Cowboys Hour: Marist Liufau | 2026

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1:23Now your host, Nicole Hutchison and Brad Chan. Welcome everybody. Thank you very much for joining us. We'll call this a Brazilian Monday, right? That's why we're on Tuesday because everybody on that trip was a little exhausted and would have been, however it came out. So we're on Tuesday and we are happy to be here. We are delighted to have those of you who have come to join us at our regular Monday night or Brazilian Monday location side car social at the Star District in Frisco. Special hello to those of you joining us on the Dallas Cowboys Radio Network and hi to everybody watching streaming whenever and wherever you're doing that on the Dallas Cowboys. And a big special thank you to our guests tonight. Cowboys linebacker Marist Leifal. Thank you for coming out. We are almost as excited to see you play in football as you are excited to play football.

2:28But we'll get into that in just a minute. You were not on the on the trip. The most of the injured guys were not on the trip, right? So you could continue to get whatever rehab and. And so what do you think? What's the longest post game flight you've ever had? Did you do anything exotic when you were at Notre Dame? Actually, yeah, we went to play in Ireland. There you go. There you go. I can't remember if we flew right after the game or not though, but I know that flight was a good almost about 10 hours I think. Around there is either 8 to 10 hours. So what was that like for you? What did you miss out on? A lot of wire games. This time. This time? I mean, just spending time with the guys, obviously playing. Just being out there, obviously felt for them when. No, I know that. We're going to get to that in a minute. I'm talking about the flight. The flight? Yeah, everybody's got to recuperate because it's a work day tomorrow.

3:30Right. The players got an unusual two days off Monday and Tuesday. Which kind of had to because they were done going through customers, but I don't know, at 9 o'clock, except Monday morning. Yeah, that's crazy. So what do you imagine that flight must have been like, considering the game? Yeah, I mean, it's definitely hard to come off a flight and be able to perform at a high level like that. I think they left at a decent time. I think they left Thursday and so I gave them enough time to kind of get their bodies back and adjust it to the change. But personally, I take a long flight a lot. Just because being from Hawaii, it's at least a seven hour flight. So I know the name when I would fly home, it would be about eight to 10 hours sometimes. That's nothing for you. Yeah, I'm pretty used to that long flight. So what do you do on a flight? Can you sleep? I do everything. Sleep, video games, movies, TV shows, you name it.

4:31I always try to not to make it a big deal and just say it's like a couple of nights in some movies. Where does a long flight typically make the biggest impact when you are playing a game so far away? I think it's like the day after. It's really administration of why. Make sure that day after you really take care of your body and try to get your legs just back from that long flight. I think it's really that day after. I think that's what Shady had said today in the press conference. Is that a lot of the guys came in today for massages and things like that. So I think that resonates with what you said. But now thoughts on just the game and how it all played out from your perspective. Yeah. I was talking to Scott earlier, but it's just always important to lose. It sucks to lose as any competitor. But when you lose a game like that at the end and I think it hurts a little bit more,

5:33especially being out there so far from home and you just want to succeed so bad and everyone wants to do well and win obviously. So I felt for them. I wish I could have been there playing with them. But yeah, just tough loss for them. Does the fact that it's still so early in the season? And there were a lot of good things that your team did in this game. In this game. I mean, you're still kind of growing up as a team. Did the fact that it was so early in the season make it any easier to put it in perspective and get ready to play the next game? Yeah. I mean, when you get games out like this where it's just tight wins and definitely builds character leading up to the rest of the season. And I think it's honestly, we can take a lot of good things from this even though it was a loss. We can take a lot of great things from this game as a learning opportunity for us. I think we can grow a lot of firecast. Just everything that happened and just really analyzing ourselves.

6:35Where do you feel like this defense has grown over the last three weeks? Because I think it's kind of underestimated or kind of taken for granted. The fact that Christian Parker has had to come in and face so much more adversity than a lot of DCs. The first three weeks, dealing with personnel changes, dealing with kind of learning the guys in real game action, all these injuries, just like eight defensive guys injured. So just kind of talk about where you guys feel like you have grown as a defense to the first three weeks. Yeah, I think just the past three weeks. And obviously it's hard for any team to do well, but just coming together as a new defense, a lot of new guys and under new coordinators. A challenging task, but as high level competitors, we're all up to that challenge. We want to hold ourselves up to a high standard to an expectation to where we can execute the job and get things done. I think the guys have grown a lot in the past three weeks.

7:38You can see the improvements for sure. And there's always going to be things to work on, but I think we're trending in the right direction. What are those improvements you've seen? I would say just seeing us work together as one, because we're a group of different or new guys, and still kind of getting used to playing on the same field as one another. I think for sure just being able to play as one defense and everything just kind of on the same page, you can see the flow. I feel like our younger guys are getting more comfortable and Jay Sean is doing a great job. Just getting more comfortable and calling the plays and things like that. So I think that's going to be huge for us as we continue to grow and continue to play throughout the season. What's the hardest thing about turning the page to play the next game? Yeah, the hardest thing is just that.

8:42I mean, everybody hates to lose, so that feeling just kind of lingers around a little. And I think the hardest thing really is just looking forward, because you kind of hold onto things that you wish you could have done, that you thought could win the game or win this play, win a rep. I think moving on from that is pretty hard, especially just knowing how important it is to prepare for the next game already. It's like you lose this game, but oh well, you have to go win this next one. That can be challenging at times. So this is a simplistic question, but I think it applies. In the course of a game, close game, back and forth. And the other team is moving down the field. And you guys as a defense have made a couple of plays and you've made a couple of mistakes. And let's say they score. Now, you got to let that go, because the game's going on.

9:44I mean, you can't turn one drive into a game. Does the same thing apply in turning the page to that game is over, you can't have it back. I was taught a long time ago that the only thing worse than a bad golf shot is two bad golf shots. And if you think about the first one, you're going to hit another one. Does that make sense? Yeah, it does. It's definitely the same concept. Just that ability to move on and take what you learned from the previous game, winner loss and moving on to the next one. What's been your role in that and helping these guys kind of, I mean, it sucks to say forget about the loss, but I mean, pretty much kind of put it behind you. Yeah. Put it behind those guys that had to go out there to Brazil. What's been your role in helping with that? Yeah, so I mean, my personal role right now, obviously I can't play on the field, but I like to think my values more than just football. And so being in the building and being the person I am, showing up,

10:45working hard, showing the guys that I'm there for them, has been something that I've been trying to focus on since I got injured. And so I'm not feeling sorry for myself and going in with a positive mindset and having the guys see me doing well and just it just feeds off like one another. So that's been my role the past couple of weeks, whatever, since I got hurt. Okay, and since you got hurt was in the last preseason game, broke your arm. A whole training camp, the only serious injury was Princeton fan. I've never seen a camp go that clean. And then two preseason games and nothing, and then you broke your arm. You missed, you lost one season of your college career to an ankle injury, right? And so can you just give us your thought process when you, how did you break it? What was the play? Yeah. What went through your mind as you're laying there? Yeah, it was a run play. Went in for a tackle, just a normal tackle.

11:46And I think it was just an accident, freak accident where my forearm had hit. I think it was part of his knee or he kind of landed on it. I'm not exactly sure it's still, but remember just making the tackle and getting up and felt tremendous pain in my forearm. And I went back down because I just knew something was wrong and that was it from there. Did you flash back to hurting your ankle in school? Oh, not really. No. Yeah, kind of. Yeah, I haven't really. Only because only because this is not a season ending injury. That one was, right? Oh, yeah. I mean, definitely thought about it afterwards. And I was like, because I got a timeline pretty quick after I was injured and saw I was like, it was just a couple of games I've done much worse. And so that kind of helped me to push through and just stay positive through it all. And I'm guessing it helped knowing that you had like two-thirds of the season.

12:47You were still going to be able to play. Yeah, for sure. We're going to take our first break and then we're going to let you tell everyone what life on injured reserve is like. I think people kind of don't have realistic pictures of how you guys have to spend your time when you're on IR. But in the way that I said, we're going to take our first break, was so Nicole could get to her phone and read the following stellar words. Oh, yeah. This seven was brought to you by Luke Casey, Stan Tall, while you're tailgating or cheering in the stands with the Dallas Cowboys collection by Luke Casey. Shop the collection today at Luke Casey's six DFW locations or online at Luke Casey.com. Luke Casey, the official boot of the Dallas Cowboys and Dallas Cowboys cheerleaders. We're with the Cowboys linebacker, Maris Leifau. It's Cowboys Hours at Sidecar Social. I'm tired too. At the Star District in Frisco, we'll be right back.

13:48Italians.

14:48Go Cowboys! Go Cowboys! Go Cowboys! Go Cowboys! Go Cowboys! Go Cowboys!

16:11Go Cowboys! Go Cowboys!

17:11Go Cowboys! Go Cowboys!

18:11Go Cowboys! Go Cowboys!

19:12Go Cowboys! Go Cowboys! Go Cowboys! Go Cowboys! Go Cowboys! Go Cowboys! I definitely thought the timing was pretty rough.

20:15Obviously I'm in a new position, trying to earn my role on a team and prove myself in that new position. Getting hurt the last preseason game I thought was just rough timing. I really believe that it's just happened for a reason and since then I've been keeping a positive attitude and attacking what I can, which is my rehab and working out, being there for the guys and showing up. I want to talk about this new position and then I do want to talk about what life is like on IR, but I'm fascinated by this new position because you're an outside linebacker now, right? Which is different than a defensive end, but you have a lot of responsibilities that a defensive end would have in a different formation, right? One looks at you and sees your play in recent years and thinks this is a perfect inside linebacker to run around and make plays and do things that other people are doing,

21:23and they decided early on that you were an outside guy in this scheme. Why? Why? Did you ask him why? Not so much. I mean I know you don't want to say, why are you doing that? Believe me here, you can't do that, but I mean, it would have been natural, let me say it this way. If you'd said, I'd love to know the benefit of your thinking so I can master this position better for you. Yeah, yeah for sure. I didn't think why at times and then pretty much immediately after I would think just how can I best serve the team? What do they need for me? What the coaches want for me? To me it was just them trusting me to take on another role on the team and so I took that with pride and went to work and I just tried to be the best at it and make the guys around me better every single day. I remember when I talked to you this off season after they had announced it, I believe it was during the Combine week and said that you were moving to outside linebacker and I reached out and was like, well you know what comes with that and you mentioned you had put on like 20 pounds of muscle.

22:33How else did you attack that outside linebacker position and what kind of was different from what you were already doing now? Yeah, and I'm sorry are you 20 pounds bigger than you were last year? Yeah, you do not look it. Okay, keep talking. Sorry. It was a lot of pass for us. The pass for us aspect of the new position was new to me and I guess I wouldn't say I worked on it enough to where I feel comfortable going into the outside linebacker position which was perfect because we picked up coach BT who has been a tremendous help for all of us in terms of working on it. We've been working on the pass for us and being a mentor for us and attacking that with him. This off season helped me a ton going into spring ball and training camp. So he helped me build my confidence in that pass for us aspect that I thought I was just I needed to work on. What does BT bring? Yeah, what does BT bring that most defensive coaches don't bring?

23:38Yeah, I mean he's he's almost like a specialist. And so he's just like so like I guess focus and detailed in that one aspect of a game. I think it's a lot different than your position coach or your DC who kind of oversees a big broader just responsibility in terms of the defense and BT so detailed on the pass for us that we any pass for us questions we have. We know that he can go to him because he's so detailed and not only that but also passionate about just teaching pass rush and studying it and it really shows his love for doing that when we talk to him and when he's talking to us in the in the meeting rooms. So this is BT Jordan we're talking about who is who's had a tremendous career that he's carved out for himself as a as a hired gun pretty much he's a pass rush specialist but he's he worked with the Seahawks last couple years he's working with the Broncos work with a lot of teams without standing pass rushers.

24:44So is what he's worked on with you because you're not the Marcus where you're not bond Miller you're not that's not your physique. Is it more is it more mechanics is it technique is it a mental approach how how has he worked on this position not a natural one for you with you. Yeah so we I will work with all the other guys basically will all would do kind of similar drills but I would say the techniques that we use and we work on execute are a lot different so it'll suit like how you mentioned me differently that I don't know suit one Miller or guys like that who are built a different way to where like our interior delinement are obviously very strong guys who can execute power at a high level to where me as a smaller guy. On the edge that's not my strong suit and so just learning that studying it and executing that throughout practice and trying different things has helped me to grow into it.

25:49Just in terms of my my pass rush game what what has been the biggest challenge for you growing into a pass rusher. The biggest challenge growing into the pass rush game for me was I think kind of changing my my mindset on it because before I'll just run try to run around guys and now it's like a lot more detail and technique involved and trying to incorporate that into my game when I've been doing it one way for such a long time has been the most challenging part. It's not just this is what is tricky to me your job is not just pass rush sometimes you have to drop in coverage right there are some things you have to do in run support and in edge setting and and that kind of thing so did you have to learn all of those things differently than you had been doing them also. I mean a lot of tools that I use still I've worked on in some in some way just being an inside linebacker and so like the striking aspect of setting the edge I've been doing that my whole career.

27:01And so it's just kind of in that different position and in a different perspective because I remember the first preseason game lining up that outside linebacker and being on the edge is such a for the whole game was was a very different view and perspective for me and so that that was a lot different and kind of maybe realize like wow yeah I'm really I'm really in the different spot right now so. A lot of us help me to better understand our defense how defenses work in general and then also built my respect for the guys on the edge who execute their job at a high level knowing that it's not not easy at all so when they when they told you your movement as Nicole said they made this announcement but February yeah right. Did you think more what why don't they like me this is not what I am or they must really see something in me that I didn't see my they must really like me to think that I can do this yeah which one yeah for me it's I choose the positive route every time I'll never dwell in a negative head space is not good for whatever you doing life and so.

28:20I get what you do and you kind of try to make the best of it so I just stay positive through whatever I'm given and as a also competitor I take on challenge of telling myself I can I can execute this as well and get the job done. I think you first heard that Christian Parker was being hired as the defensive coordinator you were moved to outside linebacker what was your mindset then and how it has it changed over the past what eight months yeah eight months yeah I mean as a outside linebacker I'm used to telling guys how to line up or where line up into calling the plays and doing things like that communicating a lot more with the defensive backs so. That's kind of taking that's told down a lot more at the outside linebacker position because you're on a line of scurvy you're not communicating as much so that was a big change for me and just kind of sometimes I'll be like thinking a lot because I like I'm not talking and I feel like I need to talk more but it's really a lot of times it's really just line up and execute at the outside lineback.

29:34I've always thought it was one of the great contradictions especially in this sport but not only in this sport the highest levels of any sport they always want really smart players and they don't want you to think right because if you think if you have to which I get if you have to stop and think something just went by you and you have to be really smart to be able to absorb it and make it instinctive but does that ever seem like contradictory to you. If I'm thinking that's a bad thing and one of my best assets is my brain. Yeah I mean I think there's a lot that goes to someone's game and it can be being smart but that's not the only tool that they have and so I really think it's just executing the job and focusing on what you have in front of you. Like we always talk about your 111 you have one job to do on the field at one time and so you just got to do your job and focus and I think executing that is the most important thing in the moment.

30:41Well let me not let get away the other big function that they had and still have in mind for you and that's on special teams where you become an outstanding special team player and it's pretty clear that this staff from the head coach down has a renewed emphasis on special teams play and establishing the line of scrimmage. What do you think has made you a good special team player? Yeah it's that on special teams you got to kind of put your pride away because everybody wants to be the star on offense and defense and so you got to take your role and say like you're going to be the best at this and I think that's allowed me to be successful not playing defense. So just taking that role and saying I'm going to serve this team to the best of my ability and serve my brothers around me by making plays by executing playing out of high level and giving my best effort I can and special teams is a lot of effort and so that's what's allowed me to excel.

31:46The only exception to that rule of course is your boy Breven. Breven span Ford who seems who was here a couple of weeks ago and who seems absolutely determined to make himself a dead gum star on special team. I'm competing with Breven right now he's taking all the tacos so I said enjoy I'll tell him enjoy a while last. Maris Leifau Cowboys linebackers our guest on the Cowboys hour tonight and we are brought to you in part by NFL plus is here which means no matter where you are this is how you football get live local and prime time regular season and post season games on your phone or tablet game replays and more go to plus dot NFL dot com and start your free trial today of NFL plus we'll be right back with Maris Leifau on the Cowboys hour. Go Cowboys!

33:37Go Cowboys! Go Cowboys!

34:37Go Cowboys! Go Cowboys!

35:37Go Cowboys! Go Cowboys!

36:37Go Cowboys! Go Cowboys!

37:37You're back back back back back back to the Miller like Cowboys hour. Break another one. That went right 40. Hurdles are man 30. Stand forward in the 25. Unleash, Breven's stand forward. That's what I'm talking about. Unleash, Breven's stand forward. Absolutely right. It's about dead gum time. Welcome back. We are at Sidecar Social. At the Star District in Frisco. Thank you. Those of you who are with us. This is the Cowboys Hour. Normally on Monday night. It'll be back on Monday night. Next week, even though the game is on Thursday. That's a different story.

38:37But we'll be on Monday. I'm Brad Sham with Nicole Hutchinson. Our special guest is Cowboys linebacker, Maris Leofau, who's a couple of weeks away from getting, he's a week away from being eligible to come back off and you're reserved from that broken arm suffered in the last preseason game. But that doesn't mean you'll come back then. Because what hurdles do you have to clear and hoops you have to jump through for them to say, okay, go get them. Yeah, I definitely have to come back to practice and really show them that. I'm ready to go before they can trust me to come back and obviously contribute to the team's success. So yeah, looking forward to getting back to practice and being with the guys more. What have your days been like? You know, having a rehab and come in still to the locker room and things like that. What have your days been like? Yeah, so I'll come in early and say, I'll go to meetings with all that with the guys and I'll probably do a lift. That's been pretty much my schedule since I got here.

39:38But so you do go to meetings with everybody else? But you can't go to practice. No, you can't be in practice. Yeah, right. So a lot of guys depends on the injury and how much rehab they need. Frequently, it's worse than what you do. So you do go to meetings with everybody else? Frequently, it's worse than what you had. But they kind of feel detached from the team, like not fully a part of things. But you, you, you, doesn't sound like you have felt that too much. No, I try to stay involved as much as I can. So just contributing wherever I can in the meeting room. And yeah, I'm not practicing. And so just anything else that I can make, I'm, I'm there. How, how ready are you to get back on the field? How ready? Yeah. You know what I play right now, I'm good. Yeah. I'll just wrap it up and just go play. Well, I mean, have you had those conversations yet? Are you going to get to play with a club or something like that?

40:38Yeah. Yeah. They're definitely going to brace it up when I, when I do come back. And so that will just protect it and keep it, keep it safe. This is your three for you, right? Yeah, your three. You've kind of been through a rotation of veteran guys. What's it been like and who have you kind of leaned on to kind of help you out through year three? Yeah, I mean, my room is great. Like we have Rashon Gary and now Von Miller, big time bets in this league, who've been through a lot. So you lean on those guys naturally and then everybody in the room has been playing football for a long time. So I would say our outside linebacker room has been a huge help for me and the guys that I can lean on, every single one of them. And every single one of them have given me advice, top down for sure. So love our room. It's been great to be with them and work with them so far. How long has it been since you played safety? Safety. I think that was not since high school.

41:38High school? Yeah. Were you a good safety? I was a good red defender. Well, that's part of the job. I can't disrespect the safety that I've seen play here. But I could come down hill and hit something. So I asked because Jalen Thompson's going on injured reserve with that hamstring injury that he suffered in Brazil. He's going to be out at least four weeks. Now, I guess Malik Hooker might be getting close to being back, but it won't be this week. So, you know, if you said, hey, I can play some safety. I don't know how a 245 safety would look, but I think we got way better guys for the job. You were a defensive MVP, though, playing safety in high school, right? Yeah. Yeah. But towards my senior year, I was playing a lot of linebacker. So I was kind of transitioning to that full time inside linebacker spot.

42:41So I can't say I was a true safety in my senior year. All right. I'm going to ask you this is completely unrelated to that. I'm changing the subject. I'm warning you. This is a culturally stupid question. But you got a great tattoo on your right arm, great sleeve. You now have a scar on your left arm where you had your surgery. Is there a reason that the right arm is tatted and not the left arm? Yeah, go ahead and answer that one first. I don't have a reason. I just wanted to do my right arm. But I'm glad I didn't hurt my right arm. Otherwise, I would have messed up my tattoo for sure. Well, we can't have that for crying out loud. That would be awful. So, I mean, you know what? You just moved and I just saw how much longer that scar is. What is it? Eight inches, ten inches? Six. Six. Yeah. But yeah. That's a long scar, friends. Hold your arm up so that people watching on Cowboys.com can see.

43:45Just trace that scar with your forefinger from your right hand. Well, yeah, just trace it. Oh, yeah, it starts there and goes to there all the way. That's what they call it. A little bit of school. I'm happy about that. So, I mean, is that going to be a badger courage now? Yeah. Hey, look at me. I can make up a lot of stories with this one. There you go. What comes to mind? Well, first thing I thought was probably Shark Bite because I'm from Hawaii. So, Shark Bite, it's on cool. I like how you think. I'm just thinking 45-year-old, Marist. Maybe in a tab or somewhere. You know, and hey, dude, how'd you get that? Oh, yeah. It's going to be a fun conversation. Shark, do you think it's a shark attack? Yeah. Shark attack, for sure. I think I'll start with that one. What did you do to the shark? I killed it. You know, bare hands. Yeah. So, the shark didn't make it up. Yeah. So, it looked left. That's what it gets.

44:46That's what it gets. Talk about your journey. How would you describe your journey? You go from, of course, being born in Hawaii, you travel miles and miles and hundreds of miles away. Go to Notre Dame. Play, have a great career there. You battle injury. You then get dragged to the Cowboys. You know, of course, juggling different defensive coordinators. How would you describe your football journey? Yeah, I would just say it's such a blessing. I always think back on it and how far I came and how different my home is from where I am now. Just in terms of the environment, people, everything. I've grown so much since I left home. And that was one of the biggest, the best decisions I made growing up was leaving home for college, and how uncomfortable it was for me to leave my family and go play football in Indiana. Where you could obviously guess how hard and different it was just to be in Indiana compared to growing up in Hawaii.

45:48So, I mean, it's such a blessing to be able to experience all of that and shape me into who I am. I wouldn't have grown as much as a person and player if I didn't leave home. Yeah, I would just say it's a tremendous opportunity that I took and it's definitely paid off. Was there someone in your life who told you're kind of played a role in making that decision to go so far away from home? Or was that a U decision? It was kind of both. I was definitely encouraged to leave home and experience this the world, really. Sorry, by whom? You were encouraged by whom? Oh, just my family, my mentors, people around me who saw I guess potential in me and believed in me, they just encouraged me to leave and go experience different opportunities. And when Notre Dame knocks at the door, it's hard to say no. Who else knocked at the door?

46:49Yeah, there is. I had about probably ten offers. I would say my second choice was USC. And yeah, I took a visit to Boise State, enjoyed that and unofficial to Oregon. So, I thought for sure I would stay more on the West Coast, but I ended up being in Indiana and everything worked out, but it was definitely different. What swung it to Notre Dame? Notre Dame, it was kind of a feeling and trusting in what they had planned for me and trusting just myself to go out there that far and still be able to do well and have success. So, it was a lot of, because I had, besides it being like a great school and having a great football program, a lot of it was just a feeling of, this is right, this is what you should do and I just went after it.

47:53Who was the head coach? Brian Kelly. Brian Kelly. And he was invited to leave at what point in your college career? I want to say I was a sophomore maybe? Sophomore. Yeah. I want to say, oh no, I was a junior. And how much of your decision to go there was him? Not much. Notre Dame was, and none of the, I wasn't really considering any colleges because of the coaches. I wanted, I was advised to go somewhere for the place and not any of the coaches. And so Notre Dame won without any coaching influence for sure. What was it about the place that you loved? What was it about the place of Notre Dame that you loved? It just felt special and I really liked the culture that they had and just the tradition of Notre Dame and what they stood for. I feel like it aligned with what I wanted to become and I just respected them as a school and so I took the chance.

48:59Well Nicole, what we have not even gotten anywhere near is Maris's love of music. I know. And we're not going to do it just this minute. Yes. But we're going to do it. Oh yeah. But we're going to do it. Yeah, okay. Maris Leopold is our guest. It's the Cowboys Hour side car social in the star district. We'll be right back.

50:16Yeah. Go Cowboys!

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54:18That's life lock dot com code football again, life lock dot com code football because isn't your identity worth protecting. We're out of the lot of black for production. I like those highlights that we're working those in and maybe next week we'll be working them in on victory Monday. Let's let's concentrate on that. We're going to play a new game, ladies and gentlemen. Nicole and I will be back next Monday evening, but tonight we're here with Maris Leifal before we take some questions from our audience for the Cowboys linebacker.

55:26I personally, when you were here, I don't remember who was last year of the year before, I personally really enjoyed your singing, your rendition of Tennessee whiskey and finding out your love of music. When I said that before the break, Nicole turned to Maris and said, I had nothing to do with it. That's all him. So what has been going on that you've been have you been just telling him just get ready? You're going to know it's because I've had it. I've had him sing like it has sit down interview to you. Yeah, I was not planning to do that. I said, well, I don't care. I don't believe. You don't believe me. It makes me sing. Not always. But you love to sing, don't you? I do. And remind us where that love of music came from. By yourself. Yeah. By yourself. I bet it's not always by yourself. What's that? I bet it's not always by yourself. No, maybe two, three people. Uh-huh. Okay. Where did that love of music come from?

56:26I think home, for sure. We love music back home. It's a big part of our culture and the group listening to a lot of music. Iland Regays, a big one back home. And yeah, that kind of grew my love for music. We would sing together as families and friends. And so it's kind of become a part of what I am. When you were a rookie, did the, did, did, did, did, training camp include rookies singing? I know shot in hammer doesn't do that, but I think maybe Mike did. Yeah, yeah, yeah. Mike's dead. Yeah, and so you did, who's that? Yeah. Was that your song? Tennessee whiskey? That what you sang? Yeah. How did you choose that? This is Sarah. Make. What am I going to beat you up? What? What, how did you, how did you come to choose that song? Um, well, I just, I just loved it. Um, what's it called? Just knew it from before and I loved it.

57:27And we're in Texas and everybody likes country. Um, I just figured it'd be perfect. Do you listen a lot of country music now? Um, kind of more just Chris Stapleton, but not so much right now. Yeah, I've been on a gospel run lately. So, oh, nice. Okay. Well, before we, before we talk about more about music or the WNBA, either, either one of those things, just take some questions from our audience. Right here. Hello, Marist. There is McKinney. Now that we're in the same cat out of the bag, you're singing. Would you consider going into professional singing? Sorry. Would you consider going to professional singing after your football career is over? Oh, no. Not really. Yeah. He didn't have to think about that very much. Yeah, I don't know if that would be for me, but yeah. I haven't really given much thought. Have you ever ganked?

58:27No, no, not at all. Just like I said, it's probably just hanging out with friends and that's about it. Or when Nicole forces me to forces you to force this crazy. Or my team forces me to tell me about that. When does that happen? It was just really rookie year. Yeah. I was, uh, it's easier to tell rookies what to do. So that was one of the things. So when you, that was a thing every rookie had to get up at some point during camp and sing. Yeah. And you sang Tennessee whiskey and you could carry a tune. And they probably all hooded and said, whoa, where is the things of that nature? Yeah. Yeah. I guess it was a compliment they kept making me sing. Right. Oh, they kept making you sing. That's what I'm doing. They made me go up again in training camp rookie year. Yeah. What else did you have to sing with Samson? No, I sang a different song. Yeah, well, that was, that would never work to sing the same song. What was the second song? I think it was still Chris Stapleton.

59:27I think it was, you should probably lead. You should probably lead. Okay. That's what he called. Yeah. So when you, Nicole, when you, what he says, make him sing, what do you do? How do you do that? I literally just say, hey, you know, do you mind singing for the interview? That's all I say. That's weird. It takes advantage. I can't say no. So. Thanks. I appreciate them, man. We got another girl. So if we were, and we're not, but if we were to ask you, well, we're not yet. I mean, we've got a few minutes left. Although, does that mean somebody here wants to hear Marissa? I mean, they do. They do. Okay. So Marissa is going to be very selective in how often he speaks to either one of us for a while. But if we were, we're not asking you to do that yet. If we were, what do you think it'd be? What would you feel moved to maybe sing a few bars of tonight?

1:00:27How would I feel about it? What would you say? What would you want to sing? What would the spirit tell you? Sing a few bars of that, Marissa. I mean, I was just default to tenancy whiskey. Okay. Because it's easier. Yeah. All right. Maybe just in the last minute, we'll get you to take a guess. How about that? Maybe. Okay. All right. Thank you, Larry. Thanks very much. Thank you. Go ahead. Oh, I think Brady has a question too. Oh, oh, oh. Oh, oh. The absolute queen of the Cowboys social media department. Yes, Britt. This question is from a friend. What is your favorite thing about Breven's band forward? By the way, she asked Breven that about you. Yeah. I was. My favorite thing about Breven's band forward is just the way he goes to work every day, shows of every day. I came in with Breven, so I have a close relationship with him.

1:01:31And I always brag about Breven as only undrafted guy to make the 53 man that year. And since then, I told him. I told him, I'm going to tell my kids about you when they ask about Titans. And so that's my guy. He has my back and new grown relationship together since we got here. And I think the word of him. Just don't tell him. I said that was too late now. It's on the internet. And plus Brittany's got that phone that she's probably cranked up all the time. And will this be a documentary, Britt? Of Marist and Breven? Is that going to be? We have a buddy comedy coming. We have a Netflix show. Okay, a spin off of maybe the cheerleader show. Marist and Breven or something. Okay. What, as you get closer to being able to play again, being allowed to play, what are you thinking about?

1:02:31Fine-tuning the most. Physical, mental, recognition. Will practice be able to get you ready to do that? Yeah. I think for me, it's mostly going to be just getting in football shape and just really focusing on that and attacking that as I'm approaching that time to where I can get my first practice in. And so I don't want to hit the ground running and I want to have to be a couple steps behind everybody, obviously they're playing every game and they're practicing all the time. So just making sure I'm not slowing guys down and making sure I can execute my job at a high level. So when you get cleared, I can already hear Coach Shottenheimer saying, well, we're going to ramp him up because that's what happens with everybody. And you just see getting back into football shape. So what, what will that entail and how long will that take you? Then we always talk about it. You can condition all you want, but playing football is very different.

1:03:31And so being in full pads and playing play after play, getting those reps in, it kind of just comes with practice and being in practice. So that's just what comes with the game and I won't be able to do that until I actually do it. I'll have that time to get ready and prepare. So the most I can do right now is just make sure that when that time does come, I'm in the best shape I can be. When you are watching the games, how much are you kind of taking in and taking those mental reps of like, okay, like this play, I would do this. So how valuable is that for you during this time? Yes, it's kind of hard to, I guess get those mental reps on during the game. So it's more so in film and watching it in meetings and stuff like that. But like I kind of mentioned earlier, being just being a big supporter on the sideline and getting the guys going as much as I can is something.

1:04:33Nicole, did you a real solid? Because she talked right up to the time where you can't. There's no time left for you to say. Very sleigh if I, everybody tell us thanks. We'll be back next week. So fire, try them all only at McDonald's. Scams don't always look like scams anymore. AI can make a fake ticket offer, look legit or a sports book text sound official. And once an identity thief gets your personal information and starts using your name, then what? Life lock helps detect potential identity threats and suspicious activity.

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