After Hours with Amy Lawrence PODCAST: Hour 3

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40% off selected products at Blinds.com. Rules and restrictions may apply. It's weird to say, but on the morning of April 20th, early, early morning of April 20th, but every member of our United States time zones is now into the actual morning of April 20th, except for Hawaii. So we're still waiting on Hawaii stragglers.

Try to keep up, will you? Someone asked me, who was it asked me on last show, Hump Show, Ask Amy anything about the next item on my bucket list, which one I thought I would check off. Right. And I said, Hawaii. Yes. Right.

I said, Hawaii. I got to be careful what I say on the show. Stop it. I wasn't going to say it. No, it's not like I'm making decisions on my own here. I'm just, you know, just spit balling.

It's after hours with Amy Lawrence on CBS Sports Radio. Boy, does my mouth get me in trouble so often. And now, now I feel as though I'm being spied on the notepad. Time stands.

Oh, goodness. So we're going to get to Tua Tagovailoa on this edition of the show. And actually we're going to get to Tua's comments this hour, maybe even here in the next couple of minutes, trying to organize how I want to do this. We do have an edition of QB News, which is funny to say on April 20th, but we're now a week away from the NFL Draft. So of course, the teams between the draft and the voluntary OTAs, all the teams are talking. It's always good to kind of get a finger on the pulse of what our teams are doing. And, you know, once the draft is done, you know what happens after that? The schedule release.

They never leave us alone ever as in ever, ever leave us alone. So the NFL is a big bad. And as much as I think that the draft is intriguing, honestly, it feels like the way that the last two offseasons, the coaches, the general managers and the veteran players have been trotted out and made available, that the current players are actually overshadowing the prospects and the up and coming players. For instance, at the combine now, it's it's this convention that takes place in football where every coach, every GM and a variety of players are speaking. And what they have to say, this is a new phenomenon, it has not been more than, say, three years that we've seen the combine get taken over by current coaches and GMs in terms of them having to be available to speak.

And like every day it's someone different. Every day it's different divisions or conferences. It used to be that the combine was about the next generation.

It's no longer that way. And I don't think the draft is overshadowed when it's actually airing in primetime, which it will next Thursday night. It'll be interesting to see what playoff games it's up against in the NBA and the NHL. So I think the draft itself is still a centerpiece in a primetime event in this year in Kansas City, which is pretty exciting. However, the lead up to it is not the same buzz that it has been in the past, because so much of the talk is about the guys who are in the league right now.

It's a strange shift over the last couple of years. And there are still some major quarterback questions to be answered, not to mention we've got guys still changing teams. The report is that Alan Robinson passed his physical with the Steelers. So at 29 years old, weirdly enough, as I was mentioning this on our last show, he's now the third longest tenured Steeler, a third Steeler. He, Patrick Peterson and Cam Hayward have more experience than anyone else in that roster.

So while the Steelers may not be rebuilding, they're definitely getting younger and freshening up a lot of their positions. By a young cube. Just don't want him to urinate down his leg. He didn't urinate down his leg, man.

That's a great place to begin. We're setting the bar low for the young Steelers. So, yeah, there's a lot more chatter about current players than the next generation of NFL stars. It's just it's different because the draft used to dominate the two months leading up with all the mocks and all the buzz and even with the potential for four quarterbacks to go in the first four picks. It's not the same. Producer J, am I reading that wrong?

Because that's just my opinion. What do you think? No, I feel like even when you talk about the combine stuff, that whole week was really about what the GMs and the owners and the coaches that were there. We were hearing from them and their current rosters and what they were getting the current coordinators and defense changes and stuff like that really wasn't about who the draft per se. Like, you know, these, you know, the quarterbacks are getting a little bit of buzz, like the couple of three or four of them. But really, after that, I mean, can anyone name the first position player that's going to go off the board or not?

No, you're not a non quarterback. I mean, yeah, so I don't know. I feel like, yeah, I agree. I feel like the buzz this year right now is about current rosters and not really the future. Felt like that way last year, though, too. It's just different the way the NFL is trotting out coaches and GMs and owners and making them available more than ever before as if we're going to forget them if we don't hear from them for two weeks.

Yeah, it's it's brilliant because the NFL is always top of mind. Well, the combine was, what, just about a month or a little after we had they had that meeting in late February, early March. Right. And we just heard from them.

Right. And a couple of weeks later, it was the owners meetings in Phoenix and they have more owners meetings. I don't remember where they are, but I think they've got owners meetings in May because they still have to decide competition committee if they're going to change rules, blah, blah, blah. They've got the schedule release. Yeah, it's it's nonstop.

It really is. But there will be a draft this time next week. It's after hours with Amy Lawrence on CBS Sports Radio. So, yes, QB news.

Calvin Ridley, part of the voluntary OTAs for his new team, the Jacksonville Jaguars. And did you hear what Shaq Leonard had to say about 2022 as we still have a lot on our plate, a little bit about the big bad Bruins, too, because they did not play up to their standards or really up to the expectations against the Panthers and allowed the Panthers to steal one in Boston on Wednesday night. Speaking of Stanley Cup playoffs, I'm actually going to go to my first game of this postseason run because the New Jersey Devils are hosting the New York Rangers. A little bit of local flavor, that game taking place in Newark, New Jersey on Thursday evening.

And so I'm going to go and there's nothing like it when you're in the building. Now, hockey is better in person anyway, because the speed, the power, you really understand the game better when you can see it from up high. And I think you absorb the game and the game, the noise and the din. And because it's going to be Devils and Rangers, it's going to be an unbelievable atmosphere. Producer Jay and I went to a regular season game just about, was it two weeks ago, between these same two clubs.

And it was insane inside the arena. Well, now this is a playoff game and the Rangers are trying to take a 2-0 lead. The Devils, they admit they were nervous.

So a lot of these guys are young. They've not been in the playoffs. Not all of them, but the majority of the team is relatively young and are making their playoff debuts. And certainly the Devils have not been in the playoffs in a while or have not been had any success in the playoffs.

And so, they want to fight back, to be sure. They admit there were some nerves, but the Rangers, if they had that killer instinct, and because of the nature of hockey, and because of, it's been a dormant rivalry, because of the familiarity there, this is an opportunity for the Rangers to take a 2-0 lead. And then they could actually close out the series at Madison Square Garden, which they would love. So the Devils have got to, I say it's a must win, the Devils have got to put their best foot forward.

They really have to have a strong game on Thursday, so I'm looking forward to that. And then of course, we'll be right back here for our show. Alright, it's after hours here on CBS Sports Radio. I saw this answer, again, not something that dawned on me, and I don't think I would have said it. But we're asking you, in light of what Dylan Brooks said about LeBron James, now no response from LeBron yet. I think it probably happened after LeBron had been at the podium, because Dylan Brooks was in front of his locker. And he was asked, what about those people who would say, hey, you don't need to be instigating out there with LeBron James, one of the best of all time. Maybe it's not a good idea to be trash-talking the king. I don't care, he's old.

You know what I mean? I was waiting for that, I was expecting him to do that at Game 4, Game 5. He wanted to say something when I got my fourth foul.

He should have been saying that earlier on. But, you know, I poke bears. I don't respect no one until they come and give me 40. So, I pride myself on, you know, what I do is defense and take it on any challenge that's on the board. I pride myself in taking on any challenge, and I don't respect him until they drop 40 on me. Oh dear.

I get poking the bear, but oh dear. However, our favorite part of that, and the part that I tweeted, and the part that cracks me up is, I don't care, he's old. I don't care, he's old. When was the last time anyone said that about LeBron James publicly?

Can you even remember, I don't care, he's old? No, that's...no. Especially another player in the league saying that. That is just ultimate disrespect.

No, it is. Now, LeBron himself has used the term old head to describe himself, or maybe even Carmelo Anthony. I feel like, but those guys are really tight. Carmelo, LeBron, CP3, Dwayne Wade, these guys are really tight. I, for the life of me, cannot remember anyone who's dared to utter this out loud that LeBron James is old.

You can't. But you know what, that plays into his biggest fears. You know, when he gets injured, now, this year he happened to come across the LeBron James of feet. He told us that, so that's why he returned from a foot injury so much more quickly than what anyone anticipated, because of the doctor who was the LeBron James of feet. But he has definitely missed more time the last few years with the Lakers because of injuries.

He doesn't heal quite as quickly. That's part of being older, but the nerve, the audacity of Dylan Brooks to actually say it out loud with microphones in front of his face. I poke bears. I don't care.

He's old. I could come back to bite him in the ass. What do you think LeBron's reaction to this is?

Oh, I can't wait. Maybe something along the lines of, who? Who is he? Do you think he brushes it off? No, I think he goes, I don't think he gets mad. I think he cops a major, like, two though.

I think he cops a, I'm sorry, how many rings have you won? Similar to, if you can find me the Draymond Green, didn't he and Dylan Brooks go back and forth about a month ago? Well, it's ongoing, of course, with Dre and Dylan.

Those two are, like, looking in the mirror at each other. Draymond took him to task for the way that Dylan Brooks was trash talking and Dre had a field day. Was it on his podcast or a press conference? I can't remember, but if Draymond Green can say this in response to Dylan Brooks, I could imagine LeBron James would do the same. This idiot said, I don't know what Draymond does out there. He said, I don't like Draymond at all.

You don't know me. I just don't like Golden State. I quite frankly wouldn't like a team that beats me all the time.

I don't like anything to do with them. Quite frankly, you were a little kid in high school watching us win championships. Should be happy that you even witnessed that, or maybe college, but you get the point. You're a fan. Draymond talks a lot. You talk a lot now, so if you have four rings, sure, you talk a lot more. For All Stars, you probably talk a bit more. Defensive Player of the Year, you for damn sure would talk more. Two Olympic gold medals? You definitely would be talking because that would mean you beat Team USA, and we all know how that goes, so gets away with a lot too.

What exactly do I get away with? I have 15 techs, one less than your dumb ass. Okay, great. His game is cool. If you ever wondered why the Memphis Grizzlies is not ready to compete for a championship, look no further than this idiot right here. They're actually depending on this guy to help them win a championship, and he says his game is cool. Quite frankly, that just shows how little you know about basketball, and yet you running around talking about a dynasty?

The dynasty starts after you, not with you. He plays with heart, knows the ins and outs of the defense. You want to be quite frank, I made the ins and outs of our defense. I guess that's why they like him over there. I'm trying to figure out why they like you in Memphis, or do they like you in Memphis? That's a better question. I'm not sure your teammates like you, but I can tell you why they like me over there.

I mean, is that ironic though? When you contribute in the way that I have contributed to four championships, they tend to like you. So, next time you speak up on me, you should do some fact checking. Next time you speak up on me, you should do some soul searching.

Next time you speak up on me, I hope you in a better situation than you in now. How ironic is that, that Marco and I were just talking about whether or not Steve Kerr actually loves Draymond, or just tolerate them, and here's Draymond. You're not a champ. You're a clown. You're a clown. And that's the end of that. But isn't that ironic? That's from Draymond Green's podcast, right?

Going back, I mean, it's probably about a month ago or so, and here we are debating. Now, I think Steve Kerr is being genuine. I think Steve and Draymond genuinely have, I mean, it's a tough relationship, but it's family. Sometimes, family go at each other. My brother and I do, anyone who's got a family with any kind of passionate relationships in which you care about each other, well, of course, there's going to be times when you go at each other, and both Steve and Dray are fiery. So I disagree with Marco, in which he says the Warriors are just tolerating Dray.

No, they love him. Steve Kerr handpicked him for this role of being their heart and soul and their defense. He's like, I created the ins and outs of the defense. Oh my goodness, so arrogant.

But most of these guys are just ironic. I hadn't heard that in quite a while, and it fits so perfectly with what's happening now in the light of Dray's one game suspension. Anyway, what are the chances that LeBron James goes back at Dylan Brooks in the same manner?

Probably not very high. I don't know why I see him getting like, being really kind of rattled, being like getting upset. Rattled? I could see him getting like sneaky and mad. Because he got called old? Yeah.

No, no. LeBron is really calculated. He doesn't do any, he may drop a power trip, and he may say something about rings, he may say something about his legacy. I mean, for heaven's sakes, he's the all-time leading scorer in the NBA.

I mean, I don't know how Dylan Brooks can say a darn word about it, but I feel like LeBron will say something to clap back, but it'll be relatively simple. I see him getting a little defensive. I don't know why. Because he got called old? Because he got called old. Because he's worried.

Yeah. It hits a nerve? I think he's going to get defensive. It hits a nerve. All right, we'll see. Now, something else that I thought a listener, well, I would never say, but a listener said it, in light of we're asking you, who else in sports deserves the I don't care, he's old response?

Ryan writes on Twitter, A-LOL Radio, Tiger Woods. I did see that. Oh.

That one hurt. Oh. Because it's true.

Don't. Except it's not just the he's old part, it's an actual fan saying, I don't care about Tiger Woods anymore, he's old. He is in his mid-forties. No, he's, I mean, it's hard to argue that one, but I mean, I definitely still care about Tiger Woods. Except you don't say it publicly. Like, you could think that, but you don't say it.

I feel like Tiger Woods has become this sympathetic figure. You don't say it anymore. We're not there yet. No. Are we? Has it come to that? After he has an ankle surgery, it's like piling on.

I don't even think you're allowed to do that. We just find out that Tiger Woods went through another surgery to address the arthritis in the ankle that was smashed during the car accident going back February 21. So now two years later, we know he said it's not the golf that stresses out his ankle and puts the pressure on his leg. It's the walking.

And the Masters, the most recent tournament, that's the one that is the worst walking track or the most challenging walking track of all of them. So he has surgery in New York on Wednesday. His agent Mark Steinberg says he's resting now and will start the recovery process. But there's no timetable on when he returns. And according to Brian, I don't care.

He's old. I'm not sure you're allowed to say that in polite circles. In mixed company. See, I'm not even sure if I can retweet that one.

I haven't yet because I'm contemplating. You're worried about backlash? I get it. It's a good answer.

But I don't know. Are we really about to say that right now? We didn't. Brian did.

As long as we're attributing it to someone else, I'm just saying is all. It hurts. There's got to be people out there. Brian can't be the only one. He might be in the minority on his little island, but he can't be the only one. I don't care. He's old.

All right, straight ahead. If you missed my conversation with Ross Tucker on Wednesday morning, so the end of our show, we were asking him the hot topics on the Ross Tucker football podcast. And in light of some of the big money that's flying around, what does it mean for Lamar Jackson in that quarterback circuit? It's After Hours with Amy Lawrence on CBS Sports Radio. You are listening to the After Hours podcast. I'm JR of the JR Sport Brief Show on CBS Sports Radio. I'm also the host of the new podcast, Agents of Inclusion. We talk to a different Special Olympics athlete every week to learn how sports can bring us together. We're bringing both the disability and non-disability community to one community, all one people, one family. It took me a little while, but I decided to claim autism as my superpower. When you hear the word autism, don't let that hinder you from doing whatever it is that you want to do. The Special Olympics tells you, you get involved in sports, but then you take it from the playing field out into real life. Family means to me community, acceptance, love, embracing a person just as they are.

That's what a Special Olympics did for me. It's all about family. Subscribe to Agents of Inclusion on the free Odyssey app or wherever you get your podcasts.

This is After Hours with Amy Lawrence. That is the voice of Meryl Reese, Eagles Radio Network. And yes, Jalen Hurts will be an Eagle for a long time to come. $255 million contract, $179 million plus is fully guaranteed. That's one quarterback domino to drop. We'll wait to see about Joe Burrow and if that gets done this off season. And what does it mean for Lamar Jackson? All big questions around the NFL, even as we approach the draft. And remember, we've even heard the Ravens say out loud, as they've actually said it out loud, that they would consider drafting a quarterback. So lots of intrigue moving forward these next couple of weeks.

Oh my God. It's After Hours with Amy Lawrence on CBS Sports Radio. We did a chance to catch up with former NFL offensive lineman, current analyst for Eagles Radio during the preseason, as well as Westwood One and CBS Sports for college football, Ross Tucker, always good.

He joins us live when he does. And so we talked about vacations a little bit because he had some intriguing stories. But then I asked him about the Ross Tucker football podcast, the fact that it never takes a break even in the off season.

So what is the hottest topic for his pod this week? This week, it's been the quarterback contracts. With Jalen Hurts getting that huge deal, it's created a lot of conversation around Lamar Jackson, Joe Burrow, Justin Herbert, and there's so many different layers to it, right? There's Jalen Hurts getting that money, is he worth that money, is he, you know, he really had one amazing year, but, you know, we've seen guys have one amazing year before and then regress and not be able to sustain that level of performance.

I think some people believe that. I know the Eagles obviously believe that that's just the start for him. And then you get into how similar the contract is to what Lamar Jackson turned out from the Baltimore Ravens.

And so you have that whole conversation. And I was actually, you know, down in D.C. yesterday watching my niece's senior game and I was talking with somebody and all they wanted to talk about was the Odell Beckham Jr. contract and I said, well, it doesn't happen very often in the NFL, but basically he got probably twice as much as he was going to because Lamar Jackson really wanted him. And the Ravens are kind of doing everything they can to try to get Lamar Jackson to play for them this year. So I would say, I mean, obviously the draft is a week away, but I think the quarterback conversation, quarterback contract, especially as it relates to Lamar Jackson, is still front and center. If you're Lamar, do you toe the line, do you hold the line or do you maybe back off it a little bit because you want to play in twenty three? Well, I absolutely play in twenty three. I mean, first of all, if I was Lamar, I would have taken the five year 250 million dollar contract with 200 million essentially in implicit guarantees a year ago.

Right. So Lamar and I are not on the same page as to what we would do. But now if I'm Lamar, I absolutely play this year.

I don't see what purpose it serves to not play this year. His options are to take the best big long term contract you can get. I think there's been some three year fully guaranteed contracts that have been put out there that he could strongly consider that I think is a good option as well. Or he could also just negotiate a better one year deal than the thirty two million the Ravens are offering.

And I think they'd be open to that as well. So there's really three different doors for him. The thing I haven't understood, I know what's going on here, right? He sold the Deshaun Watson contract. He thinks he's done more on the field and hasn't done the stuff off the field.

And I don't blame him. He's right. But just because the Browns gave out that contract doesn't mean any other team is.

And at this point, it doesn't appear as if any other team is going to. And he's very concerned about getting the last two years guaranteed. Right. But what I think is strange about that is twofold.

Number one, what's the worst thing that can happen if the last two years aren't guaranteed that after three years, they cut you? Well, then you're just afraid. That's what he has anyway. Yes, that's what he wants anyway. And you're getting to understand, OK, he wants the security of the last two years being guaranteed. Well, in exchange for that, he's given up the security the last two years.

You know what I mean? Like, he's played without the security of big guarantees, long term, you know, big money the last two years in order to get it that, you know, five years from now. I don't understand that logic. Ross Tucker is a former offensive lineman. You can hear him now as an analyst on Westwood One and CBS Sports and Eagles Radio, and he's got the Ross Tucker football podcast that goes year round.

Once After Hours with Amy Lawrence, CBS Sports Radio. Some players are more about highest average annual value. Some are more about the guaranteed money. He didn't get the most guaranteed money ever, meaning Jalen Hurts. But he does end up as slightly higher paid per season.

Which one equates to respect the most in your mind? I think it's the guaranteed number. Yeah, I mean, I think these guys look at the NBA players, the baseball players, the hockey guys, and I think they just want the guaranteed number. And it's interesting, Amy, because if I was still playing as a journeyman, offensive lineman that played for five teams over seven years, that would be the number that I cared about the most. Yes, because I got cut four times to like, how much is guaranteed? However, if I was a star quarterback who had done what Lamar's done so far, I would care most.

I mean, it'd be a blend between the average at average annual value and the guarantees, but a heavy emphasis on the average annual value, like how much am I getting each year? Because I really wouldn't be that worried about getting cut. I mean, you know, think about the guys like Carson Wentz. I mean, think about the guys that have gotten second and third chances, still getting paid a lot of money as starting quarterback. So okay, you play for the Ravens, let's say after two or three years, they sour on you.

Some other team at that point is going to really need a starting quarterback and they're going to continue to pay Lamar Jackson. I'm going to totally pivot on you. What's your reaction to Jamar Hamlin being cleared to play football again, Roth?

Wow. Initial reaction is obviously it's wonderful news and I'm thrilled for him, but my immediate second reaction was, Amy, I started to think to myself, would I do it? Would I play again? And I think what happened to him is so unique and so random and he's met with so many specialists and so many doctors that I think I would because they've all said, listen, this is like getting struck by lightning. Like it's not going to happen twice.

This commotion, you got hit in the wrong spot at the wrong time, et cetera, et cetera. But then I think about like telling my mom and dad I'm going to play again, you know what I mean? Like after what they went through, after what they watched, you know, you got to remember, I think sometimes we lose sight of this, like I know you know this, Amy, but these are these are real people. You know, these are real guys and real lives and they all know what happened to him.

And I think that'd be a difficult conversation. You know, I was surprised, very different story, but I was surprised Alex Smith came back and tried to play football again. You know, there's certain there's certain injuries where you get so close and it's something so bad that I'm always amazed and impressed when guys decide to actually go out there and play again. I love that he wants to inspire other people. I'm so amazed by his wisdom and his perspective and his thoughtfulness as a 24 year old who's been through this, but clearly doesn't want this to be just about him. He wants to impact the world around him. And for that reason, I'm so glad he's decided to keep playing. You know what? I think that's very well said, and I do think he knows now that he has an opportunity to spread awareness about, you know, the unique circumstance around what happened to him because it is unique in me, but it happens and it happens like with little league baseball and softball. You know, I told you I'm a softball coach and we just went over what to do in that situation because if a kid gets hit in the chest with the ball at the wrong time, it actually happens more in those sports than it does in football. Ross Tucker Football Podcast.

Never a dull moment that pretty much does fold and dovetail right into the NFL. That's exactly what they're looking for. All right. You can find me on Twitter. A Law Radio. We're asking you who deserves Dylan Brooks or the Dylan Brooks phrase of the night. I don't care. He's old.

Exactly. Who deserves that right now in sports? I don't know why I didn't think of Aaron Rodgers.

I did not. But that's a classic answer. And I just don't think you're allowed to say it about Tiger Woods, at least not openly. Actually we're pretty sure that it's against the law to say it about LeBron James too.

But I mean, I went Greg Popovich earlier in the show, which is also probably not allowed. That's questions inappropriate. Yes. Yes. Yes, in fact, it might be speaking of old, I went running for the first time since the Grand Canyon on Wednesday evening.

Right. So it's my first exercise since the Grand Canyon. My calves had finally stopped hurting from the 4,400 mile hike up from the floor of the Canyon. And so I thought, okay, I got a half marathon in two and a half weeks. I need to run.

So I get out. Really, really good energy, beautiful evening, gorgeous sunset. It was fine. I don't love running, but it was fine. As runs go, it was fine.

Totally fine. I survived. I went over an hour. That's my shorter run this week.

I'll do a longer run on Saturday in training for the half marathon. Anyway, as I'm talking on the phone, this is before I get in the shower on Wednesday evening, I'm talking on the phone and I get up from the bed. So I'm lying on the bed and I'm talking on the phone. I get up and I go, Oh my gosh, I'm old.

And so, so this, uh, actually it fits perfectly with, with Dylan Brooks. I don't care. I'm old. Yeah.

It's one of those things though, that you can say about yourself, but when someone else says it like LeBron James can say, I'm an old head, but Dylan Brooks cannot say I'm old or he's old. You are listening to the After Hours Podcast. I remember the entire night up to the point where, uh, I got tackled. Uh, but yeah, after, after I got tackled, I don't remember, uh, much from, from there getting carted off. I don't remember that, um, but I do remember, uh, you know, things, uh, that were going on when I was in the ambulance and then when I arrived at the hospital.

This is After Hours with Amy Lawrence. It was a tough season for Tua Tengo Voloa and his family. It was certainly horrifying to see him get concussed on national TV, maybe not once but twice, but to see him on Monday Night Football with his hands in rigor, unable to open them up and, and they're, they're crunched and his fingers, it just, it looked not only terrifying, but it sparked a conversation about concussions in the NFL and whether or not the protocols were doing what they were designed to do. It really was the main topic in the first half of the NFL season.

It's After Hours with Amy Lawrence here on CBS Sports Radio. Now Tua missed a couple of games and then returned, if I remember, it was week seven that he returned, but he was concussed again on Christmas Day, December 25th. And so as he is placed into concussion protocol, twice over the course of last season, he misses five games. He wasn't there when Miami battled Buffalo in the postseason.

He hadn't heard anything from him until yesterday. And what Tua says is that he seriously considered walking away from the game of football after all of this. I considered it for a time, having sat down with my family, having sat down with my wife and having those kinds of conversations, but it would be hard for me to walk away from this game with how old I am, with my son.

I always dreamed of playing as long as I could to where my son knew exactly what he was watching his dad do. It's my health, it's my body, and I feel like this is what's best for me and my family. Tua is currently 25 years old, and he mentions his wife and his young son, and believing that at 25, this cannot be the end. It won't be the end for him. But again, he was in concussion protocol twice last season, and so the Miami Dolphins are trying to come up with a plan that will help him moving forward. Both times that he got concussed last year, it was his head hitting the ground. And get this, he's working with a jiu-jitsu coach this offseason to learn, oh, he tells us what he's learning from jiu-jitsu. Obviously learn how to fall, learn how to fall, learn some grappling techniques, learn some other things too that I don't think I should disclose. But for the most part, learn how to fall.

You'd think it's easy, just don't fall and hit your head, but there's a lot more to it. Do you think he's saying, I shouldn't disclose these other things to keep them from the rest of the NFL? So maybe these are tactics, football skills that he believes will help him in football, but he doesn't want the rest of the league to know what he's working on? Maybe he doesn't want defenders to know how he's going to go down or something. Yeah, I don't know.

Well, I think it was more than just falling though. I think that he mentions that, he kind of jokes about it, but clearly there are other things that he's working on, so I wonder if he's just trying to keep that close to the vest because he doesn't want, as you say, NFL defenses to know his focus so they can try to use that against him. Like footwork things and stuff. Yeah. I thought that was interesting. Balance maybe or ways that he can not get hit altogether, right? So that definitely caught my ear.

It's after hours here on CBS Sports Radio. So how can you help to keep yourself safer moving forward? We used like crash pads to land on first with trying to fall, obviously with tucking your chin. That was one of the deals, but it went a lot more into the technique of how to disperse your energy when you fall, kind of like the posture you want to be in.

And if you're not presented that posture, what are other things that you can do to help you disperse the energy when you fall? Sounds really smart. These are positive steps. I wonder how mentally Tua will approach the game. Will there be some fear there, some trepidation? I could understand if there was. It's about, it reminds me maybe of hitter getting back into the box after he's beaned in the head with a fastball.

There's got to be some flashback of sorts. But he's an athlete who gets hit repeatedly, of course. In football, it's a violent sport and maybe he gets accustomed to it again. But I've always loved his thoughtful approach to the game. I've always loved how smart and mature he comes across and I'll be rooting for him next season.

It's after hours here on CBS Sports Radio. Who had a worse year, Tua or Calvin Ridley? Ridley actually, after a year's suspension is raring to go. And remember, he told the Players' Tribune that he would put up 1,400 plus yards this season in his return with the Jaguars. When I put that in, I know I can, you know, what I said about that is this. I am a 1,400 yard type of player.

God is going to determine what type of stats I am going to have. You know, football is not just, you know, football is serious. I mean, you don't just play 17 games straight and think you're going to be in every one of them and playing healthy and all of them. So what I'm saying is I am a 1,400 yard receiver with a broke foot, you know what I'm saying? That's what I'm saying. So I know that I can make the plays and I know that I'm one of the better receivers in this league.

That's what I'm saying. So add Calvin Ridley, whether it's 1,400 yards or not, he's at the very least a threat and still pretty young. Add that to an offense that was 10th in the NFL last season in scoring, but also in total offense. And you think about the other guys, remember when the Christian Kirk deal as a wide receiver was the joke? It really was a punchline, but it was the first domino to drop among those big contracts that all the wide receivers received.

Oh, that sounds funny. All the wide receivers signed last year, Christian Kirk, Zay Jones, Evan Ingram, who had a resurgent season. He refused to play that way for the Giants, but apparently really likes playing for Trevor Lawrence and with Trevor Lawrence. And then Travis Etienne, once he was healthy, all these guys are back for year number two in Doug Peterson's offense and you're putting not Alvin in Theodore, Calvin Ridley into the mix. They're the team to beat in the AFC South, watch out. Just After Hours with Amy Lawrence, CBS Sports Radio.