Payments cornerback Rasul Douglas fields some Q&A from Put up columnist Steve Serby forward of Sunday’s AFC title sport towards the Chiefs:
Q: What was it like assembly Damar Hamlin for the primary time after what he went by way of [cardiac arrest scare on Jan. 2, 2023]?
A: I watched it earlier than I received right here, I didn’t actually know him. Like, he kinda modified your perspective on the sport. One factor I like about D Ham, he ain’t for the, “Oh because of that situation, that’s why he’s playing” — nah, he labored for it. He’s telling ’em, “If I don’t deserve it, don’t give it to me, I want to earn all my stripes.” And that’s one thing that you could by no means take away from him. And he comes on daily basis with that chip on his shoulder like, “Yeah, I’m not supposed to be here but I am here, so now that I’m here, you’re gonna have to see about me.”
Q: The place have been you when the incident occurred with him?
A: I used to be getting some crab truffles from a retailer in Inexperienced Bay, and I bear in mind trying on the TV, and, like, often I don’t communicate unfavourable phrases. However I bear in mind seeing it, and I’m like: “Did he just die?” That was the very first thing that got here to my head. So I bear in mind grabbing the crab truffles and going again house and turning the TV on, and I’m trying on-line and stuff. As a child, I bear in mind all people say, like, how I’d die for this sport. To really see it being near occurring, it’s like, “Nah, I’d never do that.” I received a child, bro, so I’m eager about how my mother and stuff would react to seeing me going by way of that or me watching my son. I believe that shifted soccer on the whole, like, sports activities on the whole.
Q: What was it like seeing him again on the sector?
A: Nice seeing him again on the sector. Final yr after I received right here, he was simply strolling round and getting himself able to get cleared, after which this yr, simply seeing him simply go after it, simply have enjoyable and fly round with, like, no worries. I all the time inform him, “I know you probably don’t like talking about it, but that’s your story, bro, that’s your testimony to life, bro.”
Q: Did it have an effect on you in your first sport again on the sector?
A: I wasn’t all the best way within the sport, you recognize what I imply?
Q: The sensation of profitable Tremendous Bowl LII with the Eagles?
A: All of the exhausting work that me and the fellows put in simply paid off. You dream about profitable the Tremendous Bowl, that’s just like the objective for everyone, so if you truly accomplish that, it’s identical to, “Man,” now you kinda take that deep breath and simply calm down.
Q: What would attending to the Tremendous Bowl imply to Buffalo and the Payments Mafia and western New York?
A: That may imply all the pieces to them. I believe that’s what the town wants and desires. And it means simply as a lot to us.
Q: What’s the mindset of your staff?
A: Simply to go in there and to be us and do what we do.
Q: How painful was dropping final yr to the Chiefs within the divisional spherical?
A: I don’t actually do not forget that, to be trustworthy with you.
Q: You set it out of your thoughts already?
A: Yeah … (chuckle). I’m probably not eager about it an excessive amount of.
Q: Going again to Arrowhead Stadium?
A: It’s gonna be an awesome environment. And we all know Payments Mafia, they’re gonna journey, so it must be electrifying.
Q: Enjoying towards Patrick Mahomes?
A: It’s simply good competitors, he’s probably the greatest quarterbacks within the league, so it’s all the time good if you play towards one of the best.
Q: His reference to Travis Kelce?
A: I imply, they’re boys. They’re like finest pals on the sector. Perhaps they apply or possibly they don’t however it simply looks like in sure conditions discovering him, it simply feels comfy.
Q: Do you suppose there may be extra stress on the Chiefs chasing a three-peat?
A: I don’t know in the event that they’re chasing a three-peat as a lot as them simply chasing one other ring.
Q: What’s it about Josh Allen that makes you be ok with your probabilities?
A: We simply have probably the greatest quarterbacks within the league who can get the job completed, you wish to give him the ball as a lot as you possibly can.
Q: A few of your different defensive teammates: Von Miller?
A: He’s a Corridor of Famer.
Q: Terrel Bernard?
A: TB’s taking part in at a loopy degree. He ain’t one of many larger [line]backers, 250 kilos, however he can do all the pieces. You possibly can put him in man protection, he’s sideline-to-sideline, he’s downhill, bodily. He actually research soccer. He is aware of the sport. He’s a great chief, that’s why he’s received the “C” on his chest.
Q: Gregory Rousseau?
A: He’s a 6-9 cheat code.
Q: 6-9?
A: He’s like 6-9 if you take a look at him. He’s like 6-6, 6-7 … all of that 6-6 and up, all of them look the identical to me.
Q: Ed Oliver?
A: He’s like a DB that performs D-line. You wouldn’t count on him to be that quick when he’s that large, however he’s.
Q: Your response if you have been traded in 2023 at midseason to the Payments?
A: I used to be kinda slightly upset, I’m not gonna lie, I used to be kinda slightly unhappy, ’trigger I felt like what I used to be doing in Inexperienced Bay was price me staying round only for slightly longer.
Q: Why do you suppose you haven’t discovered a everlasting house?
A: Issues occur, and also you simply gotta preserve going. You getting traded, it’s not such as you’re getting minimize and also you’re going elsewhere, you’re simply getting traded so it’s like folks nonetheless see worth in you, you recognize?
Q: What are you most happy with about your profession?
A: That I’m nonetheless going. I might have gave up. Issues weren’t going my method, I ain’t give up, I ain’t search for excuse, exit route, I simply stayed down and simply stored working. I’m nonetheless right here.
Q: Your on-field mentality?
A: Do no matter it takes to win.
Q: What drives you?
A: I simply wish to go on the market and do my job on the sector and have that belief of my teammates that they know that I’ll do my job to one of the best of my capability, I believe that’s what drives me … not wish to allow them to down.
Q: How would you describe your bodily instruments?
A: It’s probably not nothing I can’t do. I can play the sport.
Q: Your NFL debut with the Eagles in 2017 got here towards the Chiefs.
A: I bear in mind lining up towards Tyreek Hill and Kelce, and I believe Alex Smith was the quarterback. On the time Patrick Mahomes wasn’t beginning at this level. We misplaced to ’em, however after that sport I used to be simply saying, “We got the team to do some great things.”
Q: Your first interception?
A: It was towards the Giants, Eli Manning [Sept. 24, 2017]. I used to be 1-on-1 with Brandon Marshall down the sideline, and he threw a fade ball to him, and I kinda simply jumped up and received it.
Q: Do you continue to have the ball?
A: I believe it’s someplace in my closet. I received a number of of ’em, so it’s someplace there.
Q: Is Eli Manning a first-ballot Corridor of Famer?
A: Must be. He received two of ’em [Super Bowls], proper? And beat the GOAT [Tom Brady].
Q: Your favourite pick-six?
A: The Matthew Stafford one was cool. However I just like the Justin Fields one as properly. I simply bear in mind how loud the stadium was going after I received it. However even the one final yr I received [against Bailey Zappe], the stadium [Highmark Stadium] went loopy, I believe that was one of many loudest moments I’ve ever heard [the] Payments stadium since I’ve been right here.
Q: The final couple of years in Inexperienced Bay with Aaron Rodgers?
A: Aaron was an awesome teammate, an awesome individual, you recognize? I beloved him after I received there. That was probably the greatest quarterbacks I’ve ever seen with my very own two eyes.
Q: What made him an awesome teammate?
A: He was a frontrunner, and he knew the sport inside and outside. If it was a quarterback or like a soccer guide e book he would know entrance to again, the entire e book. He all the time gave all people confidence to go on the market and play at an elite degree.
Q: Did you ever intercept him in apply?
A: Yeah I did. I received him a number of occasions.
Q: Do you suppose he has extra soccer left in him?
A: Yeah. I believe he has extra left in him if he needed to play.
Q: The time in your life at Nassau Group Faculty if you struggled to eat?
A: Funds weren’t there. Me attempting to work at McDonald’s simply to get some meals. It’s a type of occasions that you simply gotta undergo simply to get the place you’re at now.
Q: How a lot did you make?
A: I don’t know, I believe it was minimal [wage]. I solely labored an hour a day, it was by no means lengthy.
Q: What was one of the best half and worst a part of going to Nassau CC?
A: The very best half was most likely the folks I met. I met some wonderful pals who I nonetheless discuss to to today, who kinda simply helped me reinvent my religion as a result of I used to be at a low time. So simply being there with individuals who know the Phrase, and speak about God and simply believing in Christ. I wanted that at that time, ’trigger I felt like generally I used to be shifting away. I’d say the worst time was the meals state of affairs and residing state of affairs, that was kinda dangerous.
Q: Inform me in regards to the residing state of affairs.
A: It was identical to 15 of us in a crib. All of us have been from totally different locations, Florida, quite a lot of locations. We have been all simply attempting to reside, make the hire cheaper.
Q: This was not an athletic dorm?
A: We didn’t don’t have any athletic dorms, you didn’t have scholarships, we didn’t have something at Nassau. Yeah, it was dangerous.
Q: Was that your greatest adversity?
A: Yeah, that and simply being on 4 or 5 totally different groups in a span of possibly like a month or two.
Q: What was that like?
A: I used to be carrying a bag and a e book bag in every single place, and simply attempting to make one thing occur. Not realizing the place you’re gonna find yourself in sure conditions.
Q: Your cornerbacks coach at West Virginia [Blue Adams] had an expression: “Don’t fear the skunk.”
A: Blue was loopy, man. Blue had a lotta expressions, man … he used to inform us, “Give me everything you’ve got on this football field,” and he’s like, “Pass out if you want, you could die on this football field.” He used to say one thing like, “If you pass out, don’t worry about it, we got trainers here, they’ll come and pick you back up, and once you get back up, just start running again until you pass out again.” He simply all the time needed us to work as exhausting as we might.
Q: Discuss in regards to the affect of a person named Mike Davis.
A: My mentor, is kinda like a Pops to me. He kinda received me began with baseball after I was like 6, 7 years outdated … and stored me out of hassle, there was quite a lot of hassle in my neighborhood, he kinda stored me from being round issues like that and seeing that.
Q: What have been a number of the belongings you noticed?
A: Simply gangs, medication, stuff like that, violence.
Q: You have been a shortstop within the East Orange Little League?
A: I used to be probably the greatest shortstops. Ever.
Q: Did you think about a baseball profession?
A: I needed to. I don’t suppose that public college would have gotten me to the place I needed to be, although.
Q: Inform me about your grandmother who raised you.
A: She was only a loving girl, like all people beloved her. Probably the greatest folks I’ve ever met. She kinda simply guided me and was like my mother.
Q: How outdated is your son [Jeremiah]?
A: He simply turned 6.
Q: What’s it like having a 6-year-old son?
A: The very best feeling ever. Even after I’m having a nasty day, the minute I discuss to him, I neglect all the pieces in my day, and simply concentrate on him.
Q: Three dinner visitors?
A: My grandmother; my mentor Mike; my brother Marquis that died.
Q: What occurred to him?
A: He had a coronary heart assault.
Q: How outdated was he?
A: He was like 30.
Q: How way back?
A: 5 years in the past.
Q: Favourite film?
A: “The Shack” or “Law Abiding Citizen.”
Q: Favourite actor?
A: Gerard Butler.
Q: Favourite entertainer?
A: Jamie Foxx.
Q: Favourite meal?
A: Soul meals or Caribbean meals.
Q: What message would you need to the Payments Mafia and Payments followers in every single place who’re determined to get again to the Tremendous Bowl?
A: I simply know we’re gonna go on the market and we’re gonna give all the pieces we received, and no matter occurs, occurs.
Q: Are you conscious that it’s been a very long time because the Payments have been within the Tremendous Bowl?
A: I believe since 1994 or [1995] or one thing like that? I simply circled for the banner.
Q: You cheated.
A: Yeah, I undoubtedly cheated, I ain’t gonna misinform you.
Q: Round city, what sort of encouragement do you get from folks?
A: They simply inform us to simply do it. Like we received an opportunity, we’re there, simply do it. That’s actually all they may say.
