Johnathan Abram is the latest player to return to the Saints during free agency. He spoke with the local media on Wednesday afternoon to talk about the decision and much more.
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00:00 I just want to say I'm blessed to be back, blessed to be a part of the Houdat family.
00:04 I couldn't do this without my family, couldn't do this without God, and just it's an honor.
00:10 Jonathan, did you look around much or talk to many other teams or was it kind of
00:19 figuring out a way to get back here the main priority?
00:22 Talked to a few other teams, but the main priority was kind of staying around.
00:28 I'm happy here, love being close to home, being close to my family, being close to the ranch.
00:33 I love this team, I love the culture here. I kind of grew up a Saints fan. This has kind of
00:40 been my team since, because coming from Mississippi. I love it here, don't really
00:45 want to go anywhere else. So kind of staying here was kind of my priority.
00:53 And how about role with the team specifically? I know obviously you bounced around a few places
00:59 at the end of that 2022 season and then it took a little while to find your niche in New Orleans,
01:05 but do you think they ended up finding the best way to use you and you ended up showing them
01:10 your value toward the end of the season? I mean, I don't really worry about that kind of stuff. I
01:14 mean, I don't really think I bounced around more, so just think I was just trying to find the team
01:18 that needed the help at the time. And so, you know, done that, you know, coming back here,
01:23 you know, they'll find a way to use me and whichever way they use me, I'll be fine with it.
01:29 So just trying to do whatever I can to help the team win, because at the end of the day,
01:32 that's all that matters. Jonathan, your thoughts on what the Saints have done so far,
01:40 the offensive side of the ball, Chase Young, Willie Gay, Jr., those two players, especially.
01:46 Yeah, I mean, super excited to kind of play along with those guys, you know, play with Willie back
01:50 in college. I know he's a dog, you know, he's won two Super Bowls since he's been in the league.
01:54 Chase, you know, coming over, he's going to help with the pass rush because, you know,
01:58 rushing coverage goes together. So, you know, super excited to be with those guys. Can't wait
02:03 to see what we all can do once we get back out here together. Jonathan, I know you said that,
02:10 you know, you're not really too worried right now about role and all that and trying to figure out
02:14 how to contribute to the team. But I mean, those last two games where you got the start at strong
02:18 safety opposite Tyron Matthew, you know, you drew a lot of praise throughout that time. Is that
02:23 something that you would take as a full-time role in 2024 if it was presented to you and if you
02:29 earned that? Without a doubt. I mean, wouldn't you? If they told you you could be the lead
02:34 guy in your job, you would take the role as well. I mean, so, you know, if the role presents itself,
02:41 I'm going to do everything in my power to make sure I do my best and to make sure that we
02:45 succeed. And so, you know, we finished the season off strong. So hopefully we can start back up the
02:49 same way and kind of keep this ball rolling and try to roll all the way into the last game of
02:53 the season. And what about that role worked for you last year? I mean, like it just seemed like
02:59 it clicked you next to Tyron and everything so quickly for you. What about it worked for you?
03:03 I mean, it's very easy when you're playing against a lot when you're playing with a lot
03:08 of great talent. I mean, Tyron is a guy who I've kind of, you know, admired and looked up to,
03:12 you know, for a long time. You know, he's been the honey badger who a lot of kids have
03:15 emulated over the years. And so to kind of go out there with him and to, you know, me and him
03:20 studying film together, it makes it very easy. You know, we communicate at a very high level,
03:24 you know, and then playing behind Demario, he's playing downhill.
03:28 And only thing you have to do is clean things up. It makes your job very easy.
03:34 How important was it for you to still be near your home in Mississippi?
03:39 I mean, very important. I mean, you know, coming back here, you know, last year,
03:44 it was the first time I got to spend like Thanksgiving and Christmas with my family
03:47 in the last 10 years, you know, since kind of going off to college and everything. So,
03:51 you know, it played a vital role in my decision making.
03:55 How ecstatic were they to learn that you're coming back to the New Orleans?
04:02 Oh, they were very happy, you know, have some of my family here with me today. You know,
04:06 you know, they're excited to, you know, for us to kind of go along this journey and kind of
04:10 continue and see what all we can do with the Saints. And, you know, like I said, hopefully
04:14 the end goal is to make sure, you know, we try to play in that last game in the Superdome.
04:18 Hey, Jonathan, I want to clarify something you said earlier. When you said you were
04:29 re-signing, did you say you were happy to be near the ranch? Like, were you talking about
04:34 your family's ranch? Yeah, I have a ranch. So, we have a ranch in Summerall, Mississippi.
04:41 It's called Rain's Ranch. So, looking to open up soon. Kind of going to be open for the public.
04:45 Pretty much going to be a one-stop shop. Having a question center where we're going to be boarding
04:50 horses, offering trail rides, horse riding lessons, lodgings, pretty much anything you
04:56 could think of. So, you know, to be closer to that, you know, makes me happy. So,
05:01 yeah, that's awesome. I didn't know that about you. So, that's pretty cool.
05:06 Are you guys helping some of the kids in the neighborhood learning how to ride and get
05:14 acquainted with horses and the wildlife and everything? Yeah, I mean, that's, you know,
05:20 that's a big part of it. So, trying to bridge the gap with, you know, humans and horses. So,
05:26 our slogan is Rain's Ranch is where hooves and horse unite. So, basically, we're going to have,
05:31 you know, different programs for, you know, like wounded warriors, like disabled veterans,
05:35 autistic programs to basically, you know, like therapy with horses and basically just trying
05:42 to get kids outdoors again, you know, because nowadays with so many kids being inside playing
05:47 on electronic tablets and things like of that nature. So, just trying to get kids back outdoors
05:51 and doing more physical activities and things of that nature. And so, just trying to create some
05:57 activities also for, you know, after school activities for kids in that area as well.
06:01 Where did that passion start for you? You know, trying to bridge that,
06:05 you talked about bridging that gap. Where'd that passion start for you?
06:07 Um, I mean, I've had horses my entire life. Me and my brother, we had horses, we were about
06:13 nine, 10 years old to the point where I remember we used to have them tied up on leashes out in
06:17 the yard eating grass like they were dogs. So, all the way up until now to where, you know,
06:22 I can basically afford to basically bring it back and try to bring my passion, some things that I
06:28 love and try to pour it into the next generation. So, just because, you know, I love horses and
06:34 one thing I know is if you love anything, it loves you back. So.
06:37 Hey, Jonathan, Jarvion Howard, Jarvion Howard talked to about you a little bit during the HBCU
06:46 week. Just kind of talk about your relationship with him and why he kind of called you a little
06:51 bit of a brother. Oh, yeah. I mean, so me and Jarvion, we played high school ball together
06:56 back at Eastman. And so, you know, me and him, we've kind of stayed in contact throughout his
07:02 entire journey where he started out at Syracuse. You know, he talked about, talked to me through
07:06 like the whole transferring process because I went to UGA at first, I transferred and went to
07:11 Mississippi State. So, I just was trying to, you know, just kind of keep him mentally there,
07:15 you know, throughout the whole process and trying to make sure he stay headstrong and,
07:20 you know, make sure he stay motivated. And so, you know, things have paid off for him,
07:23 you know, where he kind of went to Alcorn and had some success. And, you know, he's now he's
07:27 entering his NFL journey. So, you know, I've just been, you know, an advocate for him to kind of
07:32 continue to, somebody to lean on about advice and things of, you know, some things that he may
07:39 endure and have to overcome throughout this process, you know, and just tell him, you know,
07:43 you know, hard work pays off, you know, just keep working. At the end of the day, you know,
07:46 somebody's going to see it, somebody's going to recognize it, and somebody's going to give
07:49 you the opportunity. At the end of the day, that's all you can ask for is an opportunity.
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