Tyler Linderbaum on signing with the Raiders: ‘Opportunity to build something special'

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You're listening to the Raiders Podcast Network, your official home for all things silver and black.

All right, welcome to Raiders Free Agency.

Join now by, I guess a lot of people would say, the crown jewel of the Free Agency class,

that's Mark. Tyler Linnerbaum, a three time pro-bowl center. Tyler, welcome to Las Vegas,

welcome to the Raiders. I guess the first question is, why did you choose the Raiders?

Yeah, well first, thanks for having me. This is awesome. I think a big reason choosing the Raiders

is just the belief of what we're trying to build here. The belief in Coach Kubiak, John Spitek,

just the opportunity to kind of build something special and be a part of it is what really drew me.

When you look at your skill set as a center, and I know a lot of people would probably make a

little bit too much in schemes, right? Is it a zone scheme? Is it a power scheme? How do you fit

into what, not only what the vision is, but the skill sets that are already on that offensive line

and what they're bringing in? Yeah, I think Coach Kubiak's system is going to be a great fit for me.

It's really going to try to excel at the things that I'm good at. Then also being a player,

but also just bringing in leadership qualities and earning that trust for my teammates from the coaches,

and really trying to build something special. How would you describe your playing style?

Yeah, I mean, is it a bully? Is it somebody's more technician? How would you describe your

playing style? Yeah, I think every time the ball snapped, it's as hard as you can go until that

whistle's blown. There's going to be times where your technique's not good, but you got to find

ways to win. That's what I try to do. It's just find ways to win. Each and every play, run or pass,

and at the end of the day, you'll do it for the brothers next to you. That's what it's all about.

I wasn't going to ask you about when it comes to the Raiders. The Raiders have a good long history,

a good heritage of offensive lineman, center. I mean, Jamato, did you ever have a chance to meet

Jamato? What do you know about the Raiders' history at the position, not only just the position,

but the offensive line as well? Yeah, obviously a very rich tradition at the center position

with Jamato. Obviously, back in the day, I never met him, and then, most recently,

Hudson. I think just the opportunity of being able to build off of that,

and it's my duty to uphold that standard of that offensive line play and

going to take my life's work to try to uphold that standard and do the best I can.

What do you know about the returners on that offensive line? You've got a guy,

Jackson Powers Johnson, who was a center in college, he's bounced around a bit, played guard,

Colton Miller at left tackle. What do you know about the current guys that are all

night offensive lineman that are in that room right now? Yeah, obviously just getting here,

still have to meet the guys, and I think once new guys get to the team, you've got to earn

their respect. I got to earn their respect, and just excited to be able to work with them.

I already know they have tremendous players on the offensive line, and we just got to

continue to work every day, push each other, and build to be something great, and that's

going to be our focus. And I know just kind of looking back a little bit. What do you know about

the history of the organization? Yeah, I think super excited to be a part of this fan base that

really cares, obviously making the move from Oakland to Las Vegas, and then having Mr. Davis

as the owner who really cares about his players, I think that's something I want to be a part of,

just excited to join a fan base that has this much pride of being a fan of the Las Vegas

Raiders. Did a little bit of digging into your history as a high school player. Four sports

in high school, right? So football, wrestling, track and field, and then baseball, because then I

will, baseball's played in the summer in the summer. Yeah. And now if I'm looking at your size,

and obviously you're a little bit smaller in high school, but you're still the same height,

third base, first base, and pitcher. Yep. I mean, how were you able to accomplish all those things,

and still like kind of succeed everywhere you went? And is that kind of that mindset and that

skill set helps you on the football field as well? Yeah, I think I'm big into the more sports you

can do the better. It's going to help you to whatever sport you end up deciding at the college

level. I was fortunate enough to be able to do all those sports and certainly kept busy.

Yeah. The fun thing is, and like baseball being in the summer, so my senior year, I was actually

allowed to play high school baseball, also training at the University of Iowa. So I was just kind

of double dip in and, you know, it's just, it's an opportunity to compete, you know, learn how to win

and you learn how to fail, and it's how you overcome that. Also, in high school, I saw you play

defensive tackle as well. So when you got to Iowa, and it was near near where you're from anyways,

and how did you make that transition, and was it just easier to go to center than it was to just

stick a defensive tackle? Yeah. So when I first got to Iowa, I was a D-Liaman my first year,

and Coach Farons called me in the office to say, hey, I think, you know, it'd be good for you to

switch to offensive line and play center. Obviously, it all ended up working out. You know, I just,

you got the, you know, it's the best coach in there. If you want to be offensive line, you got to go

to the University of Iowa. How they approach things each and every day, you know, how Coach Farons

is committed to building up that old line room. It's a special place and, you know, a lot of

very grateful for, you know, being there and having him as my coach. Robert Gallery, former

Raider, was Iowa Huckai as well. I caught up with him on radio row during the Super Bowl, and again,

just a great guy. When he was with the Raiders, he went by the monitor. He was the undertaker back then

with the tattoos and a long hair and everything. But personally, when I watch, you know,

one of my favorite, if not my favorite sports movies of all time is Vision Quest, high school wrestling.

And I saw something recently with you, and it kind of threw me back. I was this close, man,

to wrestling Dan Henderson in high school. Shoulder injury kind of kept me out of that,

doing me against Victor Real. But when I saw the highlights of you wrestling against Tristan

Wurfs back in 2017, and you can see here, take me through this match. What was this about?

You beat him. But what was this match? Oh, gosh. Yeah. You know, a little background, you know,

Tristan got my number the past couple of years leading up to this. Never beat him.

It was a team duel for our rival high school Mount Vernon. Yeah, reaction. And

know how to go against Tristan who I've never been before. And we had a close match, came down to

take down Windsor and Sundeth. So Sundeth and the atmosphere there was awesome. But

I've probably seen that video a little bit too much. And I know Tristan has as well.

But no, Tristan is a great friend of mine. And no, I wouldn't be where I'm at today if

I wasn't for him. So just very grateful. But yeah, what an opportunity to face one of the best

in high school and only be in 10, 15 minutes apart. That's awesome.

When in the last and about wrestling too, I think I don't think a lot of people realize is

how much the hand to hand combat probably helps you out on the offensive line as well.

Yeah, it's tremendous. You know, teaches you leverage, you know, in an offensive line, you know,

it's you can work kind of technique on air and stuff like that. But when the bolts are flying,

your body gets in some weird positions. And I think wrestling helps that and teaches you that.

And, you know, just a mindset. So like when you step on that mat, it's one on one. You got no

one else to help you. So there's a lot of carryover. And it was big for my growth as a football player.

Just can't get a two point take down or a near fall or anything. I'd probably get a flag.

Tyler, thank you so much for joining me. And again, congratulations and welcome to Las Vegas.

Thank you. Side of beer.

Thank you for listening to the Raiders Podcast Network. For all things silver and black,

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