speaker 1 (08:41):
So at Oregon State we were a single back offense. Yeah,
and I learned to run inside the zone and it
gave me the freedom that if I found the hole,
I could get there. So it's it's my bread and butter,
it's my stable. I say, I made a lot of
money off that play because all you got to do
is get someone overflowing and you can take that backside cut,
you know, and you can crease them. So I would go,
I would say inside zone and then after that, I
(09:02):
gotta go gap scheme. I like power, Yeah, hat on
the hat, let's go.
Speaker 2 (09:08):
I like that I hate that cutback, bro, because that's
usually the safeties gays exactly.
Speaker 3 (09:15):
Decision, decision. I'll tell you I never had to worry
about it. No, bro, if it.
Speaker 2 (09:21):
Got all the way out there, you could just push
him out of bounds, you know. And you're a big
corner two peanuts, So like you know, it's different. How
would you describe your running style?
Speaker 1 (09:31):
I would like to say I'm a classic. I'm a
nineties and nineties back. I think I'm a guy that
could I could protect it in the backfield. I mean,
your last line of defense, small enough to run the hots.
If I need to run a route out the backfield,
I got soft hands. But then you know from the
from the center on out to the tight end, I could,
I could hit it, I could crease it, and I
(09:52):
had enough speed to pull away. So I believe I'm
a back that I give coaches problems because he has
to figure out when can he take me off the field.
And as my my oldest son, our oldest son is eighteen,
he's a running back. He'll be going to Oregon State
next year. That's my relations sure, dude, So that's that's
what Skyler Jackson Colear Jackson don't put pressure on him
(10:13):
to make sure that he's all around. I don't want
him to just say I'm a scatter on this on
that you're neither you are what the coach needs you
to be.
Speaker 2 (10:20):
Yeah, but I think that's a huge compliment to you
because that was one of your big things. I know,
I compared you to Derrick Henry. Well, our generations Derrick
Henry were, You're this generation. You know, he's you're their generation,
Stephen Jackson in my opinion, but you caught the ball
the backfield. You're like a true truth threat. You were
the number one option pretty much mary An he catches
one season, you were the number one option, Yes, sir,
(10:43):
that's a very slept on season, too, very very slept
on season. I saw that on my Instagram real the
other day, like that is a great slept on season
for Stephen Jackson running backs.
Speaker 3 (10:52):
And so with that, was it the hands? The catching?
Speaker 2 (10:56):
Is that just something you always had or is that
something you had to literally work on? Because for me,
I had to work on catching the ball because I
wasn't used to the The NFL ball doesn't have a
white strike right, So for me, I really struggled picking
it up with my eyes.
Speaker 1 (11:11):
No, for me, I was a natural catcher. But what
made me want to get really good at it my
rookie year back to Marshall fault, right, and you can't
tell coach Mike Martz something that I can't do it.
He like, well, Marshall could do it. You know. It
kind of put that pressure on me to become all
around really good. I just understanding route running and then leverage.
Right when you get on on on the defender, what
(11:32):
he leaning are you giving him something at the top
of your route. All those things came later, you know,
once to do my career. As far as being a
natural catch, I was able to do that, you know.
And then again it goes back to college career. We
ran a pro style offense. I had Dennis Erickson, but
he ran that. You know. We would go three four
ride and we're gonna we're gonna just let you pick
your poison. Yeah.
Speaker 2 (11:52):
So I know in our era we had some big
we have some big running backs, but yet we also
had the we had the big linebackers. Yes, and you're
an all around back. You can run, you can block
and catch. Give me a name of a player that
gave you the business in the backfield when he was
trying to protect.
Speaker 1 (12:10):
They happened in practice. Pem okay, mine's happened in practice practice? Yeah,
Chris Clayborn, Yeah yeah, sc big linebacker two fifty two sixty.
We're doing one on one protection and you know, in practice,
especially trading camp, you know, you gotta you gotta bug
(12:31):
your Chinstrapstely, I will never forget. We was like it
was like the last ten plays in the School of
damn teen script.
Speaker 3 (12:39):
You have made it, we'd have made it. We about
to go to we about to go in the locker room.
Speaker 1 (12:42):
Here we go and Chris came in on the bliss
man and I I didn't take him serious, and he
got you got this. You gut his helmet underneath me
and he split my chin. I had to get I
had to get stitches out the practice so my you know,
I have fun memories of that, but there's no nummy
for the chin really, so you just they just sewing
(13:03):
you up. And I was so mad at critical you
would do that. We got to be out of practice.
What we do? What are we doing here? Yeah? What
year was he? Y'all? Events we were I was probably
year two or three. I was skill a puppy. I
was still a puppy, but he was coming over to
the team and his first year with us, so I
(13:24):
get it right. It was point.
Speaker 2 (13:27):
Yeah, you having to be the point, to be the point. Ye,
what is your welcome to the NFL moment?
Speaker 1 (13:37):
Lawyer malloy in Buffalo.
Speaker 3 (13:39):
Ye, this is another thing, pop right out.
Speaker 1 (13:41):
Yeah yeah, lawyer malloy in Buffalo. At that time, I
wasn't playing a lot, so they were just spot giving
me plays. We're on the we're on a goal line,
and coach calls a run play for me to run in.
I came in high. I'm just used to run over
everybody in college. Lawyer came in and clean my clog man.
I thought I swallowed my tongue. My running back coach
(14:05):
at the time, he was like, Yo, don't you ever
do that again? And the next damn film we just
kept rewinding it and I was just like, Okay, I
get the hazing, I get it. I would never do
that again. Was it was?
Speaker 2 (14:20):
It just a constant slower wind back and they just
keep talking, just running back, just keep running back.
Speaker 3 (14:29):
Those are like the most embarrassing moments.
Speaker 2 (14:30):
So I remember being in games and I would get
hit by a line and a run, you miss tackle,
someone runs you over. And the first thing that I
would say that was like, damn, we gotta Washington team.
We gotta Washington team. Film and you're sitting there, Washington
and they're watching it and it's like you falling and
going back and she's falling going back and she falling
going back, and everyone's.
Speaker 3 (14:51):
Like damn, damn, hey, look look, and you're.
Speaker 2 (14:54):
Just like, oh my god, just go to the next
play already, Why don't please?
Speaker 1 (14:58):
Special one is on that's running back. Yeah, you know,
you guys got three or four people to watch because
you guys in a group.
Speaker 3 (15:03):
Like it was on the one back. Then I see
what I did.
Speaker 1 (15:08):
I see what I do? You know what?
Speaker 3 (15:10):
That is a great point. Actually, I never actually thought
about that.
Speaker 2 (15:13):
When you're coaching the running backs and y'all are in
the meeting room and it's just one running back and
you mess up, like.
Speaker 3 (15:18):
Bro, we ain't got to do that six times, but
we all saw it. You don't have to, Like we
got two corners.
Speaker 2 (15:25):
We got to talk about what they do in the
play so much embarrassing. So it's a lot like we
could get through it. That's just like bro ain't but
one of us like like we got it.
Speaker 1 (15:35):
Try to go to the bathroom, they're palls and wait
on you.
Speaker 3 (15:38):
I I.
Speaker 2 (15:42):
It's the worst. So RAMS all time leaning rusher. Where
does that rank in all the list of your accomplishments.
Speaker 1 (15:51):
It's a big, a huge, no, it's a big deal.
So when I when I was able to take the
starting job, it was a golden mine and become the
RAMS all time leading rusher. And when it happened, it
happened in Tampa, it was one that I was extremely
proud of because I knew the two people I had
to pass to get to be number one, and to
(16:11):
have those names the second and third now behind minds,
it means that I had at least a career that
I could be like, I could hold my head up high.
And it's one of those things that means a lot
to me. Who knows, there's a hall of famous you know,
to come knock it or not, but it's one of
those things that I can say, Hey, in that organization,
(16:32):
I rang up there with two of the greats that
ever played the game. So it's something that I'm very
proud of.
Speaker 2 (16:36):
Well, you're a head of two Hall of Famers, So
that that matters, you know what I mean, that's a
beautiful thing.
Speaker 1 (16:41):
That's about telling my family and they ain't listening.
Speaker 3 (16:47):
Keep that football in Tampa.
Speaker 1 (16:49):
You have it?
Speaker 2 (16:49):
Yes, who is the team that you struggle you felt
like you struggled versus if there were any team?
Speaker 3 (16:55):
Was it a defense? Was it a scheme?
Speaker 2 (16:58):
Who's somebody that you actually like, feel like Steven Jackson stroke?
Because when I watched you play, I don't think anybody
ever like made Stephen Jackson struggle.
Speaker 1 (17:07):
I would tell you the toughest is three four to
two gap guys.
Speaker 3 (17:12):
Yeah. San Francisco did a lot.
Speaker 1 (17:15):
Yeah, when they were on their run, they were one.
They were on there justin Smith yeah yeah yeah. He
showed you had one way and then discard. Yeah. So
those were the defense that gave me frustration, made me
really like question my eyes. I remember coming up to
the sign like am I seeing it right? Like everywhere
they are everywhere. So I would say those particular.
Speaker 2 (17:36):
Kind of schemes, okay, three three fours.
Speaker 1 (17:41):
Guy that could disengage, right, he got to be strong
enough where he could just he.
Speaker 3 (17:45):
Could show you one hat in one hole and then
you know full.
Speaker 2 (17:48):
Yeah, Justin Smith was a big problem for a lot
of people. Yeah, I want another.
Speaker 3 (17:52):
We're gonna take a short break and we'll be right back.
Speaker 2 (17:59):
I got to pick him the thirty three, and I
had my reasons for doing it. Why did you get
the number thirty nine?
Speaker 1 (18:05):
Thirty nine comes from me and my dad. My dad
has always been like I wouldn't say he was my coach,
but he was my professional critic. He was never a
coach on the staff, but the rides home from practice
in the game, he let me know, like, hey, play
seven like that you was stripping. So that was kind
(18:28):
of dad I had. So he toughened me up for
the media and the criticism that was to come in
the future. But I would say it had such great
He's still here on the earth with us, but I
had such great respect for his opinion on things. So
I remember getting to the NFL, like Dad, I warned
thirty four all my life out of a you know,
tribute to Walter Payton and Bo Jackson. But now I
(18:49):
want to do my own thing. I want to be
able to have somewhat of an impression on another generation
the way those guys had impression on me, and I
was like, I was looking around the league and no
starting running back in the NFL has thirty nine. I
was like, what do you think of that? And he
goes and we're in the car right and he goes,
I was thinking about this as well, and he was like, yeah,
(19:10):
I think that's your number because it's thirty nine books
in the Old Testament. And I'm come from a very
religious background and in that it was me taking one,
me and my dad agreeing on the number, but taking
my faith on the on the field with me because
I feel Gods who placed me there.
Speaker 3 (19:26):
I love that. I usually make fun of thirty nine.
Speaker 1 (19:30):
Well, Marshall fall did it for a long time.
Speaker 3 (19:38):
I'm glad that Marshall from Louisida bro I get it.
Speaker 2 (19:41):
Yeah, no, because ain't better though, No, So let me
tell you the difference because for me, it's heavy. It's
it's not heavy, it's it's how wide. So the three
is a big number naturally, so it was four. It's
a big numb back now. But the one is very slimmy, okay,
So it helps with my body with just having the
slim one.
Speaker 3 (20:02):
You you can carry it, you can hold a thirty nine.
Speaker 2 (20:04):
It doesn't look big on you, but if it was
on me, it would look big because I got a
big three and a big nine because nine is a
big number two, So you got to think about those things.
It's a full back number, bro, I don't care how
you try to make the one slimming and sexy forty one.
Speaker 3 (20:19):
It's forty. It's like a full back number, Brun. I
can see that.
Speaker 1 (20:22):
That's that's all right now? Yeah?
Speaker 3 (20:25):
Aka, I meaning jersey sales every day.
Speaker 1 (20:28):
Yeah, for men go to the thirty nine.
Speaker 3 (20:36):
Know when the start is getting.
Speaker 1 (20:40):
You know.
Speaker 2 (20:40):
That's another thing too, because like NFL teams, they don't
just put your jerseys up. Has Oregon State retired? Has
or I mean, has the Rams the Rams all your college?
Speaker 1 (20:51):
No, No, I'm in. I'm in my university's Hall of Fame.
Speaker 2 (20:54):
They haven't retired, and they don't do the number. They
don't do it, okay.
Speaker 1 (20:57):
And then as far as the Rams trash, no, no,
it's a youngster was wearing it this.
Speaker 3 (21:02):
Year, Okay, sore subject.
Speaker 1 (21:04):
I Wonmber.
Speaker 2 (21:05):
I just remember today I retired. They gave my number
away literally the next year, and I was like, damn,
y'all couldn't let it like rest, no for like a year,
a season.
Speaker 3 (21:14):
We need that couple. Yeah, we need that Week one,
we need that, We need that. I was sorry.
Speaker 2 (21:20):
I want to know how tough it was losing in
twenty fifteen in the AFC Championship Game because you went
to New England.
Speaker 3 (21:26):
I'm assuming you were like, I'm coming here.
Speaker 2 (21:27):
I'm trying to win me a super Bowl because that,
like all of us, at some point, that's like a box.
I think we all as natural athletes, and when you
get into an NFL locker room, you want to check
that box. How tough was that for you to actually
experience that?
Speaker 1 (21:43):
It actually wasn't as tough as you think it would
have been. Right that year. I had turned down earlier
in this season that Arizona Cardinals had to offer me
a deal, and I kind of stayed away from it.
My dad was dealing with cancer. He's bat on a cancer.
I wanted to be there for the family. So when
I passed that opportunity up, I didn't get another phone
call right and that you're talking about August training camp
(22:04):
and then the phone stops. So my wife's here in
the studio and I told her, I said, hey, we
get to Labor Day weekend. I don't get a call.
I'm just gonna shut it down. I know, cause we
all see that that guy come in and out the
locker room. Hey, I'm hoping I get on and it's
like October November. You're like, bro, So I'm just keeping
on when I I don't want to be. I don't
(22:27):
want to be that guy. So I shut it down.
And then sure enough, we're out Christmas tree shopping. I
get a phone call and at the time, you know,
Coach Belichick's the GM. So I answered the phone from
an unknown number of Massachusetts and I'm like, yo, who's
this And he's like Steven.
Speaker 3 (22:44):
And I was like that's my voice. Everybody know that voice.
Speaker 1 (22:47):
Yeah, I'm like yeah. He was like this coach, what's
the name? Just went down and uh, we need to
we need a running back, I said, Coach. I stopped
working on in September. I'll be a shell of my
stuff if I took this opportunity. So he said some
words and sold me. He was a pretty good salesman.
(23:07):
He was like hey, and I will never forget. He
was almost like an Oul Bundy. He's like, you don't
want to be that guy? On the couch in your
forties and fifties, saying, why did I not, you know,
take that opportunity because I could have got a super
Bowl out of it. I was like, man, coach booked
a fight.
Speaker 4 (23:26):
Hit you with the oul Bundy to be that sees
my wife, You're not you just feel a glare right,
you can just feel a good babe.
Speaker 1 (23:38):
I just committed to New England. I don't think we
need to get the tree right I don't think we
need to get the tree right now. She was so
mad at me. Get on the flight, go to New England.
Things are working out and this is when Lugarrett Blunt
went down. Sorry, So when I get there, I was
(23:58):
telling myself this whole time. I said, hey, you got
there calling in the summer. It didn't work out for you,
So this might be your last run. Definitely try to
win the super Bowl, but if you don't do anything else.
I just try to remember everything. I remember Wednesday practice.
You're like, I was just taking it all in and
it was almost over the movies. I can see the
(24:18):
title coming on, right, I can see it. So those
things of preparation like that was starting to kind of
brace me for the moment. Get fast forward to the game.
I scored the first touchdown on the SC Championship game,
So in my head, I said, Oh, it's happening. Oh,
we're gonna win this game. We're going to go to
the Championship, were going to Super Bowl. Then Peyton Man
(24:39):
and does Peyton Man and things, and you know that
defense they had at the time they beat us. They
got the best of us that day. And it was
one of those things where like when I walked off
the field, I just said thank you. I just said
thank you, because prior to that, I hadn't had a
chance to say thank you. I didn't know it was Indy,
I didn't know it was over. And at that point
I told myself and like, I put my family through enough.
(25:03):
Anytime I turn on the tape, anybody look at the field.
I don't think they ever said took the playoffs. I
love that.
Speaker 2 (25:09):
I'm so glad you shared that perspective because we're thinking, like, oh, man.
Speaker 3 (25:12):
It was your one chance.
Speaker 2 (25:14):
How disappointing were You're like, nah, bro, I was literally
just thankful every every Wednesday, every Thursday I had because
you knew you were there.
Speaker 3 (25:22):
Yeah, that's awesome.
Speaker 1 (25:23):
Now if I didn't get that opportunity, I think i'd
probably be like some other some of our other peers, right,
just angry, Yeah, just angry. And I just think I
thank God that I got that moment to just say
at peace with everything.
Speaker 2 (25:35):
Well, I think it's it's a blessing that you got
a chance to retire and do it on your terms.
We talked to a couple of guys and it was like, well,
I didn't retire football retired me.
Speaker 3 (25:45):
I still would have kept playing.
Speaker 2 (25:47):
And it sounds like you were at peace and you
walked away when you wanted to walk away.
Speaker 3 (25:52):
I think that's the cool thing. That's that's Can I
ask you a question, yes, sir.
Speaker 1 (25:56):
When you lost the one year play the what did
you lose one? Yeah?
Speaker 2 (26:01):
We lost in fifteen lot fifteen, Yeah, the same different team.
Speaker 1 (26:05):
How did that feel? Right? So that was losing one
game before losing in the super Bowl.
Speaker 2 (26:10):
Oh, definitely in the Super Bowl, I've lost. So I've
lost an NFC championship once and I've lost two Super Bowls,
and I think they both are pretty painful. I still
have PTSD because I have yet to watch Super Bowl whatever,
the one in Chicago.
Speaker 3 (26:26):
I forget that one, the one.
Speaker 2 (26:29):
I still have yet to watch that game all the
way through, and I have yet to watch Super Bowl fifty.
Speaker 3 (26:34):
Like, I don't know.
Speaker 2 (26:35):
I like coming here and I like doing shows and
things for Super Bowl and everybody, But at the same time, it's.
Speaker 1 (26:41):
Like, damn, oh, that's right, we would have played each other.
Speaker 2 (26:44):
Oh yeah, so shout out to room. He's always throwing
shade my way because he got his Super Bowl Where's Yeah,
but no, it's it's hard to get over though, for sure,
because you know, like that was my that was my
one shot, or this is my opportunity. And I remember
Brian Urlacker in the huddle as they're doing their victory.
(27:05):
He goes, hey, we'll be back, don't worry, and he
never went back. I was the only one on that
defense to ever go back to to a Super Bowl.
Speaker 3 (27:14):
I was the only one.
Speaker 1 (27:16):
Got to share something with you my rookie year, Saint Louis.
We go to the playoffs, right b Seattle three times,
get out the wild card round, go to Division on
lowis to Atlanta, and same similar speeches, gaven, we'd be
back next year. I didn't go back to the playoffs
until my twelfth season. Yeah, I had eleven year drought.
Speaker 2 (27:36):
It's bananas to me that because you always think we'll
just get back, yeah, and it like, but you never
get to carry over this year's success is the next year,
and every team's different. It's so weird, Like we went
to the NFC Championship game my rookie year when I
was in New Orleans two years off, didn't won a
(27:56):
Super Bowl, then went on this stretcher like I went
to the playoff every year in my career, be side
like two.
Speaker 1 (28:02):
Just weird.
Speaker 2 (28:03):
And then all of a sudden, I went to a
couple of Super Bowls. Losing it stinks and I'd almost
rather like not go. Honestly, I think you did yourself
a favor. I'd rather it's the whole thing, Like you'd
rather have loved and lost or never loved it all.
Speaker 3 (28:18):
I think it's never loved it all.
Speaker 2 (28:20):
I truly, truly believe that I would much rather never
go than actually having to sit there and lose the
Super Bowl, because you know what, that owner they still
playing that Super Bowl party and people still show up.
We got to pretend like it's still a good time,
and ain't nobody happy smiling?
Speaker 3 (28:38):
Super is the worst absolutely worst. And I've been on
the other side.
Speaker 2 (28:42):
We're like the super Bowl party jumping and I gotta
leave because Miami clubs still calling me.
Speaker 3 (28:47):
And it's two am. I got stuck up, you know,
like like.
Speaker 2 (28:50):
It's still going, you know, so like it's two totally
different sides of it. And for me, honestly, Steven, I
would say, you, it's better off that, you know, you
didn't lose the super Bowl and you lost it in
the championship game. I appreciate that.
Speaker 3 (29:04):
Let's flip it real quick again.
Speaker 2 (29:07):
We were in Arizona and we were at the NFL
Legends Lounge and I don't know any barbers or anybody
like that in a z So we're at the Legends
Lounge and I got to cut talking to these cats
talking to the barbers, and they had they had the school,
learned a little bit about them. Thought it was great.
They went on and chopped me up real quick.
Speaker 1 (29:27):
Great.
Speaker 2 (29:28):
Last year super Bowl was in Vegas and I see
the same barbers out in Vegas and I thought.
Speaker 3 (29:35):
It was great.
Speaker 2 (29:36):
I was like, oh, okay, there was one dude. He
was a a I don't say that. I forget his name,
but he's a fan of the Green team. Oh the packer.
Yeah you know what I'm talking about. Yeah, the Green team.
And he was just chopping it up about this Green team,
this and this Green team that I didn't really care.
So fast forward, I'm in Vegas again. I do something
(29:57):
with the Raiders. So I call up a April.
Speaker 3 (30:00):
I was like, I need the barber. Well, you know
that's Steven's school.
Speaker 2 (30:03):
I was like, wait what, yeah, loss barbers. He's got
a he's got a college. He's he's got a barber school.
So I went on and I called you up, and
you can't folk.
Speaker 3 (30:12):
He went on.
Speaker 1 (30:13):
I went over to carrier.
Speaker 3 (30:14):
Yeah, I went over to the shop. He went on
and shopped me up, had a great convo.
Speaker 2 (30:18):
My question is what made you want to get into
opening your own barber school.
Speaker 1 (30:26):
So in high school I went to a vocational high school, Okay,
and during that time I learned drafting and I wanted
to be an architect, like that was my long term goal. Yeah, yeah, big.
And seeing some of my peers go on to study
other things, right, electricians, some with cosmetology, other was like newscaster.
I would watch all my high school peers go on
to have successful careers and still some of them are
(30:46):
still doing it to this day. Fast forward, here we
are in twenty twenty. All right, careers over. I've experienced
a dream life dream of mine, and I know what
the other side feels like to achieve something. So me
and Carl, my best friend in my hare since high school,
we're talking and, like all of us go through a screen.
I said, Hey, if the world was to stop now
(31:06):
or open back up, what do you wish you had, had,
have done or we'll have when it opens back up?
He said, a school two thousand and four. I've always
had that foundation based around children literacy, so I'm always
big in education and I always wanted a school on
my own. I just didn't know what kind of school, right.
So he and I were talking about our plans and
wishes in life, and he was like, I want to school.
(31:27):
I'm like, WHOA, Like, I've never shared this with my
friend that I wanted my own school. I'm like, what
kind of school you have in mind? So he had
the genius idea of the Barber School. I'm like, wait,
that makes so much sense. It goes back to my
trade school in high school, and the realization is you
can help young people achieve their life goal. It doesn't
have to be anything you know that we've achieved. Like
(31:48):
I always tell the students when I talk to now,
achievement and dedication to something is what you want to
fulfills your life and help you provide for yourself and
your family. So in that we opened the barber school.
Now what's funny is any story always has is lumps.
The month I bought the building, governments shut down the world.
(32:09):
So I just buy a brand new commercial building and
I can't use it for eleven months. So now questioning
did I make the wrong decision? Yeah, pulling my hair out,
stuck with it. We just gave us time to work
on the curriculum, start working on the build out, getting
things done. At least we could work on the construction
part of things. Then once we got to the point
where the world opened back up, our first class is
(32:31):
only five people. So now I'm stressed, Right, did I
make the right investment? And is this thing going to
work out? Second month that turned into fifteen students. After
that we were completely occupied. Forty forty students. Right, that's
where we're license to carrying given our size. Now we're
to the point We've been so blessed that we have
(32:51):
a five month waiting list just to be a new student,
and every month we take new recruits in that show
them that we have interest in this. Just this January,
last week we had fifty new arrollies. Let's say they
have interest to come to the school. So I say
that to say is it was two friends saying what
we wanted out of life, if it was all over,
what we hope to achieve, and we put our two
(33:12):
minds and talents together and that's how it happened.
Speaker 3 (33:15):
And that's awesome.
Speaker 2 (33:16):
My barber and Charlotte he started at barber school like
two years ago and he's owned shops before. But now
it kind of feeds itself now because the school is
able to like when you get guys to graduate or
young ladies to graduate, they can just go right over
to the barbershops school and it's awesome. And he talks
about everything that you're saying. It's like, dude, this ain't
about me. It's about me being able to let these
(33:38):
other young people find a skill, to be able to
provide and do for their own families and set their
own kind of schedule and be their own professionalism.
Speaker 1 (33:46):
Yeah, and it's not even just young people too. As
you said, you know, we have some people that have
second and third career choices. Someone transitioned to one of
our oldest students that were in their forties and she
was someone that she was in the office and she
just wanted to get out the office. Right, Yeah, you
had a skill set. She was go over her hands,
she did hair on the side, and she was like, Hey,
I just want to get my license in this opportunity
because I just tied of being behind a cubicle. So
(34:07):
we have transitions as people looking for a second and
third careers. And then we also I always tell young
people you could go anywhere and be a barber nowhere
you go in the world. It's one of the oldest
licensed professions. So it's one of those things that continues
to give back to the community. Haircuts for students or
file dollars and for adults with twelve dollars. So it
helps the family too that needs to help to have
(34:28):
a budget. We will be right back, all.
Speaker 2 (34:35):
Right, tell me about the legends show that the NFL
legends that you do.
Speaker 1 (34:39):
So legends is my thing that I do on my
social platforms. It's just to teach the younger generation or
football hits about guys that may have forgotten about. Right.
So this last this last two weeks ago, I just
didn't want to see me there. I've done other ones,
you know, on guys it's just the forgotten, the forgotten
legends that if you heard their name the name recognition,
(35:00):
you're like, oh yeah, I remember Sterlish shark, right, so
you throwed out these names. But the younger generation and
people that don't always hear the name again, they forget
how great a career that person had. And I think
so much in our industry, we're like, it's he a
Hall of Famer, and then if he's not a Hall
of Famer, it's like they just scard us. It's just like,
well the guy had a damn good run, like it
was really good. So it's me just re educating the
(35:21):
football world about some of the guys in their careers
and also giving their flowers if they're still here on earth.
Speaker 3 (35:26):
I love that they forget about you. Oh I mean,
be a good one. Two episodes.
Speaker 1 (35:34):
I'm looking at it.
Speaker 2 (35:36):
I appreciate that my son needed because my son is
like Dad, like you're slow, bro, Like my son.
Speaker 3 (35:41):
He's one of them.
Speaker 2 (35:42):
He's like the young generation generation that's like, no, so disrespectful,
so disrespect They only watched film themselves, that's it.
Speaker 3 (35:51):
And somebody else playing Madden or one of the other games.
Speaker 1 (35:54):
And that's crazy.
Speaker 2 (35:54):
They watch each other, which is mind blowing to me
watch other people play the game because we were waiting
to play, right, They watch it just because they like watching.
Speaker 1 (36:05):
Yeah, and be on FaceTime without looking at the TV
or the phone.
Speaker 3 (36:10):
Yes, yes, yes, it's like, why ain't you talking? I'm
just playing a game, like.
Speaker 2 (36:17):
But you Yeah, all right, I ain't got that one yet. Yeah,
it is coming, trust me. You got a clothing the
brand called OBS. Talk to me about that.
Speaker 1 (36:28):
The clothing line is like a marketing and an extension
of the barber school. But it came about from just
want to be motivational. I believe a lot of things
are there's a lot of negativity in the world. So
if you can have subtle motivational things and put you
in a positive light, I believe in trying to adding
add to that portion. So OBS stands for overcoming both
mm so in that you know, we all go through
(36:50):
something either gender, you know, socioeconomics, whatever. We all have
something to go through and get over, and a lot
of times people want to have to always me story,
but that's no story is just going to be a
straight line. You have to overcome something and be appreciative
of the way you're trying to go. So for us,
you know, overcoming the bullsh life is just a monster.
(37:12):
Reminding yourself, keep going.
Speaker 3 (37:13):
Love that they got sweatshirts.
Speaker 2 (37:16):
Where can we get the brand at obs brand dot com.
Obs brand dot com. Peanut's way better about supporting than
I do, because like I say something, then I forget it.
Peanut like he'll go buy right now.
Speaker 1 (37:28):
I want to reach out to you.
Speaker 2 (37:29):
Yeah, that's perfect with that stuff, like supporting the locals.
We got to help each other out. I wouldn't be
where I am because people help me out. So I'm
just you know, plant that seed and I.
Speaker 1 (37:41):
Love your dog. Keep it going.
Speaker 2 (37:43):
Here's another question. Peanut usually does this more eloquently than
I do. But we've all had you know, these people
in our lives, influential people, things that matter to you
and who is on your personal mount rushmore of influence
and Steven Jacks since life.
Speaker 1 (38:03):
A mentor of mind to my mom and Dad found him.
Actually his name is Anthony Gowins. He's he's in the
financial world. He works for five serf now, but Wall
Street guy. When I was going to the NFL in
two thousand and four, was introduced to him in a church.
He was through the church relationship. But we've become really close,
(38:24):
so close that I gave a commissment speech this year
and he was actually the source and the inspiration of
the speech. And the speech talks about we hip Malcolm
Manjar with Chris Long and the water Boys group. And
in that hike you invite a veteran and Anthony is
a veteran. And in that hike, when we get to
(38:45):
the top, you know, it's five days on the mountain, right,
so there's some challenges, but in that hike you go
through emotional, all kinds of stuff. And to have someone
that accomplished all the things he's accomplished but not be
an NFL you know of zeke and talent and he's
twenty years of my age. For him to finish it
out and see it through it lets me know that
(39:07):
he's a guy that just gets We get each other.
He just gets it. And it's you know, so in
the speech. It talks about the three takeaways, and a
lot of it I learned from him, through him and
with him, is that after each day, have a joyful noise, right,
be thankful for today the God giving us. I went
on to go and discuss when you get to the
(39:27):
heights to where you're going. Right, So in the commissment speech,
we're talking about young people and this is your moment,
this is your you know, you've you've come to the
point and you can't stay there. So, like you know,
Kim and Jarl, something that large to nineteen thousand feet
in the air and you get that high, you realize,
as hard as I work to get here, I can't
stay here because there's nothing on up here that's going
(39:49):
to sustain life in the air up here is too thin, Right,
you can't stay there. You got to be motivated to
keep going. And although you reach certain heights, you may
leave people behind to continue on your journey. You got
to come down from where you are to go to
where you want to head next.
Speaker 3 (40:05):
Damn, that's life though, it is life.
Speaker 1 (40:07):
Yeah, that's awesome.
Speaker 3 (40:09):
Okay, So my mount rushmore of people.
Speaker 1 (40:12):
My mentor is definitly there alone with my father and
there's there are some other people in the world. You
got two more. I mean, I gotta go easy mom.
Mom's there, he's more spiritual bone, She's the one that
helped me get to some of the lean years of
Saint Louis. I'm not winning? Why am I doing this?
How do I stay motivated? How do I show up
when I know somebody else is not showing up? Right?
(40:33):
We've seen some of those eyes in the huddle, you know,
when somebody quit on you, absolutely and those could be
moments that break you. So my mom is one of
those people that's still that faith in me when it
seems like there's nothing else to believe in. And then lastly,
I don't even want to blow smoke up somebody. I
think that option is left there for family. I think anytime,
(40:54):
you know, anytime I think about why I'm doing something
where I'm going, it's always that I could just try
to later role, to pave the role for the kids
and for my wife to be a little easier. Yeah,
you know, I always you know, I don't hope I'm
not going anywhere anytime soon, but I definitely want to
make sure that if it ever comes to that demise,
everybody like Stephen had it, but he was buttoning up.
(41:14):
He took care of things. Yeah, the truth.
Speaker 3 (41:18):
You off the hot seat, brother, I appreciate you coming over.
Speaker 1 (41:22):
That awesome. I couldn't remember some stuff.
Speaker 2 (41:26):
That's him all the time, that's me all the time.
We getting older is not everybody, not everybody Plase, y'all,
y'all know me.
Speaker 3 (41:39):
I had this since like as long as y'all known me.
Speaker 1 (41:42):
I've had this.
Speaker 2 (41:42):
You wear well, brother, You appreciate it, man, Stephen Man, dude,
I appreciate you man coming in here.
Speaker 1 (41:49):
Sign off. I've been waiting to get on this show.
I'm a big fan of it because you guys started.
I love what you guys are doing. I love the message,
I love the title, and I think you guys are
the best to carry.
Speaker 3 (42:00):
Thanks man. We appreciate that.
Speaker 1 (42:01):
Man, I receive that and all.
Speaker 2 (42:03):
Honestly, I think Pina and I love this show so much,
like I've seen so much growth and Peanut personally, because
when we first retired, just like everybody else, we really
had no idea what we were doing or what that
second act was going to be like. And for us,
I think we have learned and been able to give
so much love to all of our viewers and all
(42:23):
of our guests that we have on here, because genuinely,
you guys are pouring into us by telling us these things,
and then we get to just pour it right back out,
not only to you, but to the next guest, but
to the next person that we have on And it's
been so fun for us. We've stopped blaming ourselves for
a lot of mistakes that we've made. It's brought us
closer as friends. It's allowed us to see a lot
(42:45):
of different things from a lot of different angles, and
truly there is no right or wrong in doing it,
and it doesn't come with.
Speaker 3 (42:51):
A rule book either. They're all just figuring it out.
Speaker 2 (42:53):
And it's always great to hear great stories people that
are pouring into their families and we genuinely root for
each other. Man, there's no locker room like a football.
Speaker 1 (43:02):
Yeah, I agree. I'm glad to hear that, because you know,
for many times, for many years, we've been greater by
a grade sheet did you do it? Did you not
do it? And we're so hard on ourselves that I'm
glad you guys have each other and we have the
community that we can lean on. Each other and know
that we're not perfect and that's okay.
Speaker 2 (43:17):
Absolutely, this is my experience is just like what Room said, Man,
it's this is therapeutic for me.
Speaker 3 (43:22):
I enjoyed.
Speaker 2 (43:23):
I enjoy listening to the stories. I enjoy uh the
players trusting us and opening up and telling their their story,
you know, and it's uh, yeah, this is it's been fun.
I don't know how long this is going on, but
it's a blast and I'm ready just to tell the
stories for you know, all of our other peers that
we have on the show today, tomorrow and in the future.
Speaker 1 (43:43):
As long as they allow y'all to do it, keep
doing it because we're listening.
Speaker 3 (43:46):
Thanks dog man, I appreciate you that for real. Thank you.
Speaker 2 (43:48):
As long as Thomas in the corner keep doing this thing.
Speaker 3 (43:54):
As long as you keep doing this thing, going to
be right.
Speaker 2 (43:57):
Yeah, you know what else doing that thing? Who man
our viewers and our listeners out there, they are most
definitely man. Give us a five star rating of review,
like comment, subscribe, tell a friend to tell a friend
to do what peanut. I've been working on that and
you can now check us out on the YouTube page
or the NFL.
Speaker 1 (44:14):
Uh.
Speaker 2 (44:15):
Yeah, NFL our NFL YouTube channels, that's.
Speaker 1 (44:21):
What it is.
Speaker 2 (44:22):
Make sure y'all leave a comment. Please do that, man.
Thank you guys always for tuning in. Peanuts, get us
out here, man, I'm Peanut. That's my guy Roman, Steven Jackson,
the show, y'all. We appreciate y'all. Thank you for watching
The NFL Player's Second Act podcast, and we out
Hosts And Creators
Charles “Peanut” Tillman
Roman Harper
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