- 2 days ago
NFL Quarterback Lamar Jackson Shines Far Beyond The Field
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LifestyleTranscript
00:02Mission Girl Sheree Nicole here. I am very, very excited. We've been waiting for this sit down for quite some
00:08time. I get to spend some time with the two-time NFL MVP Heisman Trophy winner, QB for the Baltimore
00:15Ravens. He's also an author. He's an advocate. He's a man of service. He's Lamar Jackson. And it's an honor
00:22and a pleasure to sit here with you today.
00:23Appreciate you. Appreciate you for having me. Of course. So I appreciate this chain. This chain is off the chain.
00:29Okay. And I want to just talk about your fashion sense. Can you describe your fashion style? It's just me.
00:34I like to be comfortable. Like, even like if I go to, if I have to handle business, I try
00:39to be comfortable as possible, you know, because when you're comfortable, you can be yourself. You know, you're trying to
00:44be something you're not. I feel like you're faking it. And it's hard for me to fake it. I can't
00:48be that person. You get me real. I appreciate it. I try. Who are some of your fashion inspirations?
00:53I would say like the 90s. Like the 90s. I get my style from pretty much my family and the
00:58older guys who I grew up around, really.
01:00Yeah. If people look at your fashion style, what do you want them to say? What would you like them
01:05to think about?
01:06He just being him. I'd rather someone be them instead of, you know, trying to be like their idol because
01:12you're not really being your true self. You know, you're not really showing your true talent, really.
01:18You know, you're trying to be like this guy, but it's like you don't know what this guy's been through.
01:21You don't know the real him.
01:22The cameras are rolling, so he got to be this way. You don't got to be that way. No one
01:26knows you. So just be yourself.
01:28I love that. Speaking of being yourself, I want to talk about mental health a little bit.
01:31Okay.
01:31And in that vein, how difficult or easy has it been for you to be yourself?
01:36To me, it's been smooth. You know, to probably outsiders, it's like, man, I wonder how he's feeling.
01:40But like I said, I'm true to myself at the end of the day. You know, with everything I'm doing,
01:45I'm not necessarily going to bite my tongue.
01:47You know, I'm going to speak what's truth and what's true to me. And people like to, oh, fake it
01:52till you make it.
01:53It's like, nah, I'm not faking it till I make it. Because now when I make it, I got to
01:56keep faking it.
01:57Yeah.
01:57You know, and some people can't hold themselves to that because, you know, a lot of people harm themselves.
02:02A lot of suicidal thoughts, all type of stuff go popping in people's head, but not me, you know, because
02:06I keep God first.
02:07Before the camera started rolling, I was talking about just the QB position, how cerebral you have to be.
02:12You have to think about obviously keeping yourself safe, but also making sure that your teammates are doing what they
02:16need to do.
02:17And the leadership component to this also extends off the field.
02:19So with all of that in mind, like, how do you stay focused, whether it be on the field and
02:24or off of it?
02:25I feel like my teammates love me because I'm always just doing what I do.
02:28Like, I don't go out and I don't go out to clubs and stuff like that.
02:32Like, if I'm out, it's rarely, like, it's because my teammates or someone, like, oh, bro, come on, where you
02:37got to?
02:38Like, they begging me.
02:39I'm like, man.
02:40And then it's like, when I go out, it's like, I'm disappointed.
02:42It's like, bro, this is why I don't go out.
02:44What's disappointing about when you go out?
02:46What are some things that will disappoint you?
02:47It's like, it's like I've seen it before.
02:49Like, it's like I'm in that, I'm in that environment and it's like, I don't know, it's like a movie.
02:55It's like everyone moving in slow motion.
02:56And I'm just in there alone for real.
02:58Even though I'm with people, it's like, bro, I shouldn't even be in here.
03:02I should have been home still, like, laying down.
03:04Like, I'm at my best at home, you know?
03:06Me too, Lamar.
03:07I thought I was the only one.
03:09I am such, I could be such a couch potato.
03:11Like, I work hard all day and I run to my couch.
03:13And sometimes I feel guilty about it.
03:15But you have released the guilt today.
03:17Yeah.
03:17So I appreciate it.
03:18No, no doubt.
03:19Don't be guilty.
03:21So since you're not really in the clubs, what does self-care look like for you?
03:24Do you get massages?
03:26Do you find time to meditate?
03:28Like, what's your self-care routine like?
03:29Man, I need to start getting massages.
03:30I need to start.
03:31You don't get massages as a woman?
03:33Rarely.
03:34Really?
03:34Barely, rarely.
03:36I need to start, though.
03:37But self-care, what do I do for myself?
03:40I really don't do stuff for myself as much.
03:42Who's filling your cup, Lamar?
03:45And outside of football, obviously, we know that fills your cup as well and your faith.
03:48But, I mean, living a sacrificial life at times and being somebody who is of service, how do you replenish?
03:55You know?
03:55Because you don't get the massages and you're kind of making sure everybody else is good.
03:59Like, what does that replenishing look like for you?
04:02Or what would you like it to look like, I should say?
04:04I've been getting closer to God, you know, so I think about stuff in the Bible, it's like, dang, we
04:10gotta move this way.
04:11Like, certain things, like, okay, like I said, I don't bite my tongue, but like, with God, that's the only
04:17time I'm biting my tongue.
04:18Like, okay, that ain't gonna be right if I do this right here, so I gotta fall back and just
04:21let stuff play out.
04:22Sometimes I get wrong, I'm gonna be a human being and it might just, oh, mouth out, but it'd be
04:27like, dang, I shouldn't have said that.
04:28Now I gotta go back and apologize and stuff like that, you know?
04:31But I'm genuine with it.
04:32It's not like I'm being fake about it.
04:33I'm genuine.
04:34I'm a genuine person.
04:35I like genuine people around me, because like, if someone, if they act this way around me, then go somewhere
04:39else and they're a totally different person, I really don't.
04:41I can't be around that person, because now you're faking it.
04:43Yeah.
04:43Speaking of faking it, social media, sometimes that happens.
04:47Oh, man.
04:49And being someone who is in the spotlight, who is as accomplished as you are, who's simply in a zone
04:55where you're like, I'm just being me.
04:56Yeah.
04:57How do you gauge when to share and what to share?
04:59If I'm in a playful mood, I'd be on Twitter just going at it.
05:04Like, just, people like, oh, he's, um, what would they say?
05:08What's the word I'm trying to look for?
05:10What they be saying I be doing?
05:11Not trolling.
05:13Not trolling.
05:13You don't give me a troll tease.
05:14You don't give me a troll tease.
05:15But I would troll, like, if they trying to troll me, I'm going to troll back.
05:17You going to troll them back?
05:18Yeah, I'm going to troll back.
05:18But I'd be laughing, like, I'm not mad at all.
05:21Like, people like, man, he, oh, he's probably mad.
05:23That made you mad.
05:24It's like, nah, you make me mad.
05:25But I'm just going to DM you and just talk about it, though.
05:27Like, because I know how people would take it, like, people like to change stuff.
05:30If you post something, they'll put their own perspective on it and spin it.
05:33It's like, bro, that is not what I said.
05:35Now you putting words in my mouth.
05:36Now you lying on me, bro.
05:37I did not say that, bro.
05:39Oh, that's just how I felt.
05:40That's how you took it.
05:41That's how you received the message.
05:42But that's not what I said at all.
05:43Yeah, yeah.
05:44Speaking of not switching out, I mean, the Baltimore fan base and community has just embraced you.
05:50And for you, how critical is it for you?
05:53How does it feel for you to be a part and in the fabric of that city?
05:57What has it meant for you?
05:58It means a lot.
05:59Just knowing what the city has been through.
06:03Like, something just happened.
06:04Like, the bridge just collapsed.
06:05Yep.
06:05You know, and a lot of politician things go on with the city.
06:10You know, a lot of, like, murders and stuff happen in the city.
06:14I'm from Florida.
06:15You know, Florida is, I wouldn't say it's the same as Baltimore, but we similar.
06:20You know, because the same things happen there, it happens in Florida.
06:22We just bigger, you know, and we got more football teams.
06:26Baltimore, all they have is the Ravens.
06:28They don't have a basketball team to go to, piggyback off of.
06:30So the players is all they really got, you know, to look for.
06:34And I want to get involved in the community more, but it's like every time I'm trying to do something
06:38for the community, it's, oh, oh, well, we need you to do this.
06:43And it's like, bro, so y'all really don't care about the people for real.
06:45Like, I care about the people, but the people don't know that because of the blockage that was going on,
06:51you know?
06:52I want to talk about that care that you have because there's some incredible things that you're doing on the
06:58literature side with children's books, which I think is just so cool.
07:02I appreciate it.
07:03The book you have now, I Dream, You Dream, Let Us Dream, for you, how cool has it been and
07:08cathartic has it been for you to do children's literature?
07:11Oh, it's been great, you know, because I remember reading the Tiki Barber and one Rene Barber book when I
07:16was in elementary school.
07:17And I'm like, man, I'm going to go to the NFL.
07:19I want to write me a book.
07:20I want the kids, you know, to dream, basically, you know, and I dream, you dream, we dream.
07:25It came upon, like, everyone don't got to go to the NFL, you know, everyone don't have to be a
07:30musician because we need plumbers in the world, you know?
07:34We need teachers, we need the garbage man to come pick up our trash, all of this play a part,
07:40you know?
07:40We need therapists, we need guidance counselors, all of these people play a part in our lives, you know, when
07:46we're growing up, people don't have that.
07:48People look at it like, man, oh, I'm trying to be rich.
07:51God ain't put all of us here to be rich, bro.
07:53You know, some people got to root.
07:55Yeah.
07:56You play your part.
07:56We need these guys to build these buildings for us.
07:59You don't have to be a damn astronaut, bro.
08:04You can be anything you want to be because all of this is going to play a part on building
08:07yourself and building someone else up.
08:09Because when you build someone else up, that's how you get your blessings, really.
08:12Yeah.
08:13That's how I feel.
08:14Yeah.
08:14Who was somebody, if you can recall, that gave you permission or exemplified dreaming to you?
08:20And I ask because some people are naturally inclined to just, they're whimsical, they're dreamers, they're going to go for
08:25it.
08:25And some people kind of need a boost.
08:27Some people need to kind of see or hear from someone that models that before them.
08:31For you, when did you first, like, really attach yourself to dreaming?
08:34Or was there somebody in your life that showed you that, yo, you can dream and you can accomplish your
08:39dreams as well?
08:39Just the environment, I'm seeing, you know, I'm seeing, like, my friends who I was growing up with, who I
08:43was playing football with, I'm seeing them, like, just throw their life away for, like, fast money and stuff like
08:48that.
08:49And that, they used to tell me, oh, you talk too much, because I used to always speak about football
08:53and positivity and stuff, and it's like, they didn't want to hear that.
08:56You know, but now it's like, they'd rather hear it now, because I'm Lamar Jackson, but it's like, man, I'm
09:01far gone from, I'm far gone from, like, how we was when we were growing up.
09:04I've been speaking about it.
09:06Everybody, y'all just wasn't listening.
09:08Some of them was older than me, like, a couple months, couple years older than me, but it was like
09:12I was already seeing what was going on.
09:14And, like, now it's, like, too late for them.
09:16It's like, dang, I wish we could go back in time and y'all can see, like, what I was
09:19seeing, you know?
09:20Because I always looked at life, like, I counted years, like, man, when I get, like, how many years do
09:26it take to get to the league?
09:28Like, they're like, you do three years in college, I said I'm doing three years.
09:32Like, I'm not doing nothing else.
09:34Like, I'm not doing four years, I'm not trying to go fifth year, I'm doing three years, because I'm going
09:37to make sure my family's good, and I'm going to be able to, I'm going to try to come back
09:41and help as much as I could.
09:42But even when you try to go back and help where you're from sometimes, it's like people don't really want
09:48that, you know?
09:48People is all for themselves, but it's like, man, the kids be the future, really.
09:51Yeah.
09:52Because when you look up, when you look up the murders and stuff, it be like the young guys going
09:56to prison and stuff.
09:57Them be the ones committing it.
09:59And it's like, the ones before us led us wrong, you know?
10:02Because they wasn't really speaking on, like, no, don't do that.
10:05Because, like, it was like, when I was growing up, it was older people, like, man, don't do that, this
10:09and that.
10:09They know my mom, they know my dad, like, well, you better not do that.
10:12So it was like, oh, like, get your hair on right.
10:15Absolutely.
10:15But now it's like, they want to see the kids down far.
10:18They want to see them like, oh, I knew he wasn't going to be nothing.
10:20Like, what type of junkie is that?
10:22Like, what you mean you knew he wasn't going to be nothing?
10:24Like, you was praying on him not to be anything, you know?
10:27But that ain't ever been me.
10:28Like, people don't really know me.
10:30Like, people don't really talk to me, so they don't know how my brain operate, you know?
10:33But I want to see everyone win at the end of the day, you know?
10:37Absolutely.
10:37Yeah.
10:37With your storytelling, you know, how do you hope you can positively impact and influence this next generation?
10:45Open their eyes to things that, like you mentioned earlier, they may not be getting from their family members or
10:51neighbors or community.
10:53If you coming from a place like where I come from, don't try to be like the guys around you.
10:59Like, don't look up to the stuff that look like it's fun because sometimes it gets you in trouble.
11:06You know, it'd be like this sacrificing, like, man, I can't have fun right now.
11:09You know, I got to get my family right.
11:11I can't do this right now.
11:12I can't mess up.
11:13Forget the fast money.
11:14I got to think about longevity.
11:16Think about fast money.
11:17You can get locked up and do five years for $1,000.
11:22That money gone.
11:23It's gone.
11:23It's like, man, I just did that for $1,000 and I could have waited five years.
11:27I would have had $10 million.
11:28You're right.
11:29You know, so that's how I really, like, that's where I'm at right now because that's how I used to
11:33think about, like, man, forget that.
11:35Like, much as I, like, man, my mom working, she busting her behind, like, she going to work, she going
11:40to her job.
11:42And it's just me, my brother, and my two sisters at home, you know, but I'm the oldest, so I
11:47got to make sure everyone, right, she done cooking and stuff like that.
11:49And it's like, man, I can't wait, like, but I got to wait, you know, that's the sacrifice.
11:54I got to be patient, you know, the years rolling, that's the sacrifice right now, but people don't look at
11:59it like that.
12:00It's like, man, I need that money right now, but it's like, but you don't need that money right now.
12:03You don't, like, just wait, you know.
12:05So for you, you know, before I move on from this, what does being an author give you that football
12:11does not?
12:12I wouldn't say influence, but just pretty much, like, just giving the real, like, I have a creative mind.
12:19Like, I can be an author and stuff like that because people really don't see that side of me.
12:22Well, I'm glad I got to see it because I was like, come on, Lamar, chill this book.
12:27I mean, because a lot of people do, you know, they'll do an autobiography and these type of things, but,
12:33I mean, it just shows where your heart is.
12:34And so I think we see a piece of your heart when we dive into your literature on the children's
12:39side.
12:39So thank you for sharing a piece of your heart with us.
12:40I appreciate you.
12:41No doubt.
12:42I think that's dope.
12:43So we've talked a lot about your faith, and so I want to make sure that, you know, we really
12:46sit on this point.
12:47And you talked a little bit about your spiritual journey just slightly, a little earlier.
12:50For you, what's one of the biggest lessons that you've learned, you know, on your spiritual journey?
12:54That you're really excited about or that's been anchoring you as a person and or a football player?
12:58Just patience.
13:00Yeah, like patience is the key.
13:02You know, sometimes we just want, we want, we want, and we want it now, but it's like the real
13:08wasn't even built the same day.
13:10God took his time with the real, you know?
13:12He took his time with people.
13:13He took his time with animals and stuff like that.
13:15So while we see the material things that go on in the real, like, I want that Rolls-Royce.
13:20It's like, bro, be patient.
13:21Or they might see your Rolls-Royce bust your windows because they think they got something in that car.
13:26So just be patient with everything you do.
13:28And that's pretty much what I've been learning, like, on my spiritual journey, for real.
13:31Just patience.
13:32I love that.
13:33Yeah.
13:33Faith, family, and loyalty.
13:34For you, in light of, you know, this incredible journey that you've been on in your life, what does loyalty
13:40look like for you?
13:41How do you define that?
13:42Loyalty, like, man, I can be able to trust you no matter what, you know, with my back turned.
13:47Like, you can go around these people, like, you know, we might have our own conversation or whatever.
13:53You know, you go around people and you're going to still have that same respect for me like I'm right
13:57in front of you.
13:57You're not going to go around and just talk crazy about me or, you know, just try to down what
14:03I got going on.
14:04Like, that's loyalty because me, I'm going to be loyal to the bone until you show me otherwise.
14:08And I was like, I can't trust you now.
14:10Loyalty is really trust.
14:11Loyalty is built on trust.
14:12Like, if I can trust you, you're going to have the utmost loyalty.
14:16Yeah.
14:17What have been the keys for you in trusting yourself?
14:19Just being disciplined.
14:20Hmm.
14:21Yeah, like, me trusting myself, got to have discipline because it's a lot of things in the world, you know,
14:27with me being who I am, that it's like, oh, man, I can do this.
14:31But it's like, nah, bro, you can't do that.
14:34You can't do what everybody else do.
14:36And that's pretty much been it, just discipline.
14:39Yeah, I love that.
14:40I want to talk about your Forever Dreamers Foundation.
14:42Okay.
14:42You're doing some incredible work, obviously.
14:44I appreciate it.
14:45For you, how gratifying is it for you to have this level of impact on the lives of young people,
14:51in this generation in particular?
14:52Oh, man, very, because I feel like our generation is, it's a lot of young parents, for real, in our
14:58generation, you know?
14:59It's a lot of people who I went to school with, they had kids, like, young, you know, when we
15:05were still in school.
15:07And, you know, just going through the process, we really didn't live out our kid and teenage lives, you know,
15:12because people had to be grown all of a sudden, you know?
15:16And then, like, with the kids growing up, they need someone who they can relate to.
15:23Yeah.
15:24I'm going to do it the right way, you know?
15:26How can I make enough money where I can do my things I want to do the right way and
15:29I don't have to worry about nobody, you know, trying to arrest me or anything or harass me about it,
15:34you know?
15:35So, I wanted to, you know, I'm an NFL player.
15:38So, now kids can be like, oh, I can make it out of pumping no beats.
15:40I can make it out of, you know, whatever, you know, out of a low poverty, like, whatever, you know?
15:45However they going to say it, however they going to root it, you know?
15:47Because it's really the same thing at the end of the day, but however they root it, it's like, man,
15:51I can do that.
15:52Lamar did it, you know?
15:53He grew up, his father passed away, like, you know, his mom raised him on his own, on her own,
15:59you know?
15:59He had siblings and they still made it look how he is right now, you know?
16:03I want kids to be able to look at it like that and be like, man, I can make it
16:06too.
16:06I don't got to play football.
16:07I can be anything, you know?
16:08I can be a doctor because I'm not saying people want to be doctors and lawyers no more, you know?
16:12I'm saying just rappers, like, I'm just football players.
16:17But who going to heal us, like, you know, like, what's going on?
16:20Like, the lawyers, like, who going to protect us?
16:23Like, people not trying to do that no more.
16:25They just want the glimpse and glam.
16:28It's like, bro, do you know what come behind that though?
16:30Would you be able to take what come behind that?
16:32Because there's going to be so many opinions and stuff reflecting on your life.
16:35You probably can't handle it.
16:36Now you're thinking you're having suicidal thoughts now.
16:38So it's like, you got to be careful what you ask for at the end of the day too.
16:41Yeah.
16:41Yeah.
16:42It's so fun listening to you talk because, and it makes so much sense why you're a quarterback.
16:46You think two, three steps ahead of scenarios.
16:49Yeah.
16:49Every time you brought up a different scenario, your perspective is yards beyond just that
16:54scenario itself.
16:55Oh, yeah.
16:55No doubt.
16:55Which is so cool to me.
16:57Are there some things that you guys are doing right now with your foundation that you're really
17:00excited about or things that are coming up that you really want to make sure people
17:04are tapped into?
17:05I got too many things.
17:06I saw a lot of stuff on the social media and all these things, but I want to let you
17:10have
17:11the floor.
17:12It's so much.
17:12I got things coming up like I'm not going to talk about.
17:15Okay.
17:15Fair enough.
17:16Nonprofit organization.
17:17I'm going to go to that forever dream.
17:18Nonprofit organization.
17:20I wanted to start.
17:21I told my mom I wanted to start ever since I was, bro, before I even got to the league.
17:25Man, I want to be able to get back to my community and have them kids not going.
17:29I let them know you don't got to sell no drugs, bro.
17:32I got y'all.
17:33If I can help, I'm going to help.
17:35Cleats, whatever.
17:37Join the 707 team because college is looking at guys on 707 teams and stuff like that.
17:42Let's just start something.
17:43I don't want the kids to pay for nothing.
17:45I'm going to pay for it.
17:46I'm going to fund it myself and we're going to be good.
17:48People who run parts and stuff, they don't believe I'm just funding it without people
17:52having to pay me for it.
17:53It's like, bro, I did this for the kids.
17:55I know how I feel when a parent can't do for their kids, bro.
17:59I seen it.
18:00I seen it with my own eyes.
18:02I was in those kids' shoes, you know?
18:04So it's like, let me take care of it.
18:07I'm going to take care of it and let the kids have fun.
18:09Let's have a fun day.
18:10I want the kids to come out and have fun with me.
18:12I'm going to try to have some of my football friends and stuff come out and let the kids
18:16just see them.
18:17I remember David and Henry Crockett, they used to have a foundation and they used to do
18:22it at Blanche Ely High School.
18:23And they used to have like, they had Randy Moss come out one time.
18:27And I was amazed at that.
18:28I was a kid.
18:29I'm like, dang, they had Randy Moss.
18:30I'm hype.
18:31I'm like, oh yeah.
18:32When I get older, I'm going to do the same thing just so the kids can enjoy that.
18:35Cause I know if I remember that, I know a lot of kids remember that, you know, when
18:38I'm old and long and gone and like, man, Lamar had this right here going on, you know,
18:42for free, we didn't have to pay for anything.
18:44And that's pretty much why I do the things I do.
18:46I love that.
18:46What is one thing that you're doing through your foundation that you wish you had as a young person?
18:53You know, just having someone, someone I can relate to where I'm from, but who's on a
18:59whole nother level from me, they come back and just be an influence on us.
19:03Like a positive influence.
19:04Not no one who's around here showing negativity in the world.
19:07Cause there's a lot of negativity in the world.
19:09You know, they love to promote the negativity.
19:11Yes.
19:11They try to hide the positivity, the right things to do, you know, and I don't really,
19:14I'm not too, too really fond of that.
19:16Cause I'm like, bro, there's a lot of, a lot of great people in the world, bro, who
19:19y'all be hiding.
19:21Yes.
19:21Like, I'm not trying to shine a light on no negativity.
19:24Like even like the music I post, it's like, it's not trying to shine a negative.
19:27It's like, I listen to the music, but it's like, I'm not doing the stuff they're doing.
19:30Right.
19:30Like, I'm not following them.
19:32The music is not moving me to do nothing they rapping about.
19:35I just like the sound.
19:36I just like the instrument.
19:37I just like the beat of the song.
19:41You know, I'm not following, oh, I'm going to kill.
19:43Like, no, bro.
19:45Thou shal not kill.
19:46You know?
19:47Like, I can protect, but thou shal not kill.
19:49I'm not looking to go out here and harm nobody, you know?
19:51So, when they influencing that stuff, that's why like, sometimes I be getting mad at myself.
19:56Like, why did I post that song?
19:57Like, now they thinking I'm just trying to promote some violence.
19:59Like, no, it's not that.
20:00I just like the sound, you know?
20:02And the real need more positivity, you know?
20:04So, that's why sometimes, like, if I find something that's smooth, I try to push that
20:08out there more, you know?
20:09But the real don't like to hear the good stuff.
20:11They like to hear the little ratchet.
20:12They like the drama, the trauma, the brokenness.
20:15Yeah, but it's like both.
20:15But that's what conflicts the real more, though.
20:18That gives more problems.
20:19Because people go to feeling that way, and then it might not change your mind right then,
20:24but like, if you keep listening to it repetitive, like, it's going to sneak in.
20:28It's going to sneak in the brain cells.
20:30And now you go to feeling that way.
20:32You mentioned shining a light.
20:33I want to move to black women in sports.
20:34Yeah.
20:35I'm a basketball girl.
20:36We talked about it a little bit earlier.
20:37So, I'm super excited about what's going on right now.
20:39Yeah, yeah.
20:39Leading into WNBA season.
20:40It's going dumb right now.
20:41For you, what sport on the women's side are you really excited about, or are you enjoying
20:47soaking it all in on your end?
20:48Well, basketball.
20:49WNBA 1.
20:50Yeah.
20:50I'm enjoying it.
20:51I really wasn't too fond of basketball.
20:54Women's basketball.
20:55Because I'm like, man, they not dunking and stuff.
20:57But now I'm saying, now women dunking.
21:00Yeah.
21:00And they got handles.
21:02Women going crazy.
21:03Don't get me wrong.
21:04It was a girl from where I'm from named Destiny.
21:08She was good in basketball.
21:09She was good in basketball.
21:10And I was a football player.
21:12But she can play football too.
21:13Mm-hmm.
21:14And I used to watch them like, dang, she good at basketball.
21:17So I'll try to play, but I couldn't shoot.
21:19You don't have a test?
21:20Back then, back then.
21:20Can you shoot back?
21:21I can shoot now.
21:21You got a jumper right now.
21:22Yeah, yeah, yeah.
21:23I can shoot now.
21:23But back then, that wasn't my thing.
21:25So I'm watching, I'm like, dang, I was amazed back then from just watching them play and
21:29stuff like that.
21:30But now, like on a high level, I'm seeing Angela Reese.
21:33Mm-hmm.
21:33You know what I'm saying?
21:33I'm Angela Reese.
21:34I'm seeing all the, Caitlyn.
21:35I'm seeing all these girls like, just go crazy now.
21:38It's like, man, it's inspiring.
21:40Yeah.
21:40Other girls can grow up and play basketball, you know?
21:43Yeah.
21:43They don't gotta be doing hair and stuff.
21:45They can play basketball, play some sports.
21:47And then I was just in Germany, like last week.
21:49Mm-hmm.
21:50I'm watching soccer.
21:52I'm seeing these great women in soccer.
21:53It's like, damn, bro, women are stepping.
21:55Like, the sports for the women is going crazy right now.
21:58Yeah.
21:59And it's amazing.
21:59Like, I'm inspired by it.
22:00I'm inspired by it.
22:01We co-signed by the one and only Lamar Jackson, y'all.
22:04Wink, wink.
22:04No doubt.
22:05No doubt.
22:06There's been conversations around, just recently, like the marketability of black female athletes
22:11and things of that nature.
22:12As we kind of think about that, you know, what are some ways or is there a way that you
22:16think the sports industry can better support black female athletes?
22:21Just giving them a chance.
22:22Yeah.
22:22Like, you can't just, just cause she's a woman, that don't mean just downplay a woman.
22:26Like, we need our women.
22:28Our women is our rib.
22:30Like, women in the red make the red a better place.
22:32That's just how I view it.
22:33I love women.
22:34Like, I love our women.
22:35Not like, oh no crazy, but I just love women.
22:38I respect women, you know, cause I feel like sometimes like people overshadow them and
22:43overshadow their opinions cause women are very smart, you know, very intelligent.
22:46And soft spoken sometimes, but I feel like that's when the negative, when I talk about
22:51the negativity, I feel like sometimes the music and stuff like they listen to might just
22:55corrupt them cause it's like, that's what the guys like.
22:58But it's like, nah, we still, we miss the soft women.
23:01Like, you don't like the thug women.
23:02Like, we miss the soft spoken, the intelligent women.
23:05Cause like, don't get me wrong, women are very, very, very smart, bro.
23:09And they be, y'all be advancing us like early on.
23:13Like, y'all be knowing what's going on way previous.
23:15Like, you know, when we still being little kid, little boys, y'all be already knowing
23:18what's going on, you know?
23:19So it's like, we just need to give women a chance at things, you know?
23:23But women are tough though.
23:24Yup.
23:24Y'all tougher than us.
23:25You can do anything.
23:26Y'all tougher than us.
23:27And men, I feel like some men, like they scared of that.
23:30I'm not scared of that.
23:31But women, women, y'all go through way more than we do.
23:34Y'all have babies.
23:35Y'all gotta push out babies.
23:37You know?
23:38Stuff like that, man.
23:40That's why I said we need to respect women and honor their opinions, man, more.
23:43Yeah.
23:43Best piece of advice you got from a black woman.
23:45What was it and who was it?
23:47My mom.
23:48Your mom.
23:49My mom, she, she, she, she gave me great advice.
23:52I can't even pinpoint like one thing that stuck with me.
23:55Like, cause it's so many things that go through my mind.
23:58Like of what she said, of how the world is.
24:00Like when I was a kid and I really didn't understand, but I see it now.
24:04It's like, dang, I should've listened.
24:07I was listening, but I wasn't listening at the same time.
24:11So like her, like her, she, she, she definitely taught me a lot.
24:15She definitely taught me a lot.
24:16And I think that's why some people be scared.
24:17Cause like I already knew what was going on before it, before it even happened.
24:22Let's talk about global impact a little bit.
24:23You talked about your trip to Germany.
24:25I know there was a flag football camp as well.
24:27Yeah.
24:27And you was lighting people up on the field.
24:29I don't even know if you were supposed to be doing that.
24:30I was just having fun with the kids.
24:32That's all.
24:32That's all.
24:34What are your, what are your thoughts on, you know, bringing us football in, in, in line
24:41with global sports?
24:43Because obviously, you know, we talked about basketball.
24:45We, I think that's a more global, you know, situation when we think about that sport.
24:49But you know, football here in the United States, they call it football over there is soccer.
24:53It's soccer, yeah.
24:53So, you know, how cool is it for you to be able to share the sport of football beyond
24:57just the United States?
24:58Oh man, it's, it's great to see, you know, cause I seen, like even my early, my early
25:06years in the league, I seen guys in Africa playing football and I'm like, I was retweeting.
25:11I mean, I was re posting it on social media, on Instagram and stuff.
25:13I'm like, bro, they in Africa playing football now?
25:15Like they really seen us play football and stuff?
25:17I'm like, bro, that's crazy.
25:18And then Germany, I go to Germany like this past week and people are hyped, like people
25:22know who I am.
25:23I'm like, dang, bro, I would never think in a million years people will be knowing who
25:27I am.
25:27Because I remember growing up, they had like some other league, the Brazilian football
25:31league, but it kind of went away.
25:34But just for the sport to go international, global, it's like, bro, that's crazy, bro.
25:38Like they really get to see what really goes on besides the, obviously football, the soccer
25:43football, but the physicality we go through, you know, they get to see interceptions,
25:47they get to see touchdown, they get to see the celebrations and not just using your feet.
25:52Right, right.
25:52Using your hands, you got to hit people.
25:54Like I said, the physicality, like stuff like that is great to see, you know, the inspiration
25:59in the world.
26:00Yeah.
26:00Besides playing, what's some of your favorite memories that you had in that trip to Germany?
26:05Introducing me to handball.
26:07One of the handball players, Yuri, he's a great handball player.
26:11That was my, you got to, it's kind of like, I want to say it's like soccer and lacrosse
26:17a little bit, you know, because, and it's kind of like basketball.
26:20You got to get like one dribble, three steps.
26:22You got to make the ball in the net.
26:24It's a goalie.
26:25It was, it was, it was dope.
26:26Like it was a dope experience for me.
26:27So you played.
26:29I attempted.
26:30I attempted.
26:30How did you do?
26:31I think I did.
26:32All right.
26:33I lost.
26:34I lost to a goat.
26:35Yuri's a goat.
26:36I lost to him, but.
26:37That's fair.
26:38I felt like it was good.
26:38He taught me how to spin the ball because the ball, like how they play, they make the
26:42ball sticky.
26:43And then you got to spin the ball a certain way to get it curved up, make the ball go.
26:48It was, it was crazy.
26:49It was a dope experience for me.
26:50And then meeting Alfonso, one of the soccer players, he's from Canada, a young guy, 23 years
26:55old.
26:55He's one of the best soccer players in the, in the world.
26:58Wow.
26:58Like bro, this is crazy.
27:00It's always fun to me to talk to athletes who are totally open to participating in other
27:04sports.
27:04Yeah.
27:04Yeah.
27:05I think that's really cool.
27:06And, you know, I do want to talk about just for you, you know, we, we talked about
27:11leadership a little bit.
27:12And I kind of want to go back to that just for just a moment.
27:16You have to think ahead.
27:18Yeah.
27:18You talked about that.
27:19You're obviously have a lot of other things going on off the field.
27:22Right.
27:22When on the field is on the field.
27:23So for you, what's like from a leadership standpoint, like what's your anchor?
27:29What's your, what's your focus?
27:31Um, what's been working for you?
27:33Pretty much lead by example.
27:35Yeah.
27:36That's how I always been.
27:37Uh, they really want me to be a much more of a vocal leader.
27:41Oh, and I'm like in a locker room, I can, I can, I can inspire.
27:44I believe I can speak more in a locker room, but like once the camera's on and they want
27:49me to be rowdy, right?
27:50That's not me.
27:52I'm not really the one going, Oh, let's go.
27:54I can't be that person.
27:56Like I was always one in the back, like getting hype with the team.
27:58Like ever since I was in youth football, like that's how I always been.
28:02So now it's the same way.
28:04So when I get on the field, it's like, you better be on the same time and I'm on though.
28:07Yeah.
28:08And like, if you, if I see you messing up, I'm coming to say something to you.
28:11If I mess up, you don't even got to say nothing to me cause I'm going to say it to
28:14myself.
28:15Like what the, man, like I'm getting mad at myself.
28:17Like I got to tighten up.
28:18I can't be, I can't be on them if I'm messing up, you know?
28:21Yeah.
28:21That's pretty much how I be.
28:22You know, I lead by example.
28:23What, what, what say you to the people who may be critical of the Lamar that, you know,
28:29obviously we're having a great conversation.
28:30I don't, I don't know anything about the cameras and Lamar not talking.
28:33That's how, that has not been my experience while we've been sitting here.
28:35But what do you say to the people that may say, he does need to speak up.
28:38He does need, we need to see him more.
28:40He needs to be out more.
28:41What, what say you to those people?
28:42I mean, that's what they looking for, but that's just not me.
28:48I got to be me at the end of the day.
28:49I can't be who you want me to be, you know, cause then I won't be Lamar.
28:53Yeah.
28:54I'm being the person you want me to be.
28:55You might not even like him now.
28:57You know, you might not even like that person you want him to be.
28:59Cause you want him to be like, however you got in your mind.
29:02Like, I want Lamar to be like this.
29:04Why?
29:05Like why?
29:06I don't want you to be like nobody else.
29:08I want you to be like you.
29:09You know, that's all.
29:12When we talk about engaging, going back to the community a little bit, because you're
29:17very entrenched in your community.
29:19How do you think professional athletes can best use their platforms to provide that positive
29:23impact in their communities?
29:25See, I don't really know how people's schedules go, but like, you know, I wouldn't say as
29:29much as they could.
29:30Cause people like downtown, you know, we be working our tail off, you know, trying to
29:34win games and working hard and stuff like that.
29:37But like when you do have downtime, just go back, chime in and see what's going on.
29:41Cause I feel like sometimes it make people's day when they're able to see us and see where
29:46we come from and see how we are right now.
29:48Some people, don't get me wrong, some people hate it.
29:50Cause some people can't take like, oh, how did he, how he able to be this person?
29:55Like why wasn't me?
29:56Like you wasn't, you wasn't grinding for real.
29:59You know, you just, you was just talking about it.
30:01This person would bend about it.
30:02You know, even when that person didn't play football.
30:05Cause one year I didn't play football, you know, 10th grade.
30:07Cause I was, I was being a kid, you know, in ninth grade.
30:10You know, they say ninth grade is your most important years in high school.
30:13And I was being a kid.
30:14So now my grades, my grades back.
30:16It wasn't like I was dumb or anything.
30:17Cause I was getting, I'm 3.0, you know, I got AB on the road and stuff like that.
30:21But ninth grade, I messed around and played.
30:24So 10th grade, I can't play.
30:25Core GPA, bad.
30:27You know, it was 2.0 at first.
30:28I tried to transfer it.
30:291.5.
30:30I'm like, oh, nah, they did this on purpose.
30:33Now I can't play football.
30:34Now I got to rip my, rip my tail off, get my grades back up.
30:36I get my grades up.
30:37Now I can play.
30:38You know, I'm acting like, man, I don't want to go to a JUCO.
30:41Right.
30:42I know that's harder.
30:43You know, that's a harder life.
30:44And shout out to the guys who do go to JUCO and end up making it and grinding because
30:47that's a different lifestyle from division one, you know?
30:51Division one is like cake compared to JUCO.
30:54Yeah.
30:54Absolutely.
30:55And I've seen people struggle from that.
30:57So it's like, man, I don't want to go to JUCO cause I'm already knowing how my mindset
31:00is.
31:00Like, bro, that's going to be a whole nother row right there.
31:03So I got to get my grades up.
31:04I'm asking like, man, what I can do to get my grades right.
31:06You know, I'm just letting people know like it wasn't all peaches and cream for me either.
31:10You know, y'all looking at me being Lamar Jackson, but I had to grind.
31:13I had to use my mind.
31:14You know, it's not just talent.
31:15You got to use your mind to be in the NFL, you know?
31:17So got my grades right.
31:20Ended up playing, getting offers and stuff like that.
31:22Went viral off of a little high school, played my senior season.
31:27Went to Louisville.
31:28God bless me to go to Louisville.
31:30I'm in the league now, you know?
31:32But just how I just told that story, it was still bumps on the road, you know?
31:36It wasn't just a smooth selling ride.
31:38But God's way is going to always be like love.
31:42Absolutely.
31:43But your way, if you try to go smooth selling, you might not like the end result, you know?
31:48That's true.
31:49Your advice to young and aspiring football players, taking all of what you just said into account,
31:57what would you say to them?
31:58Man, keep God first.
31:59That's number one.
32:00You know, you got to have him front, center, whatever you're doing, every decision you make.
32:03If you're trying to do it on your own, bro, you might crash.
32:07I'm telling you that now.
32:08You might just crash.
32:09You might not.
32:10You might get overwhelmed with the world, you know?
32:12And just patience.
32:14Have patience, man, because your time is going to come.
32:17Yeah.
32:18Last question as I allow you to leave this incredible conversation we've had.
32:22All right.
32:23Keep in mind all you all we've talked about, you as a leader on and off the field, involved
32:29in your community, an author, two-time MVP, all these great accomplishments.
32:35Yeah.
32:35For you, in light of what you've done and what you want to do, what would you say you want
32:40your legacy to be as a man and as a football player?
32:45How do I want to find my legacy?
32:48Just one of a kind.
32:51One of a kind.
32:52Yeah.
32:53I like that.
32:54Lamar, you are one of a kind.
32:56I appreciate you.
32:56Thank you for this exchange.
32:59I have enjoyed talking to you.
33:00Thank you for your openness to share.
33:02No doubt.
33:03You are, as I was sitting here talking to you and listening to you, the one word that
33:07kept coming to my mind was chosen.
33:09I appreciate it.
33:09And you are.
33:10So I wish you all the best and thank you for hanging out with me for Essence Black Women
33:13Sports.
33:14I appreciate y'all.
33:18We good, we good.
33:22We got to do this.
33:24Do we?
33:25Do we?
33:25Do we?
33:26Do we?
33:27We got to do this.
33:28Do we have a beautiful pillow quiz.