Click here to download the audio interview with John Nalbone.

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Announcement : My name is Max Strauss with prointerviews.org/, facebook.com/ProInterviews/ and twitter.com/ProInterviews/. I’d like to welcome you to the interview with TE, John Nalbone. Nalbone attended Monmouth University in New Jersey. During his junior and senior year, he received All-NEC honors. He set numerous school records as a TE. Nalbone entered the 2009 NFL Draft, and was drafted in the 5th round, 161st overall by the Miami Dolphins. He has also been a member of the Vikings, Broncos, Eagles, Bengals, and is currently with the Seahawks. Here is the interview with practice squad member, John Nalbone.

Strauss : How do you connect with your fans?

Nalbone : I’m on Facebook and I have a twitter. People can find me on twitter at @JGN86.

Strauss : What was it like for you playing youth football?

Nalbone : Playing youth football actually was fun. I enjoyed playing all sports. It wasn’t my passion while I was young though. My passion was basketball. Growing up, I was a huge basketball fan. It was fun. I was very active playing basketball and hockey too.

Strauss : Did you play basketball in high school too?

Nalbone : I actually didn’t play in high school. That was when I got really serious with football. I didn’t enjoy football much until I got to high school, and then I fell in love with it. I just focused on that, and during the offseason, I was working. I went to the weight room all of the time, and tried to put on weight since I played tight end.

Strauss : What was your high school football experience like?

Nalbone : It was a great time. It was a lot of fun. It was the first time I really enjoyed football.

Strauss : Did anyone from your high school make the NFL?

Nalbone : Not that I played with. There was Scott Brunner who played with the Giants. He went to my high school back in the 70s. Funny story is that when I was coming out of college, he was a QB Coach where I trained. He worked with Flacco the year before. I believe he’s the only other guy from my high school I believe.

Strauss : What were you options for college, and why’d you choose Monmouth?

Nalbone : Coming out of high school, I didn’t have tons of offers. I had a pretty good high school career with a good amount of catches, size, speed, and stuff. I didn’t have many offers. Rutgers offered me a chance to walk-on. Towson had offered me a scholarship, but I chose to go to Monmouth. It was close to home. It was only 45 minutes away, and still in New Jersey. I decided to go there, and it all worked out.

Strauss : You didn’t play your freshman year, right?

Nalbone : When I got to Monmouth, during my freshman year, there were already two seniors there. Basically, I red-shirted that year. It wasn’t to big of a jump though from high school to the new level. It was a good experience though. I learned a lot in one year.

Strauss : What was it like having such an impact on Monmouth football?

Nalbone : The things that I thought that were cool at Monmouth were that we were a young program. We started in 1993. We weren’t an established program. They were all about winning though. I don’t think I had a huge impact on it. I definitely think I contributed though. I was a leader and stuff like that. I did make some really good relationships while I was there, so that was pretty cool.

Strauss : You set some all-time records at Monmouth. What’s it like for you to look back on that?

Nalbone : For me personally, I think it’s great when you have records that are probably going to be broken eventually. That’s the old saying, right? ‘Records are meant to be broken.’ It’s definitely awesome to have that to show how nice your career was, at a small school. It was something I didn’t expect. I grew up watching big-time college football, and ended up having a really successful collegiate career. It’s nice to have that opportunity.

Strauss : You were All-Conference a couple of times in your career. Do you have a favorite year at Monmouth?

Nalbone : I guess that’s hard to say because we had plenty success while we were there. My senior year we didn’t win as many games as we wanted to and we had a pretty good team. We had to overcome a couple of tough losses. I would probably my junior year when we won the conference. We went 10-2. That was pretty cool. I think it was 06-07.

Strauss : Do you have a favorite memory or favorite game from Monmouth?

Nalbone : I would probably say my last game even though it didn’t have a huge impact on our season. We were playing an away game. My whole family was there.  It was a good game. I think I had a pretty good game receiving. I scored a touchdown. It was cool going out from your senior year with a big win.

Strauss : Did you have a Pro Day?

Nalbone : Interestingly, I did have a Pro Day but I didn’t get invited to the NFL Combine. I had some teams that came and scouted me and stuff like that. I had a Pro Day at Monmouth, but it wasn’t actually at the school. I had a representative from the Jets come and scout me and put me in this database. I had one at Hofstra that I attended. There were plenty of teams there. So, I had two Pro Days.

Strauss : What was your draft day experience like?

Nalbone : It was pretty cool. I didn’t do anything crazy. The Draft was split and in a different format. I watched the first day of the Draft. I obviously knew I wasn’t going to go in the first day. That weekend I had family over my house. They came over, and it was nice. I didn’t pay too much attention to watching it. The fourth round came and went, and then I got a phone call from Miami, and the rest is history.

Strauss : What was going through your mind when Miami selected you?

Nalbone : It was excitement. To go through all of that hard work, and it paid off. At the same time that I was excited and happy and anxious, I knew I had a long way to go. I have a huge responsibility being a drafted player. I can’t believe it happened. It was a dream for me as a kid to get drafted. I was more anxious and excited, and felt really blessed to have that opportunity.

Strauss : Tell me as much as you want about each team and your experiences with them.

Nalbone : Miami was exciting to be drafted there. It was to a new coaching staff. They were successful the year before with a new coaching staff. I imagine the adapting was like coming from a smaller school to a bigger school. I had adapt to the new offense and everything like that. I was excited about the opportunity. Obviously, they felt they needed a change. I went onto Minnesota. My time there was very brief. I was on the practice squad there. It was the same story. They need to make some moves though. I then went onto Denver and was there until the end of the year. Then, I got a call at the end of the year from the Eagles that they were interested in offering me a future’s deal as well. I decided that would be a better fit, but then with the whole lockout, I was cut before camp. I then ended up with Cincinnati throughout all of camp. I didn’t really get an opportunity to play many snaps at all. I came in a week late, but there’s no excuses. I’m happy where I’m at right now in Seattle. We’re a young team. We have an exciting coach. I’m on the practice squad right now and staying healthy until I make it.

Strauss : Do you have a favorite memory in the NFL so far?

Nalbone : Yeah. I played in the first two games with Miami, not the preseason ones. They scaled back the game plan a little bit, but being able to contribute was great. It wasn’t my rookie year, I was active for those preseason games. But the year after that, to just get some time in the game.

Strauss : Do you have any relationships in the NFL that you think have helped you become a better tight end? 

Nalbone : Absolutely. When I was with the Dolphins, Anthony Fasano and I worked together. He’s a great guy. He helped me while I was a rookie. He’s a great and well-rounded tight end. I see that he had success down there this year with Miami. He’s a hard worker. He helped me out a lot and showed me a lot of things. He helped me with the offense too. Watching him play and watching film with him was great. I was a rookie from a small school, and he does it right. He’s a complete professional. He was in Dallas for some time too. I don’t think it could have been better for me. I’m very thankful for that.

Strauss : How do you describe your style of tight end play?

Nalbone : I think I’m more of a balanced tight end. I think I’m better at blocking than receiving. I usually play at around 250-260 around that area. I have run routes pretty well. I guess you can I’m balanced. I don’t want to brag about myself.

Strauss : Would you say you watch tape of someone who you want to emulate on the field?

Nalbone : I mean, not necessarily. I just learn from my coaching and from the guys that I’m with. There’s a difference in playing college and high school. You’re obviously competing with guys in your position group. It’s a pretty tight-knit group. I’ve never been in a situation where they won’t help someone else out. I wouldn’t say I watch someone and try to model myself after them.

Strauss : If you could meet anyone, who would it be and why?

Nalbone : I would say Abraham Lincoln. He’s an interesting guy. I liked learning about him.

Strauss : Who was your childhood star?

Nalbone : I would say Joe Montana and Michael Jordan. I loved watching both of them play.

Strauss : If you weren’t playing in the NFL, what would you want to do?

Nalbone : If I wasn’t in the NFL, I’m not really sure about that. I don’t know what I would want to be. I haven’t really put much thought into it though. I’d probably want to start my own company. I’m not sure exactly what, but maybe go back to school. I might want to get into sports management. I’m not too sure though.

Strauss : What is your favorite TV Show?

Nalbone : I watch a couple different things. I like Modern Family, that’s a killer.

Strauss : What is your favorite movie of all time?

Nalbone : Forrest Gump is a great movie… I think I’m going with that one.

Strauss : What is your favorite type of pie?

Nalbone : I think that I would have to go with apple pie.

Strauss : What would be your last meal on earth?

Nalbone : It would have to be a really good pizza and Surf N’ Turf.

Strauss : What’s your favorite dessert?

Nalbone : I’m not really a dessert guy. I would say ice cream or a really good piece of cake.

Strauss : Thank you so much for your time.

Nalbone : Thank you Max.

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Strauss : How do you connect with your fans?

Parks : I think I’m able to connect with the fans from being a fan myself I love this game and it’s a complete blessing to be able to do this what I love on an everyday basis. I am also just able to connect with my fans because they have followed and supported me from the beginning even during my town of team switches they have always been there to keep me going

Strauss : What was it like for you playing youth football?

Parks : My youth experience helped me to build my drive and dedication to this game. I played in the GYFC (Georgia Youth Football Conference) and during that time, it was the best conference in Georgia, but something people don’t really know is that during this time I only played running back. I had the best time winning three championships, but that’s where I learned everything like hard work and dedication. Not only that, but two of my teammates are in the NFL also, Patriots Jermaine Cunningham and Bills Kelvin Sheppard made our team a pretty tough team to play.

Strauss : What was your high school football experience like?

Parks : As a high school player, I was able to start and have a key role on varsity as a freshman playing getting a significant time playing but my breakthrough came through my sophomore year when I became a starter playing running back and defensive back. My junior  and senior year, I was the captain of my team. During my senior year, we led our team to our first playoff appearance in five years.

Strauss : What was your recruiting experience like to Northeastern? 

Parks : It was exciting. I knew I was getting ready to start a new chapter in my life.  I was excited to move up North. Although Northeastern was not where I initially expected to go, I made the decision based on my education, knowing Northeastern was ranked highly for Engineering.  Additionally, I met good friends also in route to Northeastern, which made the decision a lot easier.

Strauss : What was the transition like to Northeastern?

Parks : Although there were slight adjustments due to the fact that I was from the south and now living and going to school in Boston, a lot of my teammates were from the south. In a sense, I felt like I was at home.

Strauss : What’s it like to be the last player in school history to make it in the NFL for probably a while?

Parks : It’s bitter sweet because on one hand, I know I have to leave an outstanding impression to show that I deserve to be where I am. However, on the other hand, I know that I won’t be able to share this great opportunity with any teammates from Northeastern that may have come after me.

Strauss : What was it like being a multi-sport athlete in college?

Parks : It kept my busy.  Not only was I a multiple sport athlete, but I was also a mechanical engineering major and that made it a bit difficult. I quickly had to learn to manage my time, but was able to succeed once I learned time management skills.

Strauss : What was your Pro Day like?

Parks : I had a pro day during my junior year. I ran a 4.39 and at the time we didn’t do any other drill, we just ran 40s and took my height weight and other basic information.

Strauss : Even though you were undrafted, what was your draft day experience like? 

Parks : It was disappointing at first.  Because I didn’t have a senior pro day my draft stock dropped tremendously.  It was rough for me to watch my friends and guys that I competed and did well against, get drafted.  However, my disappointment was short-lived because fifteen minutes after the draft was over, I received a call from the St. Louis Rams and they offered me an undrafted free agent spot.

Strauss : What was it like receiving a phone call from the Rams?

Parks : No words can explain how excited I was to get the phone call from the St. Louis Rams. However, it didn’t really hit me until I saw my name in the locker room and I began practicing with guys. I had seen my play and watched on TV time and time again. I chose the Rams because it was the only team that offered me a shot.  In fact, you can say that I didn’t choose the Rams, the Rams chose me.

Strauss : What was it like with the Seahawks?

Parks : It was a great experience. It was a chance for me to go the Northwest.  The coaching staff as well as the facilities was great.  I was enthused to play with Pete Carroll.  Additionally, the players and I connected on and off the field, more specifically the defensive backs.

Strauss : What was it like with the Vikings?

Parks : My time spent with the Vikings were some of my best years.  I was able to play with and learn from players like Antoine Winfield, Adrian Peterson and Brett Favre.  I was able to learn a lot more about the game.  Additionally, the coaching staff was great.   There were coaches who have played in the NFL so they were able to relate to us players pretty well.  The player to coach relationships that developed as a result made for a smooth transition.

Strauss : What is your favorite memory in the NFL?

Parks : Up to this point, my favorite moment in the NFL would have to be my first active game when I was with the St. Louis Rams.  We played the Cardinals on Christmas and on my first play, I made a tackle.  It was exciting and I felt proud.

Strauss : If you could describe yourself as any ice cream flavor, what would you be and why?

Parks : Oreo and M&M Blizzard because I’m the best of both worlds. Candy and Ice Cream are similar to me because I’ve played both sides of the ball, both offense and defense. The M&M blizzard is smooth, that’s my offense side and when I have the ball. Oreo Blizzard is rough like when I’m on defense.

Strauss : For someone aspiring to play football in the NFL, do you have any advice for them?

Parks : Most people try to look so far ahead and focus on things that have not happened yet.  My advice would be to enjoy your time in the present and take care of the business that is in front of you at the moment.  I would also say that working hard is a must.

Strauss : Thank you for taking the time to answer these questions.

Parks : No problem. I’m happy that I could help!

->Here are the personal questions that Cord Parks answered.<-

Strauss : If you could meet anyone, who would it be and why?

Parks : Andre 3000 is one of my favorite artists and it has been this way since I was a kid. 

Strauss : Who was your childhood star?

Parks : Barry Sanders and Walter Payton because they were dynamic and explosive players when they had the ball in their hands.

Strauss : What is your favorite TV Show?

Parks : Martin is just pure comedy.

Strauss : What is your favorite movie of all time?

Parks : Life has a great cast of comedians Martin Lawrence, Eddie Murphy, Bernie Mac and the list 

Strauss : What is your favorite type of pie?

Parks : I do not have one.

Strauss : What would be your last meal on earth?

Parks : My mother’s Baked Chicken and Rice, Mac N’ Cheese, and Corn Muffins. I’d want to drink Lemonade and have Mike & Ike Tropical fruit for dessert.

Strauss : Do you have a special pre-game ritual?

Parks : I usually make me a playlist that I listen to before every game I also like to get to the stadium early and just walk around the field a few times.

Click to download audio interview with Andre Reed.

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Check out Andre Reed’s Over The Middle BBQ sauce. http://www.andrereedotm.com/

Announcement : My name is Max Strauss with www.prointerviews.org, www.facebook.com/ProInterviews/ and www.twitter.com/ProInterviews. I’d like to welcome you to the interview with Bills legend, Andre Reed. Reed played collegiately at the Kutztown University. He entered the 1985 NFL Draft, and was drafted in the 4th round, 86th overall by the Buffalo Bills. He played with the Bills for 15 years, made four Super Bowl appearances, and played in the Pro Bowl seven times. He is currently eighth all time in receptions with 951, ninth in receiving yards with 13,198, and eleventh all time in touchdown receptions with 87. Here is the interview with Bills all-time great WR, Andre Reed.

Strauss : When did you finally realize that you were playing in the NFL?

Reed : It’s ironic because my whole career was based on taking big hits and getting  back up, and coming to the huddle, and doing it again. I’d probably have to say my Welcome to the NFL moment was in training camp in 1985 when we were doing a drill, and I ran a pass route across the middle, and I got hit pretty good. As a 21-year-old kid, that was my probably my wake-up call to what was going to be happening in the NFL if I was going to last. That was my wake-up moment. Welcome to the NFL, you get hit, and you got to be able to take the hit and come back do it again.

Strauss : You were one of the most durable players in NFL history, what do you think the best game of your career was?

Reed : I can’t pick one. There are so many. All of the interviews that I have done over the years, I always say the same game. I always say that Oilers game because it was not only one of my best games, but one of the greatest games ever played. It was the game against Houston in 1993, the Wildcard playoff game. We were down 35-3 with ten minutes left in the 3rd quarter, with pretty much a whole half to play to try make something of the game. We came back and won. Just the way that game unfolded and how we responded to the adversity and all of that. It was reminiscent of what our team was about for many years, and the kind of players that we had. I have to say that game. There are so many more, but that one definitely sticks out from the others. It was also the most exciting because it meant the most out.

Strauss : When did you guys start talking?

Reed : At halftime really. The crazy thing about that was that we played Houston the last week of the year. Then, we had to comeback and play them the next week. We played them two weeks back-to-back. I think they beat us 28-3 in Houston the week before. We had all of that to think about too. We didn’t play good that last game. It was fortunate enough that the next week when we had to play Houston in the Wildcard that we played the game at home. We used that as a springboard to play better. And, we had many things that we had overcome from the week before. It was all set up for us to play well, and then we came out and laid an egg. I don’t know what turned the light on, but I think we got in at halftime, and we wanted to preserve our season. We didn’t want to go out in the offseason with two losses like that. That’s not a good feeling. There were a lot of things we had to think about that week as far as playing better, correcting mistakes, and things of that nature. Another thing about it is that we had a veteran team. I think sometimes things happen like that with some teams, and they don’t know how to respond to it and come back from it, but we had a veteran team. We had guys that had been there a long time. We had been to two Super Bowls already before that, so we knew what it would have to take to win that game. We knew that we would have to rely on the things that we did the years before, and what we were about, and to see if we were up for the challenge and win.

Strauss : You talked about the Super Bowls. What was it like to be a part of that Bills’ Dynasty?

Reed : It was like no other dynasty. Yes, we got there. I think that Bruce [Smith], Jim [Kelly], Thurman [Thomas], and I are going to write a book about it. We have had people approach us on writing a book about those four Super Bowl years because it’s not going to happen again. Just what happened this past week with the Packers. It’s hard  to repeat, and it’s hard to even get back to that game. We did it four years in a row, which is unprecedented. It just makes it even more difficult to do. To get back just the year after is hard.

But just to be a part of that, to do it four years in a row, to see the kind of resiliency that we had, and the flare that we had. We took it upon ourselves to do our role and be a part of the team. We all wanted to go back to the Super Bowl year after year. In order to do that, there were a lot of factors that had to be in our favor. We had to be injury free. We had to have all the guys on the same page. Everybody had to be there for the same reason. That’s hard to do now-a-days because there are a lot of teams that are good one season, and it’s hard to come back the next season and then you try to figure out what happened. For example, they lost a player due to free agency or maybe they just don’t have the same drive. I feel that we had the same drive every single year, four years in a row. We all stayed together too. That was definitely a big factor. If you look at dynasties, the last dynasty was the Patriots, before that it was the Packers in the 60s, the Steelers in the 70s, the 49ers in the 80s, the Cowboys. If you look at all of these teams, if you put your finger on it, they just stayed together and believed in what they were doing. They believed in each other. That’s what we did for those years. We really had each others’ backs.

Strauss : I know you pride yourself on your work ethic. That’s why you continued to be successful in the NFL and at every level you played at. Will you talk to me about what you work ethic was like with the Bills? Where do you think you formed this work ethic?

Reed : I wouldn’t say I formed a work ethic when I got to the pros. I’ve had that work ethic since I was a kid. I was one of those kids that really loved sports. Sports was a great way for me to build character. I even tell my kids that sports has a way of having to do with a lot of things in life in general. It teaches you perseverance, dedication, discipline, and respecting your opponent. It teaches all of those things that you need later in life. My dad was really instrumental in showing what it was like to be successful in life. I still use that as a metaphor for my family. You’re not going to get something for nothing now-a-days. You got to work at it. The guys and the people that are willing to work are the ones that get the best of it. Again, I started probably at a young age, into high school, and into college, and I knew that football could be a real good thing for me. Of course, it turned out that way, but you got to make your own luck in life too.

Strauss : Would you talk to me about what it would be like to make the Hall of Fame?

Reed : Again, I’ve been talking about that for the last seven years too. If you talk to anybody that’s ever been nominated, it’s a big accomplishment. There are so many players that have come through the league in the ninety years. I think this is the 91st year of the NFL. More than 20,000 to 40,000 players have come into the league. There are only 260-something right now that get that distinction of being the best of the best that ever played. The first year that I was on the ballot, I think that if you were to ask me when I was a teenager, ‘Would I be on the ballot of the Hall of Fame?’ I would have probably laughed at you. But again, I think it has a lot to do with the people that were around me. My teammates, my family, and my friends that all believed in me. I fed off of that. It would just be a validation of a lifetime of your craft and what you do. You think about the first time you put your helmet on to the last time you took it off and there are a lot of things in between there, that you can talk about that were instrumental not only in your life, but in your career. I share that with everybody, my teammates, my family, and my friends. It would be a tremendous honor, and it would be indescribable. I can’t even describe it. It’s indescribable because you’re put up for eternity, and you’re part of something that not too many people get a chance to be a part of. That was the biggest thing. I would be in the same sentences with the Montanas, Jerry Rices, and all of the guys that played football, and really loved the game. All of those guys in the Hall of Fame loved the game. They loved to play. I’d be no different than that.

Strauss : There are so many rules today that benefit the wide receivers. You took some big hits in your career. What do you think of the rule changes today and do you think that they’re necessary for the game? Do you think they make the game better?

Reed : I think so. If you look at guys that played in the 40s and 50s, there was no such rule where receivers were “defenseless player”. Those guys had to go to another job right after the game. Over generations and throughout eras, the rules had been the same. But now the question is what happens to players after they are done playing. To me, that’s the most controversial rule change in the last few years. There’s a fine line being defenseless and somebody getting hit to dislodge the ball. There are probably four or five times I watched games this year where guys got good hits, and there was a flag thrown because supposedly he was defenseless. As you just said, there were a lot of times that I was defenseless, I got hit, and there was no flag. Again, you got to commend the commissioner because not only is he  trying to make it safer, he’s trying to raise more awareness of what concussions are about, and about how guys can really get hurt.

Strauss : When you watch the game today, if you were to choose a player or two that had the same style that you played with. What receivers would you choose?

Reed :  I have to think about that one… There aren’t too many guys that make their living in the middle, and do that kind of stuff anymore. That’s kind of hard question to even ask. The guys like Larry Fitzgerald, Andre Johnson, now Calvin Johnson, and even Wes Welker. Welker does all the dirty work in the middle and for a little guy, he’s a tough guy. I can’t say that there is one guy that emulates what I did and you can compare him to me. Another may be Anquan Boldin, he does a lot of their dirty work for the Ravens. If you look at every team, they have a speed guy and a guy that does their dirty work in the middle.

Strauss : Who do you think the best wide receiver in the game is today?

Reed :  Right now, I can’t say that there is one guy that’s probably the best. Andre Johnson was playing really great, until he got a bit dinged up this year. Calvin Johnson is not really that fast, but has the size. Larry Fitzgerald has been incredible his whole career. There are a number of guys that I could say are the best at their craft right now.

Strauss : Why did you come out with a BBQ sauce?

Reed :  There are so many things that you could do. I got into it with a couple of friends. We decided we wanted to do something for charity. All that kind of stuff. We started talking about a barbecue sauce. We met some guys down in Arkansas that made a sauce, and we tweaked it a bit. We’re actually going to be coming out with two or three more sauces, hopefully soon. This sauce has really taken off and people like it. The funny part is that I was thinking of a name, and a friend of my mine said, ‘You made your living over the middle. Why don’t we just call it Over the Middle?’ That’s where that came corm. I didn’t even think of it. He did. I’m really proud of him because we’re trying to do something for kids, and trying to make a difference in the communities. We’re trying to do something really good and make a difference. That’s really what it’s about. A lot of players do a lot of things off the field that aren’t really documented, and you don’t know what they’re doing. I think it’s an obligation because you have a name, and you could use your name to make a difference in somebody’s life. That’s the way I look at it.

Announcement : Thank you for listening to the interview with Andre Reed. I hope you enjoyed it. I hope you leave your comments below as well! Please check out my website http://prointerviews.org/ for other interviews, “LIKE” the Facebook page at http://facebook.com/ProInterviews/, and follow me on twitter at http://twitter.com/ProInterviews/. Thanks again for listening! Stay tuned for more, and feel free to contact me.

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Download audio interview with Jeb Terry by clicking here.

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Announcement : My name is Max Strauss with http://prointerviews.org/, http://facebook.com/ProInterviews/ and http://twitter.com/ProInterviews/. I’d like to welcome you to the interview with Jeb Terry. Terry played collegiately at the University of North Carolina (UNC) from 1999 through 2003. During his senior year, he was nominated to be an All-ACC selection. He entered the 2004 NFL Draft, and was drafted in the 5th round, 146th overall by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. He played with the Buccaneers for three years and in 30 games. He recently founded an iPhone/Android app called Gridiron Grunts. Here is the interview with former Buccaneers offensive lineman, Jeb Terry.

Strauss : What was your high school football experience like?

Terry : I went to a military boarding school named Culver Military Academy. We were not very good at the time. I don’t think I had one winning season in high school. We were a really competitive team, and it was an unbelievable learning experience, and I enjoyed it immensely. I grew up in Dallas and the reason I went there was because my dad went to school there. It was something that was a legacy for me, and something that I knew I’d be doing since I was a young kid.

Strauss : Going from Texas (Hometown) to Indiana (Culver Military Academy) to North Carolina (University of North Carolina), what was that all like?

Terry : For some reason, I have always liked UNC and being that the location did not bother me. I knew I didn’t want to play in the midwest anymore because I just finished four years of high school, I wanted to get back to the south. UNC was actually my only scholarship offer. That made the decision pretty easy. I was either going to go Ivy League or UNC or walk-on at Texas. UNC made the decision really easy for me. And, I’ve never looked back.

Strauss : What was it like to put all of your work in throughout your years at UNC, and finally become an All-ACC selection your senior year?

Terry : It was great, but also frustrating because we didn’t win as many games as we would have like to. We thought we had a better team, but we had some tough seasons. It was great to be recognized for my play. It’s always tough because we would have liked to win more games and we expected to. That made it hurt at the end of the day a bit, but it was still a tight group of players, and that nomination is something that I still value a lot today. It was one of my highest achievements.

Strauss : Were you more of a mauler or pass blocker?

Terry : I was definitely one who used more of my aggression. I was way more comfortable as a mauler.

Strauss : Do you have a favorite memory from UNC?

Terry : I think it was beating Florida State. We were 0 and 3 at the time and I think we beat them like 41-9. I think that was the score in 2001 when the fans rushed the field because they were #6 in the country. It was a great experience. It was my first year starting on the offensive line, and so it was a really, really great experience.

Strauss : What was your draft day experience like?

Terry : It was an amazing experience. I actually thought that I was going to be a third round pick, but I ended up falling to the fifth round. Back when I got drafted, the 1st through 3rd round was on Saturday, and the later rounds were on Sunday. So, it was tough going to bed that Saturday night, and waiting until the next morning. Eventually, I ended up getting picked up and it was a great experience.

Strauss : You want to talk about what it was like in the NFL? Talk about what it was the like with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, and then to end your career with the San Francisco 49ers. Talk about what you took from it, and learned from it.

Terry : Playing in the NFL was one of those things that I worked really hard for and was one of my best accomplishments. Playing for Tampa Bay was unbelievable. They have a great fan base and it’s a great organization. I really, really enjoyed my time there. Unfortunately, as it is football, I had some injuries and things didn’t necessarily pan out as I thought that they would. I had a great career with the team, and I wanted to stay healthy, but that’s the nature of the game. The 49ers gave me an opportunity, and I went out there, and again, great guys on the team, and it was a great organization. It was great to give me an opportunity to come back, and try to make a spot on their roster, but it just didn’t work out for me either at the time. It was kind of like my body has had enough, and it was time to go home. It was time to go back to school, and I decided to go to business school.

But, playing in the NFL during one of the first practices I was blocking, well I was trying to block Derrick Brooks when Mike Alstott was running behind me. That was one of those moments when I was like, ‘Oh wow! I’m really here. This is really the NFL. This pretty freaking cool.’ That had a big impact on me. I was fortunate enough to play with guys like Derrick Brooks, Mike Alstott, Ronde Barber, guys that are going to go into the Hall of Fame for being the best at their position. I was able to watch them and try to emulate them and see what they were able to do to improve my game. Being in the NFL was a dream come true, something that I think about everyday still. It’s also something I miss greatly, competing and being around the guys and having that camaraderie.

Strauss : You talked about the guys that you got to play with. How did you end up meeting Ryan Nece? [his business partner on their joint collaboration on an iPhone/Android app, Gridiron Grunts, for more info, check out www.prointerviews.org/GridironGrunts] Did he come up to you? How did that relationship work out especially since you had to work against him in practice?

Terry : We were always the odd couple. I was a lineman, and he was a linebacker, and we ended up becoming great friends. It’s funny that I couldn’t even tell you how we first became buddies. Just playing with each other and we ended up getting to know each other by being on the team, and then, we had a chance to talk outside of football, and then we ended up becoming great friends. It was a situation in which we fed ideas off each other. Once I got the business idea structured, he was one of the first guys that I went to, with his insights and to see what he thought. From then on, it was off to the races. He had some great insights, and obviously liked what we were doing. He came aboard with his background in business. We are teammates again. It’s great to be on the same with him again.

Strauss : Do you have a favorite memory in the NFL?

Terry : My favorite NFL memory was probably my first playoff experience playing against the Redskins. It was a home game and running out into the stadium was a unique experience. It was an unbelievable moment. I always look back on that one.

Strauss : If you had to describe yourself as any sweet except for pumpkin pie and Dr. Pepper, what would you be?

Terry : Oh man… Golly. Any sweet besides pumpkin pie and Dr. Pepper… Uh… I’m not really a sweets guy. Let’s just say pass on that one. I’m not a sweets guy. I don’t think I can answer that one. I can’t come with a good answer for that one.

Strauss : For someone who wants to play in the NFL,  what’s the best advice you can give them?

Terry : The best advice I can give to someone who wants to play in the league is, well it’s kind of ‘cliché-ish’, but work as hard as you possibly can if you really want that goal. If you’re in high school or in college and you want it, strife for it. It’s something that you can’t take lightly, and it takes an unbelievable amount of work and persistence, and it’s not only focusing on the big things, but making sure you do all the little things right, in terms of preparing your body. Doing as much as you can, but also doing the little things like working on flexibility, and training. It’s one of those things that hard work and determination is something that is irreplaceable. I don’t want to sound like a broken record, but you really got have your mind on that goal and go get it with all of your heart.

Strauss : Thank you so much for your time.

Terry : Alright, Max. Thanks for your time and I look forward to reading the article.

Announcement : Thank you for listening to the interview with Jeb Terry. I hope you enjoyed it. I hope you leave your comments below as well! Please check out my website http://prointerviews.org/ for other interviews, “LIKE” the Facebook page at http://facebook.com/ProInterviews/, and follow me on twitter at http://twitter.com/ProInterviews/. Please subscribe to me on YouTube at http://youtube.com/ProInterviews/ Thanks again for listening! Stay tuned for more, and feel free to contact me.

Strauss : Who was your childhood star?

Terry : I looked up to Daryl Johnston. I liked watching him a lot.

Strauss : If playing football in the NFL never worked out for you, what was your plan?

Terry : I was very driven to make it work. While I was in college, I was also a business major, so if football had not worked out, I would probably be doing financial services on wall street or some banking right out of college. Right after school, I would have gone right into Investment Management or Investment Banking.

Strauss : What’s your favorite TV Show?

Terry : Probably the one I watch the most would be Entourage.

Strauss : What’s your favorite movie?

Terry : My favorite movies of all time would have to be Braveheart, Gladiator, and all of those style movies.

Strauss : What is your favorite type of pie?

Terry : I eat pumpkin pie. That’s it. I’m not a sweets-guy, but if there is pumpkin pie on Thanksgiving, I’ll help myself to some.

Strauss : Is that the only sweet thing you eat?

Terry : Yeah, I like pumpkin pie and Dr. Pepper (laughs). I guess that really doesn’t count as sweets. I like Dr. Pepper, I don’t know why I like it so much, but I do.

Strauss : Thank you so much for answering these personal questions!