 Yo, what's up guys, it's Grady Jarrett. Welcome to my podcast, Getting Real with Grady Jarrett with me and my co-host Kelsey Conway. Talk about football, life, everything in between. This week, we got a very, very special guest. Someone who's near and dear to my heart. Someone who's always around, being seen with me here and there, later, very, very special to me was my mother, Alicia Jarrett. And I'm super, super excited about this conversation. Obviously, so you can get another inside look at me and her relationship, and you can learn a little bit about the woman that raised me and to the man I am today. So here's our conversation with Alicia Jarrett. Well, Grady, when we first decided to do a podcast together, I think the guest I was most excited to have on is the guest that's joining us today. And that is the one and only, Alicia Jarrett. You're a wonderful mom who is just awesome in every way. And I can't wait to hear about your childhood stories together, how you've developed your bond. But, wow, we have Alicia Jarrett on the show today. How exciting, right? Yeah, super exciting, super exciting. I'm a little nervous, no, just kidding. Ain't no telling what's about to go down, but no, I'm super excited. This is the honors, this is the dream come true and I'm happy to have my mom, Alicia Jarrett, the mama Jarrett on a podcast and ready to get to it, you know? Let the fans, let everybody know a little bit about our relationship and what she has meant to me in my career and to other people as well, not just myself, being a mother to others, being that figure for other guys, even going all the way back to high school and park ball. So I'm excited to let the world know and share a little bit what I get to experience every day of my life. Yeah, and for those who don't know, and they'll get into the story of just how close they are, but it's rare if you know Grady that you don't know his mom. She is so involved in every aspect of his life. So, Alicia, let's just start with, let's go down memory lane a little bit here. What stood out about Grady as a kid? Ooh, what stood out about Grady as a kid? Well, Kelsey, first thank you all for having me on the show. I am super excited to be here and I am super proud of the both of you for getting this up and going. I think it's going to be an amazing opportunity for people to learn a lot about different hosts that you'll have on your show. So congratulations on the show. Grady and I call him Jared. It's still very hot. Yeah, why? I just, I've started off calling him Jared all this life and all this life I've just called him by his last name, Jared. He was a very docile kid. He was very humble, very quiet, but very ambitious. He's always been a competitor and he's always been very resilient, but with that resiliency, he's also been very empathetic at the same time. And it's rare that you find somebody so competitive at a young age and still very empathetic. And that's definitely Jared. Jared. He's a humble person. Give him a little example of maybe what you mean, Bob. So yeah, I can give an example. I know exactly. I know what you're about to be talking about. Just so people can understand what you're saying. So he wants me to give an example. I can give you a couple, okay? So we'll start off at the parks early, early on. I think it was maybe his second year playing Warner Roberts football and he was a big guy. So he would, they caught him truck and they caught him truck for a reason because he would truck down the players. I mean, he was just, he put them on the ground and but then he turned around and he looked and then he'd go back and he'd pick them up. And, you know, coach was like, okay, your job is to put them on the ground. You don't have to pick them up. But he did that and he did that often. You know, he wanted to make sure that he was doing his job, but that he was also not hurting, you know, really hurting somebody too. So, but another example of his competitiveness. He's broken one of my TVs. He's since replaced them, but he was playing. I knew that first door was coming. I ain't know you're about to put my other little penis out. He was, he was playing the, I think it was the Nintendo game back then and the game was beating him. No, this is not what happened. Wasn't Jerry's beating you? I was actually playing the mid-time, she mentioned me playing a video game. I was playing with my cousin and we were playing the baseball game. When you hit him at the first real dramatic baseball game. And so he was pitching me the ball and I kept hitting home runs, bam, bam, home runs. And then so he, so let me just stop hitting home runs. You can make the better picture, hit you with the ball on the thing so you can just walk. And so he's, so he's slowing down my points. So he just would hit me with the ball, make my guy walk. I said, man, stop, stop making, stop doing that. Like, I want to come on out and stop being scared. So he did it again. I said, I was like, I was like, I don't do it again. Like, please don't do it again. He did it again. I was like, man, stop, bang. And I threw it through the control and I was like, and then all of a sudden, so like we was waiting. So I'm nervous, you know, as my parents get home because both my parents are gone and then my little sister at the time. Now when she was younger, she was, oh my God, she can't wait to chill on somebody. So as soon as they got, as soon as they got in the house, ma, ma, chair, put the TV. And then from there, that's all she wrote. We was disciplined kids. So I had to be handled with. So, yeah. I feel like I was probably, my brother would probably say the same thing about me. I'm the youngest of three. And there's definitely sometimes I ratted him out. And now I'm like, why did I do that? She's not there yet. She's not why she, why did she do that? So when you look at, you mentioned the traits of what Grady was like as a kid. When did his football career really start and when did you know, okay, my son is not just, you know, a high school football player. He actually, you know, could have a career doing this. Yeah, sure. So, Jared played multiple sports. He, of course, football. He played baseball where he excelled. He played basketball. You know, he ran track or did the shot put in track and he wrestled where he excelled. And where I knew in football, he would, I really thought that he would have a, definitely a college career and possibly a professional career in baseball because he was really, really good in baseball. But it was probably going into his ninth grade year for football. He played both sides of the ball. And, you know, anybody that knows me knows I'm a mama bear. And so I was like, you know, they need to get somebody else out there because my boy playing both sides of the ball, you know, whatever, whatever. But as you learn the game and I'm, you know, very blessed I've been around for a long time, you know, that that's a positive, right? And so probably, you know, he had this motor that just kept going and kept going and kept going and kept going. And that motor then turned into drive, right? He wanted to do things better and better and better each and every time. And he loved to be challenged. The high school had had a coach that had been there for years and years. And then when Jared went into the ninth grade, the coach changed. Well, this particular coach didn't believe in freshmen being on the varsity team, right? And so Jared and I kind of discussed it. And I said, well, you know, we're not gonna argue with his rules. You just have to do better than the people that's on the varsity team. And he did, you know, we had a meeting, the coach said, listen, I don't know, no mama, daddy, grandmama, grandpa were coming up to me, telling me to put the freshmen kid on my varsity team. It's not happening. I would happen to be the president of our booster club at the time. And I was, you know, not gonna argue with coach, right? But I watched him at practice every day. And I knew that eventually he was gonna be on that varsity team. And it was about the third game in, maybe the fourth game in his freshman year that he started on the varsity team and he's never, he went straight, you know, through. But his motor and his drive, his inner competitive spirit let me put to believe that definitely he was gonna be playing on the collegiate level and that he was gonna be very competitive. And his drive would definitely get him to the next level. Have you two always been as close as you are now? Yeah, I would definitely say so. I mean, you know, I don't even, you know, I got to always tell everybody, like if we're far on the football side of things, you know, I'll never remember a game, you know, my mom and I being there, we're involved or, you know, or, you know, more than a game of a piece of class work or whatever it is, it's super, super involved. And, you know, she motivated me cause I seen like how hard she worked for us growing up and it's just something that I, you know, I took pride in and also was, you know, fortunate enough for her, you know, not to have baby me or like, you know, spoon fed me like cause it's like some of the, a lot of the things or lessons that I've learned and things persevering overcome was really just, you know, basically like versus if say something don't go my way versus, you know, pat me back telling me it's okay. She like, you got to figure that out. You know what I'm saying? Like you got to go work. Like the world not gonna feel sorry for you. And that's one of my biggest things that I just, you know, I try to teach people what there's personal relationships and friendships, talking to kids or whatever, you know, everything is so, you know, you know, feel good. It's okay. It's okay. It's going to be a try the next time. But versus looking yourself in the mirror and in fact figuring out what you got to do better to be better. And, and, and, and I just think that's, that's something that was just instilled with me by my mom, but like, I mean, we can go, whether it's, you know, through the college recruiting, you know, we hit the road going to camps, trying to, you know, get more attention or scholarships or whatever, but she'll tell you like, like, you know, when we was coming, like coming, you know, it's easy to look now where we at and, and, and, and as a, as a professional and see the same people that, you know, didn't believe in you or like, look down at you, like really laughs at you, like, saying you wasting your time. Come in here and patch your back, be on all, and I tell her, I mean, you know, we don't sit there and talk about me. Like I always said, you know, my success is about proving to people that believe in me right, right. You know, it ain't never been, it's never been about a naysay or hate or nothing because at the end of the day, they gonna come back to you and try to start your love anyway. So, you know, you just, you just got to, you know, so those are just lessons that I just learned, you know, being with her, but I feel like, you know, we always had a close relationship and, you know, just, you know, just get, I think, get better at mine. Yep, yep, yep, so for sure. I think Kelsey that your question is, you know, have we always been this close? I think anyone that knows my family know how the bond between my son and I, I mean, it's a lifetime bond. The son, the bond between a mother and son, I think is a special bond. And for us, that bond is unchanged by people, time, distance, you know, it's the purest love. And, you know, I will and have forever supported him while I'm his largest cheerleader, I'm probably his worst critic, right? When we keep everything really, really real, right? Getting real with? Getting real with Grand Deer, absolutely, absolutely, absolutely, and it's an understanding of any situation and forgiving of any mistake is our relationship. And that's, that's how you can, you know, kind of, that's how I would kind of cock it up, yes. So I've fortunately been able to get to know you both having worked for the Falcons for the last couple of years. And something I think that the fans know about you, Mama Jared, is that you have, you're not just, oh, I go to the home games, right? You haven't missed up until COVID, I remember you telling me this, you had not missed one of Grady's games, then that is high school, that is college, that is NFL, that is so, you hit the road when he hits the road. I've seen you at training camp practice at Flowery Branch at 9 a.m. in the morning. I mean, you don't miss, you don't miss anything. And like, I think it's funny that, you know, you talk about how you're his biggest critic, kind of reminds me of the movie The Blind Side when Sandra Bullock's in the stands and she's like calling the coach and she's like, run the dang ball! Because Dabo told us that when he, when you were up there for the summer camp or Grady got recruited, you know, you were coaching him hard in those defensive line drills. And I think the way that you balance that love, but also, you know, keeping it real, I think it really shows in the way that Grady is as a person. And for you as a mom, is that the most rewarding part? The most rewarding part for me in regards to Jared is the man that he's turned out to be. I mean, he is just such a man of integrity and character means something to him. He's a man that cares, you know, for people, you know, even people outside of our family. He's a giving person. And, you know, when I look and hear stories about Jared, I say that's my son, right? And proud is not a large enough word, you know, to express the emotion that I feel, you know, when I hear people talk about Jared, but he's definitely made me proud. And he has a long way to go, right? I mean, life, I'm hoping that, you know, God blesses him with many, many years, but I am good to pat myself on the back and say job well done and continue my prayers that God continues to carry him. I mean, he has moral values. He knows right from wrong. I'm a proud, proud mama, for sure. I love that. So I wanted to ask you guys a question. Grady, when you get in the NFL, everybody always talks about the biggest goal is to get to that second contract. When you signed your extension with the Falcons and it's with your hometown team, you made it to the second contract set up for the future. What did you guys do to celebrate? And Alicia, if you would expand a little bit on, from your perspective, what that moment was like for you and Grady to celebrate that together? Yeah, so I'll pick up on that. You know, that time was a, it was a really, really great time for, you know, me and my family just to be in that position, you know, to be able to be blessed in that position. And, you know, it was a lot of things going on during that time on the side and on whether to, you know, in the time it was, you know, just, you know, being franchised tag and the way that the deal worked out. I'll just say this to say, you know, it went all the way down to the wire when we were, you know, having our discussions or whatever they may be. But, you know, when things got nervous and just didn't know how things were gonna shake out, you know, we put our foot down together and, you know, we let God take care of the rest and he blessed us. But at the same time, you know, I don't think there was, I mean, we celebrated obviously, we always celebrate our accomplishment, but we knew it was just the beginning. Like for me, it was a motivation fact, like this, like, I mean, this is just, I mean, it's just getting started. At the time for me, I had no Pro Bowls, you know, I know all Pro's and I feel like the best footballer is ahead of me. And here I am, you know, two seasons later to three, going on three years later after my deal, you know, I had a Pro Bowl every year since I signed my deal and all Pro, I think I should have been an all Pro again this year, honestly. And I only continue to, I only, you know, pray to continue to get better and work for that. So for me and for my mom, we knew that and we know that, I mean, I just think the things that just can please other people, it's just, it's really, really hard to please we are. And we just, I mean, like, it's just motivating factor to the wheels fall off, it's just more, it's like you want to be better, you know what I'm saying? You want to prove that, you know, that you never get complacent, you know what I'm saying? Like, and that's one of the biggest things, you know, that I've learned in my household growing up, never get complacent, you know, you never arrive. And that's why I do continue to get better and try to strive and get better in every, you know, every aspect of my life and just continue to grow. So, but as far as, you know, celebrating, celebrating, I think we went out, we went out to eat or something. We were tired. We said we were going, but we were tired. Yeah, we went back to work, you know what I'm saying? Yeah, exactly. We went back to work, you know what I'm saying? We went back to work, we handled some stuff in a personal life with families, getting stuff set up about certain things and handling the business off the field. But, you know, once we, you know, dotted all the I's across all the T's, it was work time again, you know? And I think I just, that just goes to show for itself like, you know, it's just, you know, it was fun. So we've talked a lot about what you guys do together in terms of your support, Alicia, in his football career, but that is just such a small part of who Grady is and what he does. I think we're gonna have a whole episode of this podcast dedicated to what Grady does and continues to do in the community in Atlanta. But you are there at everything, not just his sports, every community event and everything that's important to him is important to you. So will you guys let us in on a little bit of some of the things that you guys do together that's off the football field? Off the field, we're into a lot of things, definitely, you know, being big in the community, especially where I'm from out of Clarence, Georgia. We first started with doing a football camp and an anti-bullying campaign, you know, Big Man Don't Bully. And that was a big touching thing for me because, you know, just showing support for kids and so they can treat each other better. It just was a time where it was a lot of, you know, it was a lot of cyber bullying stuff going on was real popular, I mean, like not popular, but was real prevalent on social media at the time. And then there were some kids around the country, you know, hurting themselves, dealing with bullying. So at the time, I was, you know, looking and praying for a cause, that was something that came to me. And we just took that and ran with it. Over time, you know, Big Man Don't Bully, we were doing so much other stuff in the community. We just transformed our whole umbrella of things into Grady Gives, which is what we do now. And whether that's, and Grady Gives got his hand in a little bit of everything, you know. Many of the things you think about from holidays, you know. Like you say, awareness, empowering the youth, hospital is it? Yeah, yeah, so, yeah, go ahead, man. Yeah, just like Jared was saying, at Grady Gives is certainly the umbrella of what he does. And I think that the big thing here, Kelsey, is that he really does so much that, you know, the Falcons has no clue and because he doesn't do it to be recognized. Like I said, the literacy awareness focus that he has, he's been given the key to our city. He's been given a Grady Jarrett day in our city of Conyers, February 10th, we celebrate that. They retired his high school football jersey. Right now, this spring, we will break ground on the new team center and it's called the Grady Jarrett team center. We're really, really excited about that right now. Also, the Senate has a bill that's where they're going to name all of the, you know, the posts that identifies the county. They're going to put Grady, you know, home of Grady Jarrett on those posts. So it's a big thing. And we certainly appreciate people that do recognize but the reality is, you know, the things that he does when he goes to the hospitals, he goes to the hospitals to put a smile on someone's face, you know, and he's so good at it. You know, he's, I call him gentle giant because the kids and even older people that's in the hospital, they just love when he comes by and it just brightens their day. He goes back, he's called to be keynote speaker several times for, you know, his high school, the black history programs for even the state legislators have called them, you know, and so he does a lot and the good thing is that he enjoys doing it. There's still a lot of work to do. Getting this a whole bunch of stuff is coming to my mind right now. We, I think he gave seven different families. He bought the Christmas for all their kids. I mean, just, it's just endless. And again, it's just to make somebody's, you know, smile for if it's just a little short, you know, period of time. Yeah, Grady and I talked a lot about just the position that he's in and the fact that he can impact people's lives and he takes that responsibility very seriously. So you can tell with all of what you guys do, but you also, not just what he does in the community, but man, you're a pretty big Clemson fan. We saw that you were at the spring game with him and you guys are on vacations. We see on Grady's Instagram, we see you're around with him. So it seems like you guys do a lot together. You were at Hayden Hurst charity event right behind Grady and the pictures. I'm like, Alicia is everywhere where Grady is. And I think it's cool. Absolutely, listen, outside of the support of him, and he'll tell you, you know, community things I've done all of my children's lives. So, and it's something that we enjoy doing, but let's talk about Clemson for a minute. Hey, that's my stump and ground. Listen, he's representing today, but some of our best years were spent at Clemson and we have developed lifelong friendships with Pete Wake Clemson. The president, Jim Clements is a very good friend of ours. And of course, Coach Dabblesweeney and Kathleen and a lot of the coaches. I mean, Jared still has, you know, some of the people that was in the cafeteria that are really, really good friends. Clemson is home, Clemson will always be home for us. And so we certainly enjoy Clemson, but we have a tight knit family. We love to cook. Look, now that he cooks, I certainly have turned over the reins for him to do it. And he's a very good cook. You know, we don't miss our family vacation. Sometimes here recently, when, you know, things got a little bit open, he and his siblings have taken several vacations, but we don't miss our family vacations. We enjoy, you know, just spending time together. And then he and I will, we'll still a day or two away and, you know, just kind of catch up on life and things like that. And those are prices moments for me, Kelsey. Those are things that I not only want, my family can continue to do, but I want my children's families to do some of those same rituals. So yeah, it's good. Yeah, back on, you know, the Clemson topic, definitely staying close to the university has been good. Even if I make it up, you know, just one time a year, it's all so appreciated because, you know, I know when guys get away from school, they can stay away for so long. And it's good just to go show your face so loving. We've been fortunate because Co-Swedian whole coaching staff, for the most part is still intact from when I was there. So it feels good. And also with it just being, you know, two hours of the road from Atlanta, that was always good. And I started like, I got, when I went up there, I started, because I don't know if people know, but I'm into like, like water sports and stuff, you know, boating, jet ski and stuff like that. So they got a lot of nice lakes up there. So we'll go up there sometime with the fam and just hang out. So, so yeah, yeah, definitely, definitely spending the time has been, has been great, great family place too. So, and this is a college town, everything is about it. You know what I'm saying? Like everything in Climbson is about Climbson, you know what I'm saying? I don't know how it was, it was a Cincinnati. Yeah, no, it's not warm enough to do all of that. But Grady, before, before we let your mom go, I wanna put you on the spot. And then Alicia, I have a question for you. Grady, what do you appreciate most about your mom? And Alicia, what do you hope when people say, I met Grady Jarrett or say the name Grady Jarrett, they say about your son? So Grady, you wanna go first? Yeah, go first. What I appreciate most about my mom is, her can hear her. Yeah, she better stop by and make a cry on this thing, not a stress. No, what I appreciate most is, it's just really her commitment, her commitment to our family, to me, to my sisters, to getting a job done, whatever the job may be, commitment to being the best that she can be at all times, and even the commitment to keeping us at our best, and it's just like it's an unapologetic, unwavering love, support, and expectation for you to be the best in the best you can be. It's not about the next person, it's not about doing this, or out doing this, or whatever it may be. You being the best you can be, and then also just always remember, stand close to your roots, but the commitment and then the support that she gave gives to me is just super special, and I know for a fact that it's not regular, and she always tell me all the time, you're not regular, and that's not to be cocky or arrogant, but it's just to believe in the truth and knowing that you're different, and accepting, not even accepting that, thriving in that, being proud in that, and just really never letting me sell myself short, and believing in me when like nobody else did, so yeah, that's definitely something that I always hung my hat on and motivated me, because we always could, no matter how much time we go without seeing each other, which most of you are probably not seeing each other maybe a week, because we're talking about something. But when we always come back and come to and just reflect, how far we came and just how far we have to go as well, and that's just not in football or sports or financially, whatever it may be, but just as on a journey, just enjoying the journey, you know what I'm saying, and I try to always bring my family back to just remember that we are blessed, and it's a journey that we own, and it's gonna be ups, it's gonna be downs, but into the day, we always got each other, and that's something that my mama is stealing us at a young age, and she just never relents from that, and she, and like I said, like she said, she a mama bear, and she always, you know, wanna look out for the best interest for all her kids, so, and so, yeah, it was just, I mean, I could go all day to be honest, so. I love that. Oh, thank you, Ma. What do you hope when people say they met your son or they say the name Grady Jarrett? How do you hope that people define your son? So one word that I've always used when I am talking to my son or about my son is undeniable. Told him early, early in his life to become undeniable and be so undeniable that people don't have a choice but to put you in the spot where you wanna be, right? And I think that he's done a great job and is continuing to become the full definition of undeniable. I think when people hear the name Grady Jarrett, they hear a person of strong commitment, high character, integrity, a person that is a leader both on the field and off the field, a leader at home. He's the son, but he's certainly the anchor of my life, right? I think that people hear the name Grady Jarrett and hear that this is a person that has a balance and understand that you just don't get things by things being given to you that you have to work very, very hard for them, that you have to be persistent, you have to be dedicated and determined and you have to be faithful in your drive. Jarrett is, I mean, he's a person that looks at the glass half full instead of half empty and that is going to take him a very, very long way. I am crazy proud of this person and that's my guy. Well, Alicia, thanks so much for joining us. Well, Alicia, thanks so much for joining Grady and I and we both would like to wish you a happy Mother's Day because we know that's coming up. So Grady, you want to say happy Mother's Day before we head out? Yep, yep, yep, it's always a Mother's Day, happy Mother's Day, my goal. Before we end, Ma, you want to tell people about some of the stuff you got going on coming up a little bit to keep it out on for what you've been working on? Oh, absolutely, absolutely. So I too have a show that we're working on. It's called Inside the Shield with NFL Moms, host Alicia Jarrett and I too have a co-host in Rob Vaca and we have started some of our teasers. You'll be able to see a lot of our teasers actually running through Drive Weekend and so I'm really, really excited about that. And basically what the show is about, it's a platform for not only NFL Moms, but high school moms, collegiate moms to come on and basically kind of tell their stories about their son, share their experiences and things like that. From this concept, I'm actually also writing a book and it's going to be a guide to parents. Basically, I'm still trying to work on the name of it. We have a lot of, believe it or not, we have a lot of the chapters on the book done, but we're still trying, I keep tweaking the name because I want the book to say, you will not destroy what I built, right? And that's for the sports agents, for the financial advisors or whatever. So, but it's a parent's guide to how to do this journey if you will. But yeah, so thanks for letting me share that. Appreciate that. That's awesome. I can't wait to see. Alicia, hopefully we are able to see you soon at practice and games. Hopefully things to be a little bit normal, but appreciate you coming on and getting real with Grady Jarrett. Well, Grady, aren't moms just the best? Yeah, especially when you got one like mine. Yeah, she's pretty awesome. So, I gosh, there's so many good stories she shared about you, but like I said in the conversation with her, you don't know you without knowing your mom. And for you, you got drafted by your hometown team. And obviously that's cool for a number of reasons, right? Because you're gonna play for the team you grew up watching. But the element of the fact that your family was gonna be able to be around and be able to be at things that, had you been drafted by another team, she probably wouldn't be able to. I'm sure she wouldn't miss a game, but just being able to Sunday after the game go over to her house or have her over at the house. How cool was that for you to be able to have that factor when you realized, okay, I'm gonna be playing for the Falcons. Yeah, it was very cool, it was very cool, it was a blessing. But playing so close to home, you gotta know how to handle it and you gotta be the right type of person. But for me, it was definitely a blessing. And actually in the time when I got drafted, if you do know my draft story, our house burned caught fire. For me in that moment, it was the only moment in life where we didn't really know the next move because you don't know how it was gonna shake out. My family has never been in this place. We've always been the steady, consistent family. People come in and we take care of them and it's just been being out of that position and then for me to be able to get drafted to the Falcons, it was cool because it allowed me to stay close to my family during such a hard time and such a time in decision. But so playing at home has been a blessing. Like you said, whether it's just the simple thing of after a game, going out to the house I grew up in, to go have dinner with the fam, spend time, and being able to, you know, my mom, whether I was here or in playing for the Hawaii, whoever, if Hawaii had a team, my mom would be there. Do you know something is Hawaii getting it out of the question? No, I wish the Pro Bowl would go back there. That's pretty funny. But I would say that to say, but you know, it's been a blessing to be able to have her at the game. And I know you see before the game, we always do a fist bump, you know what that means? That just, you know, that's our little thing we do. I mean, not to go all day, but I mean, it's been a blessing, it's been a blessing being able to be home and stay so close to the community. And it helps because, you know, along with, you know, in this life, being a professional football player and when you got a lot going on, whether it's in the community and you know, a lot of things are expected of you. You know, you got agents, financial people, you know, playing whatever, to have that buffer for somebody, for moms who's so involved, she helps me with that. She's like, like, she really like another, like another like agent or son to me, like almost because she just helped be that buffer for me. I need that for that, that whether it's mental, you know, protection sometimes, sometimes I do, we do, she ain't gonna like this. Sometimes I do have to be like, all right, Ma, I can do it. Like I got, I got this, I got this. You know what I'm saying? So, but I much rather, oh, it's like, it's like a coach, right? He's saying like, I'd rather tell you to slow down, to speed up. You know what I'm saying? So, so I always know the effort and the commitment is always gonna be there. So, I mean, it's... So I don't know if you know this story, but your mom reached out to me before your first home game this season. And she called me to tell me what she was gonna do with the rest of your family. So for those who didn't see the story out on AtlantaFalcons.com or see the pictures on our social media channels, Alicia has never missed one of Great East Games. And when COVID happened and NFL decided they were still gonna have a season, the first couple of games, there were no fans allowed. That meant no families were allowed, just the teams. Well, your mom didn't know what to do because she's never not been one of your games. Oh yeah, that was awful. But she was determined to make sure that she still got to have that eye contact with you and saw you before your game. She was determined to do it. So she rounded up all of your family and they surprised Grady where the players park at the same spot every game. And she knew where you parked. So, Alicia and the rest of your family made signs with your numbers, sayings. I mean, it was probably like 15 to 20 people that showed up on a bridge that overlooked where Grady parked. All in 97 jerseys so that when Grady came from the hotel to his parking spot when he got out of his car and looked up to go into the stadium, he got to see his mom and the rest of his family wearing jerseys. And I just remember seeing those pictures and I got the chills and I'm like, that is so cool. And I don't know if you knew that, your mom. But your mom called to let me know so that we could notify people to be able to take pictures of that. So you guys had that moment forever. That's how much she thought that through. When you got out of the car, how shocked were you? Man, I was super shocked. I didn't even realize because I'm just pulling in. I'm backing it to my spot. I don't even know if I pull it in the parking line and just look forward and win it. If I ever hear it on call, I wouldn't even know. But I got back in the spot and looked up. I'm like, what the world? I'm like, oh my God. Like this. So cool. I was like, what in the world? But it was fun. I kind of looking back on it, I was kind of thinking like some might be up because where there is was my sister, like my mom, my girl, like texting me. Like I'm like, why they trying to see like where I'm at? Like whatever. But I'm like, all right, whatever. And then I answered my phone call. I used to be my thing. I used to call mom before the game. And so I'm like, all right, whatever. So they tripping or whatever. They must first game. They must be whipped out of shape. You know what I'm saying? But no, that was definitely a special moment. And it got not a little a lot emotional for me. But it's just how grateful I am for that. I was like, man, I gotta go. I gotta go after the game. Like I just gotta go crazy. So I played pretty good. I had like two sacks and some other stuff. We ended up losing the game, but I felt good about it. And I knew she'd be at home watching. I'm like, well, yeah, I really, you know, I gotta go and say that's hard. That was a hard day for her. That's hard. That was, it was really cool to watch that whole thing go down. And I'm glad that your family has the pictures forever. Because what a cool moment. And that shows what your family is all about. Definitely appreciate you helping us with that. Yeah, of course. So I asked you and your mom this, but I want to go a little bit more in-depth here. Your contract extension. You talked a little bit about how things went down to the wire. And like I said, the NFL players, the goal is to get to that second contract and not everybody gets there and you know how hard it is. You talked a little bit about how you were just tired, so you didn't really do a celebrate, but what was your first purchase after you signed that contract extension? Man, I can't really, I don't even know my first, first one, but I'll tell you, I got some stuff I definitely did. I bought a new car. I actually bought two new cars, to be honest. Cause I bought a G-wagon and then a car, I always wanted when I was just, you know, as a kid, we just grew up, I wanted a Rolls Royce, so I got a Rafe and that was like with the black, the black on black, black badge with the red seats, starlight, I got that. And then I was living in the house out in Sugarloaf. I was actually still, I actually still still own this place, but I don't stay there as my main residence in my, I rent it out now, but I was staying there, but when I got the contract, I'm like, I want to move back to Buckhead. So I bought me a condo down there in Buckhead and stayed there and then I just resold that and I got another place now, but and then as far as like then I'm able to buy, well, I might as before, before my contract, I bought my mom a car for Mother's Day. One year, this might be my fourth year in a league, so I had a little bit of some, not what I got now, but I had a little bit of some, but I knew I had a little something coming in too, so I bought her that car for Mother's Day and let me kind of see, let me see what, like I'm a Mercedes ambassador, so all my family got like Mercedes, like my little sister, my big sister, I got two of them, my mom got one, she won another one, about to trade it in, I'm not about to just keep buying these cars, but yeah, so that was, that's a little, that's a little song, little song, song. I always, I always love to ask that question because some, sometimes the answers reveal really great stories, like you saying you bought your mom a car for Mother's Day, whether some, I love, I can't get enough of the stories of when people get drafted or reach your second contract, they buy their mom a house, like I just think those stories are so heartwarming and just I can't get enough of those, so that's why I wanted to ask you that, but going back to that, that process for you, were you, you said you were a little bit nervous, walk us through a little bit of what that process was like and just how excited you were when it was done that you were signed by the team that you were drafted by, that you didn't have to go anywhere, and oh, by the way, you were paid at the top of your position. Yeah, yeah, so, yeah, I was definitely gonna share a little bit of that story, so it was the last day for franchise tag players to be, to sign a deal. And I was at the, I was at my agency office and me, my agents that I had, that I have, and there's a couple of them and then my mom was there and there were, we had a number in mind for what we wanted to do or agree to, and I was so confident in myself that I was willing to turn down a lot of money to play on a one-year deal. And, cause I knew that my best football was ahead of me and we were just really, we really believe in ourself, and as I see ourself as me, my whole team, agents, finance people, and I was so willing to bet on myself that we had, they gave a final offering what they wanted to do and I wasn't sold on it, and I said, I'll play on the franchise tag, like I say, it is what it is, and you know, whatever, some more time pass, but at the end of the day, it's almost getting reported, like still no deal for Grady Jerry on the day, so it looked like he might just be under the tag, blah, blah, blah, blah, and we went down to, they had to sprint to, after the Falcons and us came to agreement, we literally had the girl in the office literally had to go sprint to the fax of machine room to fax the paperwork over to the NFL offices because if you don't get in about four o'clock, then it's void, you know? And so it was just really, it was really like an intense moment, like it was just, it was just really like putting faith in like, if you put your mind, set your mind on something and what you want, and it was just really a sweet deal for both sides and it was just something that you just couldn't, turn down, especially at that moment in time, you know, I was, you know, $50,000 off from being a second pay house defense tackle in the whole league, you know, and then also that just set us up for future stuff going forward and it couldn't work out any better with a better place, better organization, better team owner. And I was sincerely like blessed, like any time I spoke, and this is not me just, you know, blowing horn, whatever, just blowing smoke. Blowing smoke is like, it's really been great here. Like I'm thankful for it, like, because, you know, I hear so much horror stories about the other places and stuff. So I definitely don't take it lightly. And, you know, I have seen teammates come and go and I look around, see pictures. Now, you know, I'll be the only one left in some of the pictures and I'll just be like, you know, that's how, you know, quick, this turnaround is in NFL, you know, so every day is a blessing, you know, and I wouldn't want to do it anywhere else as, you know, as right now. So, I mean, as it's so, it's fun and yeah. Well, we know that your mom was probably the happiest of all. So just like your mom said, you know, she's proud of the hardworking, compassionate person that you are. So we just wanted to wish everyone that's listening, that's a mom, happy Mother's Day, Grady. I don't know if you want to give a shout out, but happy Mother's Day to you all listening and we appreciate you tuning into another episode of Getting Real with Grady Jarrett. Yeah, happy Mother's Day to all. Much love and excitement for you all.