Chuck Shute Podcast
In depth interviews with musicians, comedians, authors, actors, and more! Guests on the show include David Duchovny, Billy Bob Thornton, Mark Normand, Dee Snider, Ann Wilson, Tony Horton, Don Dokken, Jack Carr and many more.
Chuck Shute Podcast
Abraham Lucas (Seattle Seahawks)
Abraham Lucas is the starting right tackle for the Seattle Seahawks. After finishing his senior season at Washington State and making the first team All-Pac 12, he was drafted in the third round by the Seahawks. He ended up winning the starting right tackle job as a rookie and will continue that role this year. We discuss his time at Washington State, the draft process, his first season as a Seahawk, his football goals, some of his favorite music and more!
00:00 - Intro
00:13 - Love of Music
02:00 - Love of Football & Basketball
03:10 - Switching Positions in Football
04:09 - Early Accolades & Recruiting
06:30 - Meeting Mike Leach
08:19 - Developing a Work Ethic
12:30 - Freshmen Hazing
13:04 - Putting on Weight
15:40 - Maximizing Potential
16:42 - Gardner Minshew
19:18 - Coming Back for Senior Year
20:39 - WSU Games That Stand Out
22:40 - Skipping Bowl Games
25:35 - Prediction for WSU 2023
26:45 - Thoughts of Pac-12 Future
27:50 -Combine & Drafted by The Seahawks
33:25 - Pete Carroll
34:14 - Winning a Starting Job
35:25 - DK's Bathroom Mishap
36:30 - Mic'd Up & Trash Talk
37:55 - Thibodeaux & Speed Rushers
39:23 - Getting Better & Pro Bowl Goals
40:22 - Seahawks Outlook
41:05 - Music, Guitar, Playlist & New Bands
42:50 - Martial Arts
44:37 - St. Vincent DePaul & Catholicism
46:24 - Outro
Abraham Lucas Instagram:
https://www.instagram.com/abraham.lucas72/
Seattle Seahawks website:
https://www.seahawks.com/
St. Vincent De Paul website:
https://www.stvincentdepaul.net/
Chuck Shute website:
https://www.chuckshute.com/
Thanks for Listening & Shute for the Moon!
Let's dive right in. What shirt are you wearing today? Is this black flag? Okay, are you a fan of them?
Abraham Lucas:I am. Yeah.
Chuck Shute:Yeah. So you like not only metal you like punk you like Tribe Called Quest like you have all these different musical influences?
Abraham Lucas:Yeah, I like it. Oh,
Chuck Shute:how did that start? Like who got you in? That's what I've always wondered. Because I could see in like Slayer shirts and the press conferences and things. And I'm like, how did you get into all these older bands?
Abraham Lucas:So when I was a kid, the story basically goes, when I was a kid, I went over to my neighbor's house. And my neighbor had Guitar Hero two, I think it was. So I remember watching him play. And I was like, well, that's kind of cool. I wonder what that's about. And then so I was like, telling my parents like, I want that I want that game. And then that was around the time. Guitar Hero three was about to come out. So my parents got me guitar gear with curry on the Wii. And I was like, constantly, constantly playing that. And like, I hadn't been, I wasn't like a music app before. And I wasn't like, second, second or third grade at the time, right? So I didn't really know. And then I saw, I was remembering all these songs. And I was like, you know, I liked them. And I was like, Okay, well, I want to try to play this for real. So I was like, pestering my parents to get me a real guitar for about a year. And they wouldn't do it just because they were like, you're not gonna not gonna stick with it, blah, blah, blah, whatever. And then my, my, my 10th I think my 10th birthday was they got me they got me my first guitar. And I didn't play it. They were right, in plays. I didn't know how to. And then like, but I guess as I continue to get older, with those with the influence from the songs I found on my guitar hero two that I liked, I just kept on like, listening to stuff like that.
Chuck Shute:Okay, so yeah, so then you just got really into music. But while at the same time, you're doing sports and having dreams of the NFL. But I heard you say that you're you started out more as a basketball player. And that was kind of Was that a dream to to do the NBA?
Abraham Lucas:Yeah, I mean, I always thought that I'd be coached basketball was like my first like real love. Don't Don't get me wrong, I loved I love football as a kid. And then like, but like as I got older, like the football team that I was playing for, it wasn't really having that much fun with it. So I liked football and basketball. And I was always I was pretty good at basketball is a good basketball player. And, you know, I did the whole like a you travel team and stuff like that did all that and was decent enough to like, get some looks. But as I got older, basketball just became less fun for me. Combination of like, I guess being around the wrong coaches. And basketball is not really a team sport, necessarily. And in high school, was really trying to see if I go to college for basketball, but at the same time, like football started ramping up for me. And then it got to the point where it was like, you know, the football thing is like my thing and this is what I'm going to do.
Chuck Shute:Yeah, so because you started out in football as a tight end and a defense. And then so when did they they switch or they switch you it was a your senior year to left tackle. Is that right? Yeah,
Abraham Lucas:it was more of like the, like I had always wanted to when I started like wanting to play football. I was like, No, I'm gonna be a tight end. Like if I play football, I would be a tight end. Like that's the position that I want to do. I played tight end growing up in defensive end as well. But I like tight end and going into my going into my senior year. It was like the art. We didn't really use our tight end too much in high school. So it was it was just kind of like, okay, well, this isn't really going to do anything for me. So I remember telling my coach like, like, hey, like, if it's for the good of the team, I'll move to left tackle. I'll just do it. You know, I know. I know. The old line coach wants it. I still know my online coach today are still pretty good friends. But it was basically just like yeah, like I'm all yours coach. Just you know, teach me the ways of tackle and I'll do it. I don't have to be tight anymore. I'll just I'll give that up and we'll see what happens and it worked.
Chuck Shute:Yeah, because then what did you What was the award you got like it was a USA Today like second team all state or what it was the thing that they gave you.
Abraham Lucas:I don't remember exactly what it was. I just remember like, my, my senior year, things really started to pick up like recruiting wise for me, I'd never really been recruited. But when it really kind of got going, I got a couple of really good really starting to get going. So I remember like, it was like me and like a bunch of other high school athletes from like, around the Pacific Northwest. We like met at this place and took some pictures and we got like, like you said, like these different awards and stuff that they give out to like, you know, I guess top top kids they considered to be the best in high school. So
Chuck Shute:yeah, well, one of those persons must have been your teammate. The Kyler Gordon, did he get some of that stuff too?
Abraham Lucas:Yeah. 100% I mean, he probably in the last It's really in the last like, I guess, decade of Murphy, artificial Murphy football was probably the most highly recruited highly sought after guy. And you know if I remember watching him train and watching him do like box jumps and stuff, and it was like, Yeah, this makes sense for a guy who can do this sort of thing, as well as he can just crazy athletic ability. And, you know, it makes sense that he went when the second round in 2022, you know,
Chuck Shute:yeah. So then when you get recruited your your how to get offers from also Oregon State and Wyoming. Also, what made you pick wazuh as it because they talked about your potential, how they saw that you have potential to gain weight and get stronger.
Abraham Lucas:Honestly, like, I just kind of, I mean, I didn't really know too much about like, techniques, and like the whole college experience, or even really lifting weights at that point. I took a visit towards and I just liked it. So I was kind of like, okay, like, I can see myself here. And you know, I'm getting to go to school. And so really, I didn't really keep much convincing, so to speak, because I knew the work was going to have to be done. I just didn't know what that was going to look like. And then Wazoo was in the state, right? And it's close enough to where if I absolutely needed to go home, I could go home, but also far enough away to where I felt like, you know, I'm kind of live in my own life sort of, so to speak.
Chuck Shute:Yeah, you had a buffer zone. That's always nice to have. So I'm assuming you got mostly recruited from the O line coach, or was it coach Neely? I think
Abraham Lucas:Emily was a big recruiter for me. Yeah, but
Chuck Shute:so then eventually, you had to have met Mike Leach. So tell me about your first interaction with him. Because he's, he's such a character. I mean, there have been some memorable things that he did.
Abraham Lucas:So my first interaction wasn't even really my interaction. And what I mean by that is, I was on my official visit, right. And I was the last one to meet with him out of all the guys that were visiting, who was me and my parents, and he was bringing people in talking to him for like, 15 minutes or whatever, you know, leeches, he kind of would just kind of drag on so was taken longer than it should, because he was probably talking to them about some other stuff. And he, so he calls me on the last one. And my mom and him immediately, just like hit it off right away. Because there was like some, there was there was like some some plaque in there. And he was like, I can't remember who exactly it was. But he was like, had a picture with them. And my mom was like, what's, you know, what's the story with this? And he's like, Oh, let me tell you about that. So I started talking about this. Start talking about pirates start talking about Native American drama. And then we pass by this picture on his desk of like, an of Texas Tech's Oh line, like blocking. And he just goes really quickly, he stops and goes, Oh, hey, this is you right here, just blocking people. Okay, anyways, back to what I was talking about. So that was really the only thing that he kind of said to me. Like, it wasn't even about football. It was just like, hey, like, I wrote a book. Oh, hey, here's the time I talked to Donald Trump about something blah, blah, blah. Just, I just kind of sitting there like, okay, like, this is kind of weird, but it's kind of cool.
Chuck Shute:That's hilarious. That's that's the perfect Mike leach introduction. I love it. So that you knew like, this is gonna be a good fit, though. This is a guy as a character. And yeah, absolutely. Yeah. So then talking about this, I find this so fascinating, because I'm just always obsessed with people's success. And like how they get there, you're playing for the Seahawks. Now you're starting, you started as a rookie. But you said it was in college, that you really learned how to develop your work ethic, like your strength and conditioning coach in college says you'd beat him to the weight room. He go to the weight room at 530 in the morning, before he came in to lock the door. You're outside waiting? Like how did where did that come from? Where did you get that work ethic? Because it sounds like you said you developed it in college? So did you were um, you must have worked hard in high school to
Abraham Lucas:Oh, I know, a lot of people would probably disagree with you. It wasn't a question. I was never like a problem guy. Like I never, you know, I never got in trouble with like, the law or anything like that. It just was like to me, like in high school. I thought this is just like preconceived notions of stuff. But I thought like practicing was kind of a waste of time, I thought that lifting was kind of voice just because I was just like, it doesn't like, I mean, this high school, we're playing games and blah, blah, but you know, like, didn't really matter that much in terms of like, developing my craft, so to speak. And then when I got to college, like, you know, I didn't really know what to expect. But like that first week there, when we were doing like, running, and I was kind of like, holy shit, like, this is how it's going to be, like, the entire time, you know, like, I'm gonna have to, I'm gonna have to come and bring this type of energy every single day. And it was kind of like it was very much like a sensory overload type thing. And actually, what happened was at the end of our first week, I mean, our freshmen are the freshmen now we've just gotten our asses kicked like the entire week, just because like nobody was used to this level of conditioning or weightlifting or whatever. And they call, they called me and we're like, hey, you need to come coming to the weight room, meet with the head guy. And now we hadn't been working out with the head guy and, and the head guy was a dude. Like he was. I mean, we had only been there a week, and everybody was already scared shitless of him, you know, just from what we had heard about him. So I came in there, and they were, and we had been training with one of the assistant guys, and the assistant strength coach, he had been super loud and super Jelle with us, you know, it's like yelling us telling us to be on our like, the whole first week. But you know, sitting in that office in front of the head, man, he was quiet, you know, so I was like, Oh, damn, like, this is real. And the head guy basically told me like, the coaches that you've been working with, say that you're the worst one out of this bunch right now. Like, you're the worst guy just in terms of like, your attitude, your effort and your intensity level and blah, blah, blah. And so he's basically like, you suck, you need to get your shit together. I mean, he didn't say he actually said, like, you know, more non PC things than that in the Okay, wow. But it was just more or less like, you know, you need to show up, or I'm gonna run you off this team, essentially. And so I left there, I remember leaving there. And I was just kind of like, because like I was, I was kind of in shock that I was considered to be one of the worst guys, because I didn't think that what I had done first week was that bad. But and so they told me that and I can remember going home and I was like, Okay, it's time to put up, you know what I mean? And so like, the switch kind of flipped for me right there. So, you know, we'd have a workout, if we didn't have a workout at 6am, or like a run at 6am. I'd be there at 4am. Like, that was just my thing. I was like, Okay, I'm gonna get there early, like, that's what I'm going to do. And kind of and it became, like, consistent, it became a habit. And I was I was scared to lift and I was scared to let these guys down. Because I had a lot of respect for him, you know, and then it turned over from, hey, you're one of the worst guys to Hey, like, you're a guy who's on top of his shit. And I'm like, good. Like, that's how it should be. And then, of course, there were the other lessons that came along with that, you know, we started working out with the head guy. And he was like I said, he was a dude, he taught me so much just through lifting weights about working hard and doing what you're supposed to do. And being a man and everything like that. So through all of that, like that's where it kind of like the switch flipped for me and the potential that I had started to come out more
Chuck Shute:interesting. So it sounds like in high school, in a way you were kind of able to coast off your talent. Only when you got to Wazoo was like you had to step up your game. And like you said the switch just clicks. Absolutely. Yeah, that's fine. So did you tell me about being a freshman too, though? Because there was a little bit of hazing. Did they the other teammates shave your head?
Abraham Lucas:They cut? Yeah, they cut my hair that and you know, that was honestly probably the best thing they could have done. Some other teams go crazy with hazing stuff. All they did was they shaved my head, and they made me go to class the next day, and show it off to everybody. It was actually pretty funny.
Chuck Shute:Okay, so nothing too bad. Because I know there's like some there's some stuff about that in the news about hazing. And I feel like that's pretty tame compared to other schools.
Abraham Lucas:Oh, absolutely. Yeah.
Chuck Shute:So then how do you you gain 21 pounds in your first two weeks and your first summer there? How do you put the weight on in a healthy way? Because that's the goal you want to put on the weight, you don't want to get just fat, you want to put on muscle? Which it looks like, that's clearly what you did. How did you do that?
Abraham Lucas:Yeah, I mean, for me, it was? Well, first, let me say this, everybody's body type is pretty different. Some people can put on weight and lose weight very, very easily. I'm one of those people to where if I don't eat, like a certain type of food for a day, I can lose eight pounds, just like that. And I can also put on a pounds just like that. Some other people it takes them. Like, buddy Andre, who played left tackle, it took him four years to gain or to move up from the same weight that I was to the to the weight that he ended up playing at his senior year. You know, so for everybody, it's very, very different mindset, me probably a little less than a year to, like, get to my goal playing weight. And part of the I mean, the main thing, obviously is lifting worked out, you know, every single day, obviously, and then the food that they served us was really, really good, not super like junky or anything like that. So that also helps. And really, it's just a combination of both of that and continuing continuing to stay up on that.
Chuck Shute:Is it a lot of protein to Yeah, track it.
Abraham Lucas:They they did a good job like nutrition wise of helping us to track those sorts of things. And a lot of it fell on us to be honest, just like hey, like the on top of your stuff, because that was really kind of that's really kind of thing, right? Like you're now essentially you're not a professional but you're expected to act like one. So it's like hey, if you know you're supposed to be at a goal weight, a good healthy goal weight, then you know the types of food that you need to eat to be at this healthy goal weight rather than eating, say a different type of food and being overweight, underweight or at a bad sloppy weight, you know?
Chuck Shute:So do you just eat sir Foods and avoid other foods? Or do you actually track all your calories and an app or something?
Abraham Lucas:I've, I've done both before, I'm pretty lucky to where I can kind of eat whatever I want to eat. And you know, it kind of stays on pretty, pretty good. I've been I remember my senior year, I went on a diet for like, six months or so I ate the same thing every day, just because I wanted to see how it would change my body and it changed a little bit. But I mean, I'm, I kind of just, you know, I eat whatever, I don't eat too much junk or anything like that. But I just make sure that I'm always eating and not starving myself, you know, and then continuing to lift weights.
Chuck Shute:Wow. So then in your second year, it was you that's when they they said only by your second year, they said you had a chance to make in the NFL. When the first year they say you're terribly the worst. And the bunch. Now only a year later, you have a chance in the NFL. That's crazy.
Abraham Lucas:Yeah, I mean, the SEC, when they told me that, like, hey, it wasn't even like, Hey, you can make it to the NFL. It was like, Hey, you can take this as far as you want to take it. You know, because they were like you do have potential and even when when the guys when the strength coaches told me, you know, you're the worst of the bunch. You were in the bottom three or whatever. It wasn't because like, hey, like I slept as an athlete. It was no Hey, you have all this crazy potential. You know, you just have to, you're not maximizing it right now, you know? And so that's kind of where it was like, okay, yeah, I gotta maximize it.
Chuck Shute:That's amazing. It's like Michael Jordan. I'm sure you know that story. The guy was cut from his high school basketball team as a freshman went home and cried, and then came back and worked with his coach. And I mean, the rest is history. So it's kind of a similar thing, or sometimes people need that like kick in the ass, I guess.
Abraham Lucas:Absolutely agree.
Chuck Shute:Yeah, so tell me about when Gardner Minshew shows up, because he comes to the team at a time when there was you know, there was a dog see a dark period with Tyler hilinski passing away. And then he comes in he brings this like energy of just like humor and antics he shows up in a red leisure shooting suit. He's got the the mustache and all this stuff. I mean, what were your was your first reaction to him and all his antics.
Abraham Lucas:I was just a different kind of dude. I mean, he's from, from Mississippi. And just you know, he had a little bit of a little bit of a twang, and kind of the way he kind of operated was, it was different. You know, it wasn't like anything we had seen before. And I didn't, it wasn't like that big news. i Okay, here's like another teammate, you know, this is this is a different thing. And then, you know, he'd be in the locker room, in nothing but a jock strap, like doing like band stretches, just standing in his locker, just like with a straight face, and people will be looking, I'm like, What the hell are you doing? And he's just like, hey, are you doing and then like, would just continue doing this? It was, it was so weird to me. And I was just like, in a way, it was almost like, hell yeah. Like, that's my quarterback, you know, and he's doing all this like, weird, funky crap. But he was a, he was a tremendous leader. I will say that he was I mean, he came on to practice every day with you know, just high energy high intensity and was like always trying to get better, was always trying to lead he took care of the O line, which I appreciate it and, and he was obviously like, one of the greats in Cougar history, even though he was only there for a year, you know, which really speaks levels, to you know, who he was as a player and as a person.
Chuck Shute:Yeah, what do you mean, he took care of the O line when they weren't way.
Abraham Lucas:He went to dinner with us a couple of times, bought us dinner, you know, never hesitated to shouting us out, you know, given us props and stuff like that. And you know, and some people do that, and some people don't. And he was just one of the guys who did and you know, it wasn't lost on me. I always appreciate that.
Chuck Shute:Yeah, do you still follow his career? Because it's interesting. He had such a great preseason this year, but they said that they're gonna give the starting job to the rookie, which I don't know, to me, it seems like I feel like men she's gonna find his way on the field this year somehow.
Abraham Lucas:Oh, I mean, he's had he's had a pretty phenomenal career already. Like his numbers are, you know, pretty second to none for his like it for as much I guess, inexperience as he has. I mean, but when you draft a guy, I don't know if it was number two or number three overall, like they did I mean, of course, they're gonna play him. You know? Like, that's just simply kind of how it works.
Chuck Shute:Yeah, I thought they might bring him on slow. But yeah, well, I guess we'll see how that plays out. So when you when you thought when you came back for your senior year, it was it was was there hesitation to maybe try out for the draft? Do you think that that helped you to come back that senior year and help you draft stock?
Abraham Lucas:Yeah, so I had discussed with a lot of different people at that time, what I was going to do, and a lot of people actually had told me you should leave you should go you know, you've had a good enough career and, and for me, it was a combination of two things mainly. One is that the time I was discussing like, trick going or trying out for the NFL after my fourth year, I felt like it was like too late in the process. You know, like it was like in like January almost February. So that would have been like really It could have been a really quick turnaround, you know, and I would have, you know, had a really jump on, you know, training for the Combine getting an invite to the combine and all this other stuff. So it had been a lot, been a lot. And then the second thing is I just felt like I wasn't ready, like mentally prepped for it. When I say mentally, I mean, like, more of like the X's and O's of football. I wanted to get another year just around that. And so, you know, just made the decision to come back. I said, Yeah, I can do another year in Pullman. Absolutely. I love Pullman. So you know, I love the Coos. And it was never it was kind of a no brainer for me at that point.
Chuck Shute:That's awesome. Well, yeah, I'm glad you came back and worked out for you. When you look back at your time in Pullman? Like, is there certain games that stand up stand out to you like ESPN game day? And the Apple Cup? 2021? Like those ones, or any other ones that stand out to you?
Abraham Lucas:Yeah, so obviously, game days up there for games that stand out. It was my first real I mean, what was that the fourth game, the fourth of the fifth game or something? You know, I mean, that was my first year starting against a very formidable opponent, probably the best opponent that we had faced up to that point, other than maybe sc. And so yeah, I mean, and just, you know, I didn't really, I guess I didn't really understand the gravity on the effect that like Game Day had, and, you know, but the way that the cubes responded was pretty incredible. You know, like to see, I mean, I have a picture on my wall back here, actually, of, of the end of the Oregon game, when everybody was on the field. And there's so many people on the field. And then we look at, um, you know, the, the amount of fans that were around the game day stage in Pullman, and, you know, people were waking up at 230 in the morning to start drinking and going out and just, you know, just going out for the day and getting ready for the game later that day. And it was, I mean, it was chaotic, but it was so great. And then when I was a freshman, and I didn't play number five USC when Sam darnold was quarterback, and they came to town and Jihad got that strip sack at the end of the game, and Derek Moore recovered it. Remember that pretty vividly. And then yeah, that Apple Cup game to that Apple Cup was a little bit hard to enjoy, just because of the things that had transpired earlier that year. And it was just at the end of that game. It was I remember walking off the field, and talking to my buddy, Liam. And just being like, dude, like, that was it that was the end of our coop career, you know, cuz we both knew that we weren't gonna play in the bowl game at that point. And but it was, and it was a nice way, I guess, to cap it off, you know, just to be like, we got one Apple Cup, at least, you know, and, you know, we're the seniors and we hope to make that happen. So it's pretty Yeah. What?
Chuck Shute:Explain to me that, because I just get so mad as a fan. When you guys skip the bowl games. I'm like, Ah, crap, because then the bowl games like the last, especially the last couple have been rough, because so many seniors skip it. I mean, obviously, it worked out well for you. But some of the other players like they skip it, and then they don't even get drafted. I'm like, maybe they should have done the ball game would have helped their stock. Yeah,
Abraham Lucas:I mean, I get it both ways. I remember when I said that I wasn't gonna play and I cut a lot of hate from some Kook fans who were saying, Oh, you don't care about the team, this, this and that. And I'm like, Okay, well, I started 42 games straight. So I definitely care about the team. Okay. And it's not a question of, it's not a question of like, trying to be selfish and are only looking out for myself. But like, I think what a lot of people that maybe are involved in the world have to understand is that, you know, when you have the opportunity to play at the highest level, even if it's just a small, little glimmer, that you're going to take that shot, you know, and part of it is like, I mean, I don't want to discredit any bowl games, but like, in my mind, if you're not if you're not in a New York, or New Year's, like six bowl game, if you're not playing for like a National Championship or something, then it's kind of like, okay, well, you know, I mean, we play I remember, we played when we played in the cheez it bowl. I mean, it was so like unorganized. And like there was so much like all this extra stuff that was going on. And it just like it made it so hard to focus on it. And it was so like, towards the end, like, towards the end of your career. I guess in my case, it was like, no, like, I'm going to the NFL. I'm not going to risk the NFL for this one bowl game. And it's not. It's it's not like hey, if you guys I'm here, essentially, but it's like no, like, I've put in my time. I've, you know, I'm getting my blood, sweat and tears to school, and I'm not quitting early. I mean, the season is over. I didn't leave early in the season. And I told everybody like, I went to the coach and I said, Coach, like, I appreciate it. But I'm not playing the ballgame. I'm gonna go get ready for the NFL. It's only I just left. You know what I mean? I guess there was a little bit of like justification on my part, you know, but I mean, I like it. I do get it both ways to where as a fan, you'd be like, Oh, why don't you just you know, stick around for another game. At the end of the day. I think it's just It's like personal choice, you know? Because some people would say, Yeah, I'm going to the NFL, but also playing the ball game. That just, I mean, at the end of that, of that year with everything that had happened, and, you know, just finally being like winning that Apple Cup, I was just like, alright, you know, we did it. That's good enough. It's time for me to go get ready for the Senior Bowl in the combine.
Chuck Shute:Yeah, that's fair enough. I mean, yeah, I totally understand that, too. It's but yeah, it is frustrating as a fan. But I get it. Because like, yeah, the other side of the coin is what if you play and you get hurt? And you're like, Okay, I played, I got hurt, and I jeopardize my chances, NFL for this meaningless bowl game. So I totally get that too. What do you think of the koovs? With the new coach with Dickert? And your any predictions for this season? I have.
Abraham Lucas:I mean, I went back a couple times during this offseason. I wish I could have gotten back for like, during fall camp just to see how they practice. I'm kind of I'm a little bit in the dark for the whole season. I mean, I love to see them just, you know, blow it out of the water, of course. But, you know, coming into this, what is this degree? Second year, second and a half year? I guess, technically? You know, I mean, there's a lot of pressure on it. You know, it's like you've got you've got to use work to the foundation, you know, can you build off of it? And you know, we'll see starting starting tomorrow, if that is the case, I assume it will be there. Definitely. I mean, who has always been the underdog, you know, and everything. So, you know, hopefully they take that underdog mentality throughout. Hopefully they win, you know, eight, nine games, you know, maybe, I mean, if they won more than 11 games, that would be awesome. You know, but we'll see what happens. I'm excited to watch
Chuck Shute:me tell you, I'm going to the game tomorrow. So should be fun. What are your thoughts on the future of the PAC 12? Because now I know if you heard today, Stanford and Cal just left for the ACC. Sal, it's just Washington state and Oregon State. That rumors they might go to the big 12 There's rumors that they could merge with the Mountain West? Like, do you have any thoughts on that? Or?
Abraham Lucas:I mean, not really, honestly, like, I mean, it's time for the it's time for the higher reps to go to work, I guess, is all I could really say about it, you know, I don't have control over it. I'm not gonna sit here and, you know, complain about it or anything like that. And, you know, I mean, this is just another another thing that's happening, so to speak, is my whole attitude, you know, and, you know, unfortunately, that is as it as it may be with all the history and stuff, I mean, this these things do happen, right? I mean, if you look at like, it used to be the package, and then it was a packed and then was a PAC 12. And now the PAC 12 is not around anymore, you know, so changes do happen. It's going to be up, it's going to be up to the President and the ad to make something happen. And I'm hopefully they will.
Chuck Shute:Yeah, hopefully. Yeah. So, back to your career. So then yeah, so talk about going to the draft with the Seahawks. I think it's amazing that you ran a four, was it a 49 to 40 time at the combine? How did you do that? Like, did you have to prep differently for that? Like, is there tricks or things that you did,
Abraham Lucas:um, I mean, combine training is very specific. And you train specifically for the drills that you do, you know, and that was kind of, I mean, the back in the day, like, that wasn't even a thing. Like, you know, people wouldn't really train for the combine. I can't remember the the guy who did it. But he trained exclusively for the combine, it was like back in, like, 1987, or something, this guy decided that he was going to train exclusively for like, the benchpress and the 40. And he ended up getting taken in the first round, because he did so well. And so people started doing that more and more. And it's just like, I mean, it's, it's, I'm not gonna get into like, too heavy of detail, this is very specific training, you know, I mean, you train to bench, you know, to 25, as many times you can you train to run the fastest 40 that you can, in my case, you train for all line drills, the online drills that they do, and the old line drills that they do are pretty much the same every year. So you just train that basically for, you know, three, four months, you know, every day. And that's what you do.
Chuck Shute:I forget, though, because I think a good strategy would be like, do your like, do the bench press? And I don't know if you did this, but if like, do the weights and stuff at your Pro Day, and then then don't do that at the combine, then train from like, lean down and then run at the Combine or vice versa, right? I mean, couldn't you do that and kind of trick them and like,
Abraham Lucas:oh, yeah, so like, the combine is before Pro Day? Oh, yeah. I mean, but like, I that is, I guess a strategy that some people probably use it really just like, what what I was told by like, my agent, and by the guys who trained me at my agency were like, if you think that you're going to be bad at one of these drills, or one of these, like testing things, don't do it, you know, because there's been like reports of players who are like, you know, they're bad at something but they're super crazy competitive. So they get in they do it, they suck at it, and it brings their stock down. Just because they're like, No, I want to do this because I you know, I want to show them that I'm not a bla bla bla bla bla and it's They know like if you have a crap to 25 bench and you're not getting the number you're supposed to get don't do the bench and like, I had like an okay bench like that was it was good enough. You know my 40 was like one of the better things that I had, but there was nothing that I was like super bad at where I was like, Okay, I'm not going to do it. Some other people come in there and they're like, No, like my shoulder hurts. So I'm not gonna bench I mean, it's kind of a smart move because you don't want to put bad film out there so to speak.
Chuck Shute:Yeah, so do you have somebody advising you on all these decisions? Like not doing the ballgame doing this technique? Like you have the the agent advises this? Or who's the adviser on these things?
Abraham Lucas:Um, well, yeah. I mean, you go to your agent with a lot of stuff. In my case, I have like a very, very good agent. I'm very, he's very personable with me. He's a great guy. You know, if I have questions, I'll bounce it off for him. But he's also not a guy who's like, necessarily going to coddle me so to speak, you know, he's going to tell me what I need. I need to know that what I need to hear, necessarily, so. I mean, yeah, I got I mean, I get good advice from him. And then but ultimately, it you know, it falls on me to make those decisions.
Chuck Shute:Yeah, I was so excited when you went to the Seahawks. Because I've watched you as a kook and I was like, this guy solid, the Seahawks. They need help on the O line. They need you. And you were solid. So so excited. Now here you're I was at the draft actually in Vegas, and I was screaming, you know, when they picked you. But then later, I think I saw the phone call. It's on YouTube. People can watch it. You sound so calm. And that phone call. are you screaming on the inside? I mean, you just got drafted by your home's hometown team. And, you know, it's like third round, which is pretty good.
Abraham Lucas:Yeah, that was a number of people were like, This guy just doesn't even sound excited at all. And it was like, and I remember I told them, I told John Schneider, like a couple weeks after I got there, he was with my parents, my parents were there and, and he came over and he met them. And I told him like, dude, like, I'm sorry, I didn't sound more excited on the phone call. I was just like, those two days of like, waiting to get a call. We're so like mentally draining. And they were so I was at when he call, I was just kind of like, oh, my gosh, like it did like the calls here. It's finally happened. I just had like, zero energy left, because I'd been looking at my phone for three hours straight, just like Oh, who's gonna call me another two. Now they're not gonna call and then I finally get it. And then it's like, remember hanging up and just being like, Oh, thank god that's over. And I know where I'm going, you know? So I was absolutely, I was excited. But there was just so much going on. I was just trying to take everything in that it kind of just made me like speechless, you know?
Chuck Shute:Yeah. Was there other teams that were interested that said, they were gonna draft you if Seattle hadn't taken you.
Abraham Lucas:Um, there was definitely teams that were interested, I thought, I thought that I may end up at Denver or Chicago was like, my was the were the place that I thought I might go, just based on like, how my pre draft meetings with them went and such I took I took 930 visits. So I visited nine different teams within the span of like two weeks. So that was a busy two weeks, just meeting coaches and GMs and given interviews and such. But yeah, I mean, with that stuff, you never really know. I had met with the Seahawks at the combine. I had my first interview with the Senior Bowl was with the Seahawks. And yeah, I just remember, I mean, it all kind of fell together in place. You know, my number is 72. I'm 72nd Overall, and I'm going back to my hometown team, you know, so I can't complain. Definitely wasn't upset about it.
Chuck Shute:Yeah. And what's it like, having Pete Carroll as a coach, he seems like such a cool, I mean, maybe not as much of a character as leech, but he's still I mean, doesn't have like a DJ practices. Does he still do that?
Abraham Lucas:Yeah. I mean, during camp, there's a DJ that comes to practice. But what really gets me about like, a guy like him is like, when he like watching him run during practice, you know, I mean, you would never know that he's in his 70s, you know, because he's, like, running gassers he's throwing the ball. And man, he's just so excited every single day is just so I mean, just such a great, you know, guy to be around, you know, and you want to play for a guy like that, you know, and, you know, he's a guy who will talk to players, you know, he's very personable and stuff like that. I think it's great, you know, but while at the same time maintaining that professional head coach's attitude, you know, and he's had the success to back it up both at the college and the pro level.
Chuck Shute:Absolutely. Were you surprised that you were able to win a starting job your first year, I mean, that's pretty hard for Oh line to win a starting job. I mean, urges, you just have that goals, and you're like, I'm gonna do it. I don't care what it takes.
Abraham Lucas:For me, it was less about. I mean, yeah, I wanted to start but the goal isn't like, hey, like, I have to win the starting job. The goal was like, hey, you need to get better. So that you can you can ball, like, whenever the time comes, you know, and, I mean, I remember the day they told me like, Hey, you're starting and they're just like, you earned it, you know, just, you know, be cool, calm and collected about it. And like, I wasn't, when they told me that it wasn't like, holy crap, I'm starting it was like, you know, to be expected, you know, because I knew like I had worked for it, you know, and I knew I had am continuing to put the work in for it, you know, and that sort of thing. So it was like a more of a confidence thing, I guess like, while trying to not be arrogant at the same time.
Chuck Shute:Are you still the first one in the weight room and on the field?
Abraham Lucas:On the field? Yeah, usually weight rooms a bit different just because you know, there's different times a day that you worked out and you know, I do treatment and stuff, so.
Chuck Shute:Okay, well, I mean, you had a great first rookie year, I think. Talk about this game. I want to ask you about this. This isn't so funny in the lions game. DK Metcalf gets carted off the field. Everyone's like, oh, no, DK got hurt. And then it later comes out that he just had to go to the bathroom. Is that a common thing? I've never seen that. Well, while watching football. I don't the players go to the bathroom at halftime.
Abraham Lucas:I had never seen that either. I had heard that he fined for that. But I mean, I guess it's hard to defecate on the sidelines. So I get it. Yeah, but typically, if you got to if you got to relieve yourself, you probably go before the game at halftime or after the game.
Chuck Shute:Yeah, what did he say? What did you drink too much coffee. You're like what caused it? Because it was like he said he had to get the cart because he couldn't make the walk. They had to carton because he couldn't make it.
Abraham Lucas:Yeah, I mean, honestly, I haven't asked him too much about it. And I'm probably not going to remember hearing about that. And I was like, oh, that's why. Okay. But you know, I guess it is what it is. Yeah.
Chuck Shute:Well, you got the mic you up against the chiefs? That was interesting to kind of hear like, because I it's always interesting to hear what people are like, on the field because I think it's different. You're like pretty, like keeping it strictly business during the games. Is that kind of how you are usually or is that just because you were miked up you had to calm down a little bit?
Abraham Lucas:No, I tried to keep it that way. Pretty much all the time. Just because it's like to me, I mean, some people are different. Some people can be really loose, and you know, have fun with it. And you know, and I can I mean, I can have fun with it. Sure. But to me, it's like it's a very business orientated thing. You know, and you take it seriously, so I'd take it as serious as I can.
Chuck Shute:Yeah, but I mean, isn't trash talk a part of the game? Does anybody else? I mean, you must see that in the game, who's the biggest trash talker that you've faced?
Abraham Lucas:Well, I mean, I don't know if I've faced like a super big trash talker like myself, because I don't really say anything. When we played the Rams, Jalen Ramsey, obviously is a big trash talker, which makes sense because he's a corner. And most corners do talk. So I guess probably him. You know, I remember back in the day watching Richard Sherman, I love Richard Sherman's trash talk is really funny to me. So I got to I got a chance to meet him a little while back. So
Chuck Shute:yeah, he's, I love that. the NFC Championship game. I was there when he was talking about Crabtree. That's classic stuff. But what about playing against Tibideaux? Because he's, uh, he was like, the fourth pick or something? And did they do that now where they, they'll put the best defensive end, they'll they'll switch it and have them go both sides, like they put them against you thinking like, Oh, you're the right tackle, you're not going to be able to hold up as well as the left tackle.
Abraham Lucas:Um, I mean, if you look at kind of the history of the game, the game has kind of evolved. Now to the point where both sides kind of see really, really good ad rushers before, like, I guess back in back in the day, you know, 80s 90s, even into the 2000s. The best hedge Roger Ed rushers typically would be on the left side, which is why I left tackles get paid so much money. But now the game's kind of evolving to where there's two pretty dynamite like edge rushers like if you look at like the Raiders, for example. You have a guy like Sherman Jones, and then a guy like Max Crosby, and they both line up on the left and the right side, obviously, we're like, you know, teams will switch like the Cowboys with Michael Parsons will switch back and forth from the left to the right side. You know, it just depends on the scheme that they download for that week.
Chuck Shute:Yeah, so like, how do you prepare for that? Because it sounds like you're working to get better and with hand plates and inside all the X's and O's about it, but the techniques, but you're working to be prepared for those edge rushers?
Abraham Lucas:Yeah. I mean, it's just a question. And it sounds cliche, but it's just watching film and you know, trying to give or get tips, you know, as much as you can to prepare yourself the best for you know, what's to come that week?
Chuck Shute:Yeah, I don't know if you've ever, like Googled yourself, but like, I typed your name into YouTube. And like, the second video down is this guy called the football scout. And he did a whole video, he loves you. He says, you're going to be going to the Pro Bowl and you're gonna be one of the best tackles in the NFL. Like, do you agree with that? Is that your goal to get the Pro Bowl this year?
Abraham Lucas:I mean, yeah, so that was my goal last year, too. I mean, for me, it's like, you know, set the set the standard super, super high, you know, that way you have so much room to achieve. And, you know, so of course, like why wouldn't I try to do that? You know, I mean, I'm playing for reason I'm not playing just to play and I'm not playing for money. You know, none of that stuff. You know, you play to be played for respect and you play it'd be good at what you do so of course, it'd be a goal.
Chuck Shute:Yeah. Are you and how's the knee? Because I think they said you had a knee injury last year. Right? Everything's healed up.
Abraham Lucas:Yeah, I'm not really at liberty to talk about injuries too much I would get fined. But yeah, I'm so really
Chuck Shute:that's it. I didn't realize that. Okay, well, we'll move on. Well, this season, what do you think about the team for the Seahawks this year? Like, I mean, cuz you guys have a solid line book in tackles with yourself and Charles cross, you have three stud receivers, two stud running backs and a Pro Bowl qB. I mean, I feel like the offense should be clicking.
Abraham Lucas:Yeah, I mean, it should be a to be a good, solid year for us. You know, I mean, winning with the same mindset last year, and you know, trying to go with an even better mindset this year. And, you know, we got a good a very good defense to as well, you know, the guys up front and, and obviously, having Bobby Wagner back command in the defense, you know, and then you got guys, you know, coming from the third level in quandary Diggs, and Julian love, so it should be great.
Chuck Shute:That's awesome. And then are you? What about with music back to the music? Is there any concerts that you're planning to see this year? Or like, I mean, you're still playing the guitar, right? Of course. Yeah. Do you ever get to jam with any of the Seattle bands, like ever? Like, try to hook up with Allison chains and just have like a jam session or anything?
Abraham Lucas:No, I've never tried to do that. My guitar playing is kind of on and off just because it gets so busy during the week. So you know, sometimes I'm really on it. Sometimes I'm really off of it. And it's just because, you know, the job and you know, duty calls? And in the offseason, I definitely play a lot more. So yeah, I mean, is there
Chuck Shute:certain songs, or do you have like, like a specific warm up song that you play before games? Or is it always different?
Abraham Lucas:I have a pretty specific playlist that I play. It's like my football pregame players. It's just a bunch of like, hardcore, heavy metal stuff.
Chuck Shute:Really, is that public and people download that.
Abraham Lucas:I could make it public if it was requested.
Chuck Shute:Yeah, I'd be interested to hear that. That'd be that'd be fun. Let me call up. It sounds like you have a pretty good taste. I'm still just fascinated that you'd like all these old bands, it's really cool. Is there any new bands that you're discovering that are that fit your tastes?
Abraham Lucas:There's a newer band that I one of my coaches actually showed me recently, relatively recently showed me last year. They're from New Zealand or a band called Alien weaponry. And they're like, my order. Yeah. So they have the, like, you'll you'll see them they have like the face tats and stuff of like, the Maori people from New Zealand, and they're like a pretty, and they take their Maori language and they speak the native language in their music, and it's pretty good. You know?
Chuck Shute:Okay, alien weaponry.
Abraham Lucas:You said? Alien weaponry? Yeah.
Chuck Shute:Okay, well after check that out. Awesome. Well,
Abraham Lucas:what about last thing I want to ask you about too? Was the are you still doing the jujitsu? I don't do it during the season, simply because it's a bit of a hassle. And you know, I take time in the evening to try to study as much film as I can. I did it in the offseason. And then I got into boxing this offseason to when I had surgery on my shoulder, I had to stop doing jujitsu just because you know, it's needed time to recover. So I'll be back in and probably next offseason. Because then you
Chuck Shute:said that would be your backup career is UFC. I mean, do you think that's something you would do after NFL?
Abraham Lucas:I mean, it would be cool, but I'm not definitely not experienced enough or something like that. It's like I do it because I like it. You know, now I would love Don't get me wrong. Like I think sparring somebody would be a lot of fun. But I'm not at liberty to say that I would be a good mixed martial arts fighter because I've only only done it on and off for a couple years now. So
Chuck Shute:yeah, but you worry too, that you could get hurt doing something like that. Like that's, that would be my here.
Abraham Lucas:Oh, I would probably get hurt. I mean, you know, it's kind of like if you do it in
Chuck Shute:the offseason, and you get hurt, then that could jeopardize your football career, right.
Abraham Lucas:I mean, yeah, but you know, I'm, I don't know, I mean, I guess I don't really think of like, Jujitsu or boxing being like, super, super dangerous, you know, because I'm not in like an active competition. You know, so like, when somebody somebody's heel hooks, me, you know, when I'm rolling around with them on the mat, and I tap, they stop. You know what I mean? As opposed to like a competition where somebody's going, you know, 100% you know, then there's a chance for greater injury, so to speak.
Chuck Shute:It's sort of like when NFL players are on the Pro Bowl. They don't go 100%. Exactly. Very cool. Well, I'll let you get going. I always end up promoting a charity though. Is there? Is there a charity that you want to promote here at the end?
Abraham Lucas:Um, I when I was a kid, I really liked the work of St. Vincent DePaul who's like a lot of like, I guess I'm hoping for people maybe on the lower end of like income and you know, need a lot of other stuff. They do a lot of work with homeless and stuff, but I like them as an organization.
Chuck Shute:Yeah, that's great. I love that people can throw few bucks there. I know, that's a big issue in my hometown of Seattle, which I'm sure you've seen, and I hope that that gets, you know, with these kinds of organizations, we can hopefully fight some of that. It's just it's tough to see. Right? Absolutely. Yeah. And you're St. St. Vincent DePaul that I'm assuming that's a Catholic organization, because I know you're Catholic, right? Yeah. No, practicing. Absolutely. Yeah, I heard it was crazy. I heard you say, because I grew up, I was raised Catholic, and I had to go to confess, I remember going to confession when I was like, 10. And being so scared and like thinking, I gotta, like, try to think of something to say, Did you? I heard you say you go to Confession once a week. Did you ever like, you sound like such a good guy? Is that ever, like hard to come up with something to confess? Or?
Abraham Lucas:When I was a kid? Yeah. Now it rolls off pretty easy. And like, my whole thing is like, you know, there's a good chance that the priest that you're talking to has probably heard somebody saying that they've murdered somebody else. So it's definitely not the worst thing that he's heard. You know, I mean, because people come from all walks of life, and there's a chance that a priest is sat there with somebody said, yeah, like, you know, 20 years ago, I killed somebody I just got out of prison or something like that. So, you know, you're probably not doing as bad as you think you are. You know, so that's, you know, there's nothing really for me to worry about.
Chuck Shute:Yeah, well, you're doing great, awesome work, love to watch you play. Go Hawks and go Cougs
Abraham Lucas:go home school foods.
Chuck Shute:All right, see a good bye. Thank you for taking the time to listen to the full podcast episode. Please help support our guests by following them on social media and purchasing their products, whether it be a book, album, film, or other thing, and if you have a few extra dollars, please consider donating it to their favorite charity. If you want to support the show, you can like share and comment on this episode on social media and YouTube. And if you want to go the extra mile, you can give us a rating and review on Spotify, Apple podcasts or Google podcasts. Finally, make sure you're subscribed to the Show on YouTube for the video versions and other exclusive content. We appreciate your support. Have a great rest of your day and shoot for the moon.
