Payments cornerback Rasul Douglas fields some Q&A from Put up columnist Steve Serby forward of Sunday’s AFC title sport in opposition to the Chiefs:
Q: What was it like assembly Damar Hamlin for the primary time after what he went by means of [cardiac arrest scare on Jan. 2, 2023]?
A: I watched it earlier than I obtained 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 due to that scenario, that’s why he’s enjoying” — nah, he labored for it. He’s telling ’em, “If I don’t deserve it, don’t give it to me, I wish to earn all my stripes.” And that’s one thing which you could by no means take away from him. And he comes daily with that chip on his shoulder like, “Yeah, I’m not presupposed to be right here however I’m right here, so now that I’m right here, you’re gonna must see about me.”
Q: The place have been you when the incident occurred with him?
A: I used to be getting some crab muffins from a retailer in Inexperienced Bay, and I bear in mind wanting on the TV, and, like, often I don’t converse destructive phrases. However I bear in mind seeing it, and I’m like: “Did he simply die?” That was the very first thing that got here to my head. So I bear in mind grabbing the crab muffins and going again house and turning the TV on, and I’m wanting on-line and stuff. As a child, I bear in mind all people say, like, how I’d die for this sport. To truly see it being near taking place, it’s like, “Nah, I’d by no means do this.” I obtained a child, bro, so I’m fascinated about how my mother and stuff would react to seeing me going by means 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 sphere?
A: Nice seeing him again on the sphere. Final yr after I obtained 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 do know you in all probability don’t like speaking about it, however 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 sphere?
A: I wasn’t all the way in which within the sport, what I imply?
Q: The sensation of profitable Tremendous Bowl LII with the Eagles?
A: All of the exhausting work that me and the blokes 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 similar 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 will imply every little thing to them. I believe that’s what town wants and needs. And it means simply as a lot to us.
Q: What’s the mindset of your crew?
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 sincere with you.
Q: You set it out of your thoughts already?
A: Yeah … (chortle). I’m probably not fascinated about it an excessive amount of.
Q: Going again to Arrowhead Stadium?
A: It’s gonna be a terrific ambiance. And we all know Payments Mafia, they’re gonna journey, so it must be electrifying.
Q: Taking part in in opposition to Patrick Mahomes?
A: It’s simply good competitors, he’s the most effective quarterbacks within the league, so it’s all the time good if you play in opposition to the most effective.
Q: His reference to Travis Kelce?
A: I imply, they’re boys. They’re like finest pals on the sphere. Possibly they observe or perhaps they don’t but it surely simply looks as if in sure conditions discovering him, it simply feels snug.
Q: Do you suppose there may be extra strain 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 possibilities?
A: We simply have the most effective quarterbacks within the league who can get the job achieved, you wish to give him the ball as a lot as you may.
Q: A few of your different defensive teammates: Von Miller?
A: He’s a Corridor of Famer.
Q: Terrel Bernard?
A: TB’s enjoying at a loopy degree. He ain’t one of many larger [line]backers, 250 kilos, however he can do every little thing. You’ll be able to 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 chief, that’s why he’s obtained 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 have 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 huge, however he’s.
Q: Your response if you have been traded in 2023 at midseason to the Payments?
A: I used to be kinda a bit upset, I’m not gonna lie, I used to be kinda a bit unhappy, ’trigger I felt like what I used to be doing in Inexperienced Bay was price me staying round only for a bit 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 reduce and also you’re going some place else, you’re simply getting traded so it’s like folks nonetheless see worth in you, ?
Q: What are you most pleased with about your profession?
A: That I’m nonetheless going. I might have gave up. Issues weren’t going my manner, 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 sphere and have that belief of my teammates that they know that I’ll do my job to the most effective 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 in opposition to the Chiefs.
A: I bear in mind lining up in opposition to 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 obtained the crew to do some nice issues.”
Q: Your first interception?
A: It was in opposition to 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 obtained it.
Q: Do you continue to have the ball?
A: I believe it’s someplace in my closet. I obtained just a few of ’em, so it’s someplace there.
Q: Is Eli Manning a first-ballot Corridor of Famer?
A: Ought to be. He obtained 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 nicely. I simply bear in mind how loud the stadium was going after I obtained it. However even the one final yr I obtained [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 a terrific teammate, a terrific individual, ? I beloved him after I obtained there. That was the most effective quarterbacks I’ve ever seen with my very own two eyes.
Q: What made him a terrific 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 observe?
A: Yeah I did. I obtained him just a few instances.
Q: Do you suppose he has extra soccer left in him?
A: Yeah. I believe he has extra left in him if he wished to play.
Q: The time in your life at Nassau Neighborhood School 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 instances 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 the most effective half and worst a part of going to Nassau CC?
A: The very best half was in all probability the folks I met. I met some wonderful pals who I nonetheless speak to to this present day, 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 discuss God and simply believing in Christ. I wanted that at that time, ’trigger I felt like typically I used to be shifting away. I’d say the worst time was the meals scenario and residing scenario, that was kinda unhealthy.
Q: Inform me concerning the residing scenario.
A: It was similar to 15 of us in a crib. All of us have been from totally different locations, Florida, numerous locations. We have been all simply attempting to dwell, make the lease cheaper.
Q: This was not an athletic dorm?
A: We didn’t haven’t any athletic dorms, you didn’t have scholarships, we didn’t have something at Nassau. Yeah, it was unhealthy.
Q: Was that your largest adversity?
A: Yeah, that and simply being on 4 or 5 totally different groups in a span of perhaps like a month or two.
Q: What was that like?
A: I used to be carrying a bag and a e-book bag in all places, and simply attempting to make one thing occur. Not understanding the place you’re gonna find yourself in sure conditions.
Q: Your cornerbacks coach at West Virginia [Blue Adams] had an expression: “Don’t worry the skunk.”
A: Blue was loopy, man. Blue had a lotta expressions, man … he used to inform us, “Give me every little thing you’ve obtained on this soccer area,” and he’s like, “Move out if you would like, you can die on this soccer area.” He used to say one thing like, “For those who move out, don’t fear about it, we obtained trainers right here, they’ll come and decide you again up, and when you get again up, simply begin working once more till you move out once more.” He simply all the time wished us to work as exhausting as we might.
Q: Discuss concerning the affect of a person named Mike Davis.
A: My mentor, is kinda like a Pops to me. He kinda obtained me began with baseball after I was like 6, 7 years outdated … and stored me out of bother, there was numerous bother in my neighborhood, he kinda stored me from being round issues like that and seeing that.
Q: What have been a few of the belongings you noticed?
A: Simply gangs, medicine, stuff like that, violence.
Q: You have been a shortstop within the East Orange Little League?
A: I used to be the most effective shortstops. Ever.
Q: Did you contemplate a baseball profession?
A: I wished to. I don’t suppose that public faculty would have gotten me to the place I wished to be, although.
Q: Inform me about your grandmother who raised you.
A: She was only a loving woman, 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 foul day, the minute I speak to him, I neglect every little thing in my day, and simply deal with him.
Q: Three dinner company?
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 “Regulation 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 must the Payments Mafia and Payments followers in all places 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 every little thing we obtained, and no matter occurs, occurs.
Q: Are you conscious that it’s been a very long time for the reason that Payments have been within the Tremendous Bowl?
A: I believe since 1994 or [1995] or one thing like that? I simply rotated for the banner.
Q: You cheated.
A: Yeah, I positively 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 obtained an opportunity, we’re there, simply do it. That’s actually all they may say.