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00:02 >> Got the stand.
00:03 [BLANK_AUDIO]
00:06 >> Welcome back.
00:06 >> [LAUGH] >> So how does it feel to sign with
00:10 the hometown team and to be right back in Sydney, New York?
00:14 >> It feels great.
00:15 I mean, my mom's here, my grandma's here.
00:17 I was born and raised, so it feels amazing.
00:20 >> Was that one of the big deciding factors for you in terms of landing here or
00:24 kind of like what went into the decision?
00:26 >> Just weighing on my options.
00:28 I mean, I'm from here, I know what to expect.
00:31 I mean, I had a big thing to do with it, of course, my family's here.
00:36 >> Yes.
00:37 >> Damon, you're the 37th native Nordinian to play for the New Orleans Saints.
00:43 And that says a lot about this area.
00:45 In your opinion, having grown up here,
00:47 what makes this area so fertile for talent that goes to the NFL?
00:50 >> Just the way we brought up.
00:53 I mean, I was brought up in the 7th Ward.
00:54 I mean, we're tough.
00:57 Being from St. Augustine High School, it's just a place to grow up and be there.
01:03 I mean, it's hot outside all the time.
01:05 Everywhere you go is hot.
01:07 You just gotta work hard down here.
01:08 You gotta be special.
01:10 I don't know how to answer that question, but you just gotta be different down here.
01:14 You gotta navigate different, how you act,
01:18 how you bring yourself to the city.
01:23 >> Have you been a Saints fan growing up?
01:25 >> Yes, especially in the big ones.
01:26 >> So what players have you come?
01:28 >> Well, Marcus Cosey.
01:29 >> Of course.
01:32 >> Drew Brees.
01:32 >> A lot of them.
01:33 >> Tyron Matthews.
01:34 >> A lot of them.
01:36 >> So did you talk to Tyron much about coming here and just, since he's here?
01:40 >> I haven't talked to him yet, but we always used to talk when I was going
01:44 through my process of being undrafted in the league.
01:46 When I was in college, he always had great things to say.
01:49 I used to play for a football team with his brother, Ashley, and
01:51 he used to always come talk to us, give us great advice.
01:55 I was actually the ball boy when he was in high school, so I always talked to Tyron.
01:58 >> You obviously have one of those classic stories about
02:04 finding your path in the NFL by doing what you can do.
02:08 And what are the things you think you've done that has really made you stand out
02:12 outside of the station?
02:15 >> Just the way I transformed my role.
02:17 I used to be a great receiver at Nebraska, and
02:20 I had to find my role in the NFL as a special teamer.
02:23 So as a gunner, every tackle I made on the field, I was just learning how to tackle.
02:28 So learning how to keep going and elevate myself as a special teamer, and
02:33 to keep going and stacking those years.
02:35 >> How much pride do you take in kind of carving out a niche on special teams?
02:39 >> I'm very passionate about football.
02:41 Whatever it is, if you need a cup of water, I'll run over and get you a cup of water.
02:45 I love football, I love the way I play the game.
02:47 I love the game because I bless it and it bless me.
02:52 >> And on offense, that's a heavy blocking role too, man?
02:55 Is that another, same falls into that same category?
02:58 >> I mean, the same, I love to block as well as I love to catch the ball.
03:01 Because the whole line is doing the same thing for
03:03 me when I need somebody to throw the ball for, to get the ball to me.
03:07 >> What kind of teammate was Joe Burrow?
03:09 >> A great one. >> What kind of teammate was he?
03:11 >> A great teammate.
03:12 Joe Burrow, if you can shut up, he's back.
03:14 He's very quiet, very chill.
03:17 He's a normal guy, just like you and me.
03:19 But he's a great teammate, I guess, a great teammate.
03:22 >> How much do you see this as an opportunity to carve out another role as
03:27 a wide receiver?
03:29 >> I see this as a great opportunity.
03:30 The room is small.
03:31 Everybody's coming in with a fresh start.
03:35 Obviously, we have a number one receiver here.
03:36 Just a great opportunity for me.
03:39 I never really had that role as a receiver in the NFL, so I'm very excited for it.
03:45 >> How excited are you to play with Gary Kahn?
03:47 >> Say that again.
03:48 >> How excited are you to play with Gary Kahn?
03:50 >> Very excited.
03:50 I mean, obviously, he's done great things in the league.
03:54 Great quarterback.
03:55 Ready to learn from him.
03:57 >> So what was your parents' reaction when you told them?
04:00 >> It was kind of mad at me, cuz I was actually negotiating as the weekend passed,
04:05 and I thought I was gonna sign Monday, but I ended up signing it Friday.
04:08 So my mama kinda called me, and she was kinda mad that I didn't tell her.
04:12 And I was like, I'm sorry.
04:13 >> [LAUGH] >> She happy now?
04:19 >> Yeah, very happy.
04:20 >> How did that work out?
04:23 Did they reach out to you first among other teams?
04:25 Or you wanted to figure out if you could get back home,
04:28 if that was a possibility?
04:29 >> You talking about my grandmother?
04:31 >> No, the Saints.
04:32 And when you're a free agent, how do you end up going to the hometown team?
04:37 They called you, or you asked your agent if there was a possibility to get back?
04:40 >> I just kinda asked my agent if there was a possibility, and
04:44 it just happened like that, it was quick.
04:46 >> And I mean, obviously nothing's handed, but
04:49 I mean competing for the Gunners spot is a vision they have for you, I assume, here?
04:53 >> Yeah, I assume the same thing.
04:55 Nothing's given in this league, so
04:57 I assume to have opportunities to fight for any spot I can.
05:01 >> How much has Coach Williams influenced you?
05:04 I know he went to Nebraska.
05:06 He was there, you got there right about the same time.
05:10 >> Coach Dubb has always been like a father figure away from home for me.
05:14 He took good care of me in Nebraska.
05:16 We did a lot of learning together.
05:17 >> And Sam, you talked about having become a Saints fan when they won Super Bowl.
05:23 What do you remember about that?
05:24 What's that like?
05:25 >> Having a whole week off from school, just bringing the city joy after Katrina.
05:30 So just everything about it was amazing.
05:33 My mom, my family was happy.
05:35 I remember when I watched the game, it was in the east, my auntie, Hope.
05:39 So it was just an amazing time for the city.
05:41 >> Stanley, you kind of brought up Tyron and your relationship with him.
05:46 But I'm curious, for somebody who went to St.
05:49 Ogg and somebody who's really young when he started his pro career,
05:53 what's it been like for you seeing what he's done here?
05:56 And then now you're gonna be able to call yourself his teammate.
05:58 What's that like?
05:59 >> He's a living legend down here.
06:02 Like I said, I used to play with his brother.
06:04 He used to come and talk to us when we went to LSU.
06:07 And just seeing his steps and seeing his story,
06:09 it just shows everybody from New Orleans.
06:11 Like he said earlier, how do I feel about being here?
06:14 It just shows me that everything is possible if Tyron can do the same thing,
06:19 make it, and he does, anybody in New Orleans can do the same.
06:23 >> Going back to the wide receiver, you talked about obviously,
06:26 who the number one is.
06:27 But what other conversations have you had with maybe Crystal Oliver or
06:30 any of the other pass catchers?
06:32 >> I haven't talked to him yet, so I haven't really got a chance to talk to him.
06:36 >> Just having an awareness of the room from outside,
06:38 though, what do you feel like you add to it?
06:40 >> Just my physicality, blocking, and just the will to do anything.
06:48 You know what I'm saying?
06:49 I'm a greedy receiver, so just a will to get in there and get dirty if you need me to.
06:52 >> What makes Coach Delva, what makes him such a unique coach?
06:57 And how does he get guys to prosper like you and so many others in the league?
07:04 >> He's passionate.
07:05 I mean, he's the most passionate coach I've been around probably my whole career.
07:08 If he's going to the lunchroom to get a sandwich,
07:13 you wanna make the best sandwich.
07:14 He's just that type of guy that wanna get the best out of everyone in the room, and
07:18 he's gonna do that.
07:20 >> How important for you as a player is relatability when it comes to your
07:24 position, coach, especially with a guy like him?
07:27 >> I feel like it's cool, but he's the type of guy that's,
07:31 he's gonna play the best guy, you know what I'm saying?
07:32 He's not that type of, I feel like it's just the fact that he can help me with
07:37 plays, you know what I'm saying?
07:38 I can just feel comfortable just asking him questions, just anything.
07:43 But he's very fair.
07:44 >> You talked about the transition you would have from being a dominant receiver
07:49 in Nebraska, mainly especially team time, but
07:52 how did you find that humble approach when you had that transition?
07:56 >> At Bengals?
07:58 >> Yeah, from Nebraska to Cincinnati.
08:00 I just had a decent coach there that just helped me a lot.
08:04 My special teams coach at the Bengals, shout out to him.
08:08 And Stephen Carter, he's from here, local, from Rummel.
08:11 Just being there, he was already there at the special teams role.
08:15 Just kinda going about the day with him, just how he recovered,
08:18 how he goes about his week.
08:19 When does he start opening a playbook?
08:22 Just kinda being a big brother and lead that I needed.
08:25 >> What do you think about the uniqueness?
08:27 It seems like no matter where you go,
08:28 you have a hometown connection to be able to help you.
08:31 >> I mean, that's just special.
08:32 That's just God, I don't know.
08:34 That's just something special, that's just heaven for me.
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