DK Metcalf On Aaron Rodgers, The Seahawks To Steelers Transition, & More | Network with Rich Kleiman.mp4

Fifteen years ago, you were watching him on television. This was Aaron Rodgers. And now that's your quarterback. He played against my pop. So I know he's been in the league a minute. Damn, I'm sure you've told him that over and over again. Right. Tried to try to age him up. No, he already know he owns. He see the grades on his face. He know he old, but he don't act like it. I think coming here was like a breath of fresh air for him because he's flying around the field. He's running around, joking in the huddle. I think my boy just loved football again. And I think that's the positive about, you know, a change of scenery. You know, it can get you get you love in the game to where you was back in Peewee or middle school or high school to where, you know, you can go out there and get y'all every play, no matter what's what's going on. What's up, everybody? This is Rich Kleiman. Thanks for tuning in to another episode of Network. On this week's show, I'm going to sit down with Pittsburgh Steelers wide receiver DK Metcalf. And I'm also going to tell you about a sport that you need to be paying more close attention to. So be sure to follow and subscribe to Network at Boardroom and Yahoo Sports. And you can also listen to full episodes of Network on YouTube, Apple Podcasts, Spotify or wherever you get your shows. So today I want to talk about Major League Baseball. Why? Because Major League Baseball is back. America's pastime is not a thing of the past, contrary to what a lot of people were starting to say. I hope you're paying attention because things have changed. Why? They've made changes. The pitch clock change worked. The bigger bases, the shift pan work. All of this has led to more action packed games. And it's a success. The average game time this year, two hours and 36 minutes, shortest since 1984. Star power. We've got two of the biggest stars in all of sports playing in New York and L.A. and Shohei Ohtani and Aaron Judge. We've also got other big stars in the big markets. Francisco Lindor, Juan Soto, Mookie Betts, Pete Alonzo. And it's not just stars in the big markets. We've got young stars like Elie de la Cruz, Pete Crow Armstrong, Bobby Wood Jr., Gunnar Henderson, and of course, Paul Schemes, who's also a social media star, which has been helped because of his relationship with Libby Dunn. But it's also because the guy throws 101 miles per hour and is damn near unhittable. You've got big personalities, ton of highlight plays, more fan engagement and shorter games that everybody wants to tune into. And they are tuning into it. The numbers don't lie. Over 7.5 billion minutes watched so far this year alone. And attendance is up. It's all working. It's the third straight year that attendance is up and an average of 28,000 fans a game. Friday nights, a big thing for MLB, best turnout in 17 years. And they didn't stop there. The commissioner is innovating. The global expansion working. They put the showcase on in Tokyo. And of course, Otani being one of the biggest stars in the entire country, if not the biggest star, played a big part in it. But it was tremendous for Major League Baseball. The London series, another big success. And even though the event they did in Nashville at the freeway had some hiccups, it shows the innovation that the league is taking approach with. And it's all working. Strong storylines. It's not just the teams in the big markets, the Brewers, the Cubs, the Tigers and other surprising teams have made the playoff chase must see TV and anybody could win. Now we have narratives. We have storylines. We have fans locked in shorter games. Attendance is up. Star power. Fan friendly events. The league knows what they're doing. Kudos to Rob Manfred. Why? Because MLB is back. If you really thought that MLB was no longer in the zeitgeist, that it couldn't compete with the NBA, couldn't compete with these big major leagues and big major stars, you're wrong. The MLB is back. Tune in and watch the playoffs, because I guarantee you it's going to be action packed. Anybody could win. Trust me, I wouldn't lie to you. Major League Baseball is back. Join me now in welcoming to the show one of the best wide receivers in all of football. Pittsburgh Steelers new edition DK Metcalf. Welcome to the show, DK Metcalf. My brother, how are you? I'm doing good. How are you doing? I'm good, man. I appreciate you getting on the show. Yes, sir. I appreciate you for having me. Of course. Of course. So I'm excited to talk to you. You know, I'm always fascinated by the work that goes on in the offseason. You know, I think fans don't really realize how strategic the offseason workout is for elite athletes like yourself. You know, how are you feeling coming into this season? And what was some of your kind of offseason preparation like? Feeling great going into the season. Actually, I ain't felt this good since COVID year. But the preparation is pretty simple. I've been doing the same workout, same routine since I feel like I was in high school, try to get after it, but ease into it. You know, my first month, take the whole month of February off. And then I really start ramping up in March. And that's really just getting in the gym, squatting, benching, doing all the normal lifts. And right after, like OTAs during many camps is when I really ramp up in the football training to where I'm getting out on the field, running routes, trying to, you know, nail down my precision when I'm running routes. But all in all, this is a pretty simple plan. And like that first month or two, is there a time you got to give yourself to decompress like physically and mentally? I take the whole month of February off. So that's when I usually go back to Mississippi, see my family, you know, chill in my high school, sometimes go watch my siblings if they have any sports. And yeah, just some time to decompress and go see my family for real. And do you set like new personal goals coming off of a season like looking back at film or just knowing how the season unfolded that you want to separate yourself going into the new year? No, sir. I started straying away from goals around like my third year when I think there's a lot of factors that go into a whole complete season from a team perspective and from a football player's perspective. So I just, you know, nailed down my goals into winning, trying to win as many games as I can or help the team win as many games. Yeah, for sure. But is there things that like like I know with NBA guys like for Kevin, especially like earlier in his career, there were certain things that he added to his game or certain like moves or certain things that he realized about himself, right? Like if he wanted to add a lefty, has he pull up or he wanted to add a certain like trick to his to his game at all? Is there something that you think about going to the off season from that perspective? Oh, from that perspective, yes, sir. I always like self critiquing myself, asking DB's, you know, now I'm on a team with Slay and Jalen and Joey Porter. So I get to ask them what they've seen in my game, you know, going against them in the years past. But after I self scout, of course, I work up a plan of where what I want to incorporate, what I want to see myself get better at, because, you know, I ain't a lot of myself. So if it's not a DB I've gone against or I respect in the league, then I'm definitely going to lean on my understanding of the game. That's dope. So you can go in, especially joining a new team like this. You can go to players you played against and get like real feedback on what they saw. Yes, sir. And I take that back. I will ask the DB coaches that have been in the organizations I've been in, whether that be Seattle or here with the Steelers. And you feel like you're in prime right now, like this is the prime of your career, like fans haven't seen the best of you. Of course. Yes, sir. That's what I feel like. But, you know, the the the season is going to tell a whole different story. So I just can't wait until that unfold. Yeah. Like during the preseason games and training camp, does this start like bubbling up, like you start getting in that mentality, like you ready to get after it? The first week of the first game, excuse me, is when like I really start getting antsy trying to, you know, get myself prepared for a game week or getting into that mentality of, you know, I'm really about to go, you know, try to run through a brick wall right now. So it's really trying to, you know, hold myself back. So I'm getting excited during the install meetings or when we go out to practice for the first time and pass since the first day of camp or since early camp. That's when I really start getting antsy trying to play. I feel like you may be one of the only players in the league that could actually knock the brick wall down that you ran into. I appreciate that. So this offseason was different, though, in that you changed teams. From an emotional standpoint, right? Like spending the time that you did in Seattle and growing up to some degree, you know, as a pro, what was it like emotionally? Just having to leave there and starting anew, but saying goodbye because it's not always what we see in the field. It's the people and, you know, in the equipment room, the people in the training staff, the people that work in the stadium, that work in the practice facility. Was it like a challenge a bit emotionally? Oh, for sure, because you build relationships with those people. And like you said, to a certain degree, they watch me grow as a professional. People like, you know, Jose, the janitor, Dave Love or EK in the equipment room, or is Dave Strickland like people I've built relationships with, you know, throughout my first six years in the league. So it was kind of hard to say goodbye. But, you know, growth and moving on is part of it. And, you know, we all understand that. So, you know, those relationships were built to, you know, last or stand the test of time to where it doesn't matter what color I'm wearing or, you know, what team I play for. You know, those are still like people that I trust and lean and depend on. Yeah. Seattle's a storied franchise, but the Steelers are like a truly storied franchise. Was was there excitement from that standpoint, just knowing you're going to like one of those ones? Yes, sir. For sure. Like this organization, you walk in the building, they got six Lombardi trophies staring you in your face and, you know, with a legendary coach like Coach T, you know, it's just the icing on the cake for me because, you know, I get to play for an organization that's done it at a high clip for a long time. And plus, the coach has, you know, done the same thing. See, from afar, I feel like people would like Coach Tomlin to be their coach in every walk of life, right? Like as a fan, I watch Coach Tomlin and I'm like, man, I want that man to motivate me. Have you felt that like instantly in being around him? For sure. Like the quotes that he has. I mean, in every meeting, team meeting, I'm writing something down new that he's, you know, came up with or a quote that he says. And it's always motivating when you got somebody up there that's motivating you, you know, not only to be a better football player, but, you know, a better person in life. So I think, you know, that's the plus of having him as a head coach. Was is there like a certain message just directly to you, being that you're coming new into the system that he gave you that really resonated? No, sir. I think just the way that they treated me throughout this whole process and, you know, from my first weeks, you know, first coming into Pittsburgh up until now, they've always let me be me. And I think that's the biggest thing that, you know, speaks volumes of their their character and how they treat their players, because everybody, you know, you know, can be themselves, but they make sure they get the best out of you for sure. And and what differences with him and like a coach, Carol, who's also like a historic coach, have you noticed? Yes, sir. I don't think there's many differences because, you know, there's many ways to skin a cat, excuse me. And they they know how to get the best out of their players. Speaking of both of them have won a Super Bowl and both of them come from a winning lineage. Yeah. And you're obviously stepping into a situation where there's another legend on the field with you, aside from coach Tomlin. Did you have a relationship with Aaron over the last few years being in the league at all? No, sir. Just in passing. I've always had a great respect for him, even though he's already whooped me twice in Green Bay. I've always had respect for him just by the way he carries himself. He really don't care what people think about him. He's going to be, you know, himself day in and day out. So I respect that about him. But, you know, aside from that, he's a great quarterback and a great teacher of the game of football. Is it crazy, though, like to think like 15 years ago you were watching him on television? This was Aaron Rodgers. And now that's your quarterback. He played against my pop, so I know he's been in the league a minute. Damn. Yeah, I'm sure you've told him that over and over again, right? Tried to try to age him up. No, he already know he owes. He see the grades on his face. He know he owe, but he don't act like it. And what about watching him in practice, the way he throws the ball? Like, obviously, like he's like the prototypical gunslinger, like how beautiful is watching him like, but, you know, throw that football around the field. No, it's crazy because, I mean, he'll be rolling to the right, be looking in the middle of the field and hit the flat. Like is and is accurate almost every time. So I think it's just crazy how much he studies, how much he knows the game, where the ball is supposed to be going, what the defense is doing. I that's why I just be an amazement. You know, I practice when he checks something and then it's like wide open. So and he knows what the defense is doing before they even do it. So I think it's just great just having him as a quarterback, you know, not only from, you know, his his physical attributes, but, you know, the mental part of the game I can learn as well. Yeah. And I feel like obviously he's older, but like I watched it with Kevin, like it does take like a good year, year and a half when you come back from an Achilles. And, you know, obviously I was in New York. I'm a giant fan, but I was in New York watching him with the Jets. And, you know, last year is that year, especially at his age, when you come back from an injury like that, like you really need reps and you need time. Do you see like an extra bounce this this kind of offseason and coming into the season? I think coming here was like a breath of fresh air for him because he's flying around the field. He's running around, joking in the huddle. I think my boy just love football again. And I think that's the positive about, you know, a change of scenery. You know, it can get you get you love in the game to where you was back in Peewee or middle school or high school to where, you know, you can go out there and get your every play, no matter what's what's going on. Yeah. And this is the third quarterback or maybe third or fourth quarterback you played with so far. Obviously, Russ, my man, Gino Smith, who I've known forever from his time back in New York. Are there certain things like when you play with different quarterbacks? Do you have to kind of relearn that relationship? Are there certain things that you can take from each experience that you've had going into the next one? I mean, like you said, I had three great quarterbacks. Plus, you know, you can add Drew Lock in there, who's my boy as well. So just learning from all four of those guys and, you know, just the way that they see the game, I think is very different, you know, with how they see the game. But I think the biggest part is, you know, learning where you're supposed to be, when you're supposed to be there and just being able to be flexible, you know, to to change. And I think that's the biggest thing that, you know, all of us have in the receiver room or the tight end room. We've been open to change. And I think that's the biggest thing, you know, coming from a new situation or coming to with a new quarterback that you got to be able to be flexible and learn how to run new routes or, you know, learn new checks to where, you know, the transition will be smooth and, you know, everybody will be, you know, happy on both ends because he's going to put the ball where it needs to be and, you know, where it needs to be. Is learning a new playbook like I always feel like learning a new playbook must be so incredibly like difficult. Obviously, this is what you guys do for a living. But, you know, they talk about when you have like a complex system, sometimes it's hard. Like you hear about them talking about what Caleb was going through in Chicago and having to learn Ben Johnson system. But like, is that process difficult or do you just know the game so well that you can pick this up? I think I can only speak from my perspective and how I look at football. Football is football. And it's been the same game since, you know, I started playing. You know, every route has been the same. It's just got a different terminology. And so I think it's just retraining your brain to that terminology. But I think I've been running the same route since I was in high school, middle school. So it's not as complicated as they make it seem sometimes for you, at least. I mean, yeah, for me, I can't speak for everybody else because, you know, being a quarterback in a new offensive system, you got to learn everybody else's job over again. So I think it's difficult for very difficult for a quarterback. But, you know, from my perspective, being a receiver is not not that difficult. Do you watch film of DBs like on your own time? Obviously, like prep week to week, you're locked in. But like, do you kind of lock in on DBs and corners you got to go against? Not necessarily that I got to go against. I mean, watching film throughout the week is a necessity for me. But during my downtime, I mean, I grew up watching Ed Reed, Sean Merriman was my favorite player growing up. So I, you know, have a thing for watching, you know, defensive players on the field. Did you play any defense in high school? Yes, sir. I played a little corner safety. Oh, you were probably you were probably tackling people, right? No, I wouldn't this big. But I mean, me and AJ played against each other in high school, so I had to guard him if that count. You think that's helpful at all, knowing that side like that? Or you just AJ is AJ was the same size then as he was now, but he has gotten faster, better and catch catch the ball, better run better routes than, you know, high school. So now I don't think I can line up in front of boys now. So and what like when you went to college, you just locked in a receiver? Yes, sir. Yes, sir. For sure. That was your position always. Yes, sir. Always been my position. Did you play other sports as a kid? Did a little basketball and ran track. Oh, yeah. I knew you hooped a little bit, right? You can hoop, right? A little bit. You know, I doubt. No, I could. You could play. I could tell the way you're saying it, man. You could play a little bit. Pretty sure I just dealt with the NBA and NBA players different, though. Of course, man. A whole different world, bro. But what do you think about when NBA players think they could play in the NFL? Hey, you know, by any means, you can come try it. I ain't going to ever say nobody can't do something. That ain't that ain't in my forte. But yeah, I ain't going to say I can just go to the NBA or play in the NBA. That's that's different. You know, when I was in Paris last year for the Olympics, I was talking to Ant and Ant's like dead set in his mind that he could he could be a wide receiver tomorrow in the NFL. Hey, Ant big. I love Ant, man, and watching him hoop. But it'll be a show to see him out there on the football field. That would be crazy. You're playing style like you're obviously very physical. Have you know, have you ever felt like there was a reason to to think about changing your game? I would imagine. No way. The answer is no. But like that's who you are, right? Like the physicality of your game is what you're riding with no matter what. For sure. I think if I wasn't so stubborn, there would be a chance. But I'm so stubborn and set in my ways to where it'll be hard, hard to do that. Plus, you know, my dad raised me like this since I was 12. So it is very difficult at this point. So when you say stubborn, were there coaches that tried to push you in a different direction? I wouldn't say push me in a different direction, but like certain techniques. I know myself, I've been myself for, you know, X amount of years and I've been playing, you know, the same position, you know, just as long. So, I mean, I study football, I study receiver play. And I also study myself so much to where can't nobody tell me what I can and can't do. Yeah. Mike T always says this. You give a capable man information and let him do the rest. So just let me know what the play is, how deep my route is or where I need to be, and I'll do the rest. So what are the receivers in the league like motivate you or inspire you or just you enjoy watching? I enjoy watching all receivers, but nobody, you know, motivate me, but my family and, you know, trying to be the best, is it? No. But so when you see certain rankings that come out or you see receivers that get certain attention, none of that bothers you. You don't get motivated or or kind of, you know, focused in on trying to prove some of that wrong. No, I can't be focused on trying to prove nobody wrong. I know who I am as a person, as a man, as a football player. And, you know, my mom told me I was great a long time ago. My dad did the same thing. So those two people, the only that's the only opinion that mattered to me. I'm going to continue to show my ass when I go on the field, try to be open and try to, you know, take a man's world every time it's a run play. But other than that, I just love football and, you know, love playing this game. I can't, you know, decide or, you know, point out where the ball is supposed to go every play or, you know, I can't put myself as the best receiver, you know, because I already believe that in myself. So, you know, let other people think what they want to think. But I'm just continue to do me. Now, that's a good perspective, because obviously, I mean, you know, there are other athletes from professional sports get caught up in NFL 100 or all these stupid preseason rankings. And I mean, I think your perspective is spot on. It is just noise. But there are people that really do get caught up in that stuff. Yeah, I can't let that motivate me because I was just talking to a receiver, you know, still is about this yesterday. He was like, man, I just can't wait to prove the people wrong. And I just I told him, you know, once they start, you know, patting you on your back and kissing your ass, you know, and the congratulations is louder than, you know, the noise that you was hearing at first. You know, the people are going to stop being your motivation. So you're going to stop working as hard. I don't let the people be my motivation or, you know, let them, you know, dictate how hard I worked in the offseason. I'm always going there and bust my ass and let the results be the results. Yeah. Yes, sir. No, I feel that, man. Who's a cornerback throughout your career that's given you the toughest challenge at times? I will say Jalen, just going against him as much as I did early on in my career. And we were both in the same division. So we had to see each other twice a year. I think, you know, going against him really, you know, sharpen my sharp, my belt as a receiver. But, you know, also gave him headaches as well. And what about like, you know, I'm sure you're a student of the game. Throughout your time as a fan coming up in high school, college playing in the league, who would you kind of say are your are the five receivers you would put on your Mount Rushmore? Because I always get asked myself and, you know, obviously like Jerry Rice, Randy Moss, you know, I think T.O. obviously slept on should be in there. I mean, A.B. in his prime was like as good as anybody ever. But what about you know, what about you? There's obviously great ones in the league now. So putting yourself aside, obviously, who are five that like always stand out to you? I'm going to start with A.B., Julio, Calvin. Oh, Calvin. I mean, sacrilegious. I didn't even say Megatron, man. I apologize, Randy Moss. And I will put in there, A.J. Yeah. Yes, sir. Yeah. I mean, I can't believe I forgot Megatron, bro. God damn good. He ain't number six for two hundred and thirty, forty pounds. No, I miss him. And he and there was I mean, I would, you know, maybe I'm I'm bugging, but I would say there's similarities in the physicality of the two of your games, too. Yes, sir. I've gotten that quite a bit, you know, especially coming out of college. They're trying to, you know, compare both of us. But that is a different monster, especially talking to Slade, you know, who got to face him early on in his career practice. The stories he would tell me about him were crazy. Yeah, that's wild, man. So off the field, like obviously, like the main thing is the main thing. But I've noticed football players over the last, you know, five, 10 years, more so than in the past, have started building like a nice off the field business for themselves. You know, it's harder for football players than it is NBA guys. Right. Especially obviously, there's brand names and you're one of them that people know. But what are some of the things that you've been able to focus on or things that you're excited about as it relates to your career off the field? Yes, sir. Well, one thing I've really been into was acting. I took acting classes for a couple of years and I've been trying to, you know, work my way into more TV shows and movies on that front. On the investment side, just a tech company that I've invested in called Sound Pays, who I've worked very closely with the past couple of years. And just other small investments whenever I get the opportunity. But, you know, my main goal was just to try to set myself up, you know, for when I retire, I don't have to work again unless I want to. And then, you know, send my family, my mom, my dad, siblings and then the family that I'm going to build my fiance one day. Yeah. I love that, man. You got engaged recently? Yes, sir. In March. Congratulations, bro. Thank you. That's the same month you switched teams, too. That was a big month. And having all in the same week, same week. Yes, sir. That's great. So you guys both settled in in Pittsburgh. You're happy living there? Yes, sir. We are. That's awesome. So is acting something you'd want to do post career, you think? Yes, sir. I'm definitely into acting. And I know the NFL did a good job. Tracy Perelman in the league office does a great job of helping people, you know, find their passions off the field and, you know, helping them set that up during the offseason. Have you had the same team around you? I mean, obviously, I know Constance really well. She's the bomb. Have you had like the similar people around you throughout your career? And is that something that, you know, as you've gotten more familiar with being a pro and kind of learn the ropes a bit that you've got way more input maybe at this point in your life than you even thought about earlier in your career? Yes, sir. I mean, first off, I was, you know, learning the business, learning how, you know, things were going, transactions, the agents, agent side of things. So I've switched teams a couple of times. I went from CAA to WME to now I'm with SMAC. And I've been with Constance and Derrick for about three years, two, three years now. My uncle, Nicky, actually introduced me to him a couple of years ago. But, you know, nothing came to fruition until, you know, a year later. But just happy that, you know, I'm with them now. My agent is Joe Kills. He's been with me since my second year in the league. So, you know, he's always been around me. I call him my big brother. So those are like the main people, you know, handling business on and off the field. And also I've been with the same financial advisor for five years now. Joe McClain out of, you know, Northern California. That's dope. And you also signed a big deal this summer. Yes, sir. Congratulations, man. Thank you. When you look at the AFC, you know, obviously, like every team goes into the season believing they got a chance. And I would imagine a Mike Tomlin coach team in Pittsburgh is only thinking one thing. There's no other mindset but championship. But I assume that's the same goal for you. And there's no team that you look at and think that you guys can't play with on any Sunday. Oh, yes, sir. For sure. I mean, it's difficult not to go into a season with a lot of confidence and, you know, looking at your schedule, thinking you're not going to go 17 and all. Yeah, for sure. I feel you. I mean, I go through the giant schedule every year and somehow I still got them coming out. I'm like, man, I see them winning this one. I see them winning this one. Yeah. Those that had confidence in your squad. Yeah, I'm sure fans feel that way. You guys feel the same way when you look at that schedule. Yes, sir. All right, man. Well, it's been a big off season, big season ahead for you, bro. I appreciate you taking the time. Man, I'm excited to meet you in person and build with you soon and, you know, keep killing it, man. Yes, sir. I appreciate you and thank you for this opportunity. Now, of course, I'll catch up with you soon, man. I bet. All right. Thanks, everybody, for tuning in to this week's episode of Network. I hope you enjoyed my conversation with DK Metcalf, and I hope you enjoyed my rant on MLB and why you need to be tuning into baseball now more than ever. So be sure to follow and subscribe to Network at Boardroom and Yahoo Sports, and you can listen to full episodes on YouTube, Apple Podcasts, Spotify or wherever you get your shows. Thanks for joining my network.