PJ Locke joins Justin Simmons and Louie Romero for a raw, emotional conversation about his departure from the Denver Broncos and his next chapter with the Dallas Cowboys. Locke opens up about the difficulty of leaving behind seven years of relationships in Denver, the business realities of the NFL, and the decision to bet on himself for a starting role and long-term security. The guys dive into Locke’s journey from undrafted free agent to impact player, his mindset in clutch moments, and what it takes to stay ready when opportunity comes. Locke also shares insight into his recovery from spinal fusion surgery, the importance of faith throughout his career, and his drive to create generational wealth for his family. It’s an honest, behind-the-scenes look at the life decisions NFL players face — and the sacrifices that come with chasing greatness.
PJ Locke joins Justin Simmons and Louie Romero for one of the most personal episodes yet of ‘The Weekly Cut.’ Locke reflects on his seven-year journey with the Denver Broncos, the emotional toll of leaving a team and city he loves, and the difficult decision to sign with the Dallas Cowboys in free agency. He explains how the opportunity to compete for a starting role, provide for his family, and build generational wealth ultimately shaped his choice, even as he wrestled with staying in Denver for a potential Super Bowl run.
The conversation goes deeper into Locke’s path from being an undrafted player to carving out a meaningful NFL career, including the mindset required to stay ready despite limited opportunities and how preparation led to some of his biggest plays. Locke also discusses overcoming a serious spinal fusion surgery, leaning on faith through adversity, and embracing the uncomfortable path to growth. The episode balances football insight with real-life perspective, giving listeners a rare, authentic look at the human side of professional sports and the business decisions that define careers.
00:00 Intro + PJ Locke joins the show
00:02 American Lore + barbershop vibe on Tennyson
00:05 Locke on leaving Denver after 7 seasons
00:08 Emotional toll of free agency & relationships
00:11 Mindset behind clutch interception vs Buffalo
00:14 Film study, preparation & “finding work” on defense
00:17 Recovery from spinal fusion surgery & faith
00:18 Free agency decision: Denver vs Dallas
00:20 Choosing a starting opportunity over comfort
00:22 Business side of the NFL & family priorities
00:25 Cowboys opportunity + going back home to Texas
00:30 Cowboy fandom, spotlight & expectations
00:33 Managing family, tickets & new reality in Dallas
00:35 Christian Parker connection & defensive system fit
00:38 Other free agency options (Buffalo scenario)
00:41 Outlook on Cowboys defense & Super Bowl potential
00:43 What brings Locke joy right now
00:44 Generational wealth mindset & long-term vision
00:49 Closing thoughts + appreciation & future
‘The Weekly Cut’ is sponsored in part by: American Lore by Parker Thomas.
Visit American Lore at 3965 Tennyson St, Denver, CO 80212
Or online at AmericanLore.com
And in part by: R&R Head Labs
Visit RRHeadLabs.com to learn more.
00:00:15:04 - 00:00:39:11
Justin Simmons
Ladies and gentlemen, welcome back to another episode of the Weekly Cut. I'm one of your co-hosts, Justin Simmons, here with my good buddy and my other co-host, Louie Romero. Your favorite barber, man. Listen to y'all. We've had some amazing guests already on this show. I think we both can attest to that. This one is probably going to be my personal favorite, and this one hits close to home.
00:00:39:11 - 00:01:11:15
Justin Simmons
This has been my best friend for seven years and and counting. For those that don't know who we're bringing on the show today, he's a Texas alone. He's had an eight year career so far, seven with the Broncos. I get that right. He just signed a one year deal to Dallas. I know he broke all of our hearts and we have none other than PJ lock.
00:01:11:17 - 00:01:12:23
PJ Locke
That was a hell of introduction.
00:01:13:01 - 00:01:22:22
Justin Simmons
I could have been better, but the more important thing is I have one of my closest friends ever on the show who you got to know him over the years, who cut him up a few times, too?
00:01:22:22 - 00:01:38:05
Louie Romero
Yeah, PJ, it's all love. You're a friend now. Friend of the show. Like I say, I know we both. You guys been able to cut both your guys hair? You guys have become good friends of mine. Like family. I know you know your son, your kids as well, Jay, but, Yeah. Me, I appreciate the friendship.
00:01:38:05 - 00:01:40:15
Louie Romero
And, thanks for coming on the show today.
00:01:40:17 - 00:01:44:04
PJ Locke
Us, man. I told you in the comments, but you also had me in a chair.
00:01:44:06 - 00:01:50:09
PJ Locke
Close to the top of my head as we talk. You see, I need I need to. That's why I really got to hang on. I need a haircut. Come on.
00:01:50:09 - 00:01:53:09
Justin Simmons
You got a hat on flex? Did I say lockdown? On the side of.
00:01:53:11 - 00:01:54:23
PJ Locke
We don't talk about.
00:01:55:01 - 00:01:59:07
Justin Simmons
It's a hey, but. Wow. Where'd you get the hat? If your mom was asking.
00:01:59:09 - 00:02:13:04
PJ Locke
Got it from Parker Thomas, man. Remember Jensen's wedding? Yeah, he brought them over. I got it there, and I had a little drink. You drank in my system, and, like, I just started formulating all the details and stuff, and, hey, I think you came out right now.
00:02:13:06 - 00:02:14:17
Justin Simmons
That's a no no. It looks fresh.
00:02:14:17 - 00:02:15:10
PJ Locke
All right.
00:02:15:12 - 00:02:35:09
Justin Simmons
So we're at. And I don't know if we briefly told you before we got on. So American law, this is Parker Thomas's basically like new shop. We're here off Tennyson Street. Which you can't see. Well, you can see it, but what the viewers can see behind him is a bar that obviously there's hats plastered all around the wall, so.
00:02:35:11 - 00:02:37:17
Justin Simmons
And you get a nice vibe. You already said I was.
00:02:37:19 - 00:02:39:12
PJ Locke
Like, oh my God, that's how.
00:02:39:16 - 00:02:41:00
PJ Locke
That's how they got me the first time.
00:02:41:03 - 00:02:43:03
PJ Locke
And. And the second time. So the second.
00:02:43:03 - 00:02:44:02
PJ Locke
Time they might give me a.
00:02:44:02 - 00:02:45:08
PJ Locke
Third time. Right?
00:02:45:08 - 00:02:52:09
PJ Locke
Then they got, they got a Longhorn right here. So who? They don't see the opposing views and I see that, but I see so that that makes me gravitating more.
00:02:52:15 - 00:02:56:16
Justin Simmons
I was trying to tell you so what my first, first thought was when you walked in and saw the new spot.
00:02:56:16 - 00:03:09:23
PJ Locke
Which thing? Man, I just feel like it was like a real, real vibe, man. Real vibe. I feel I want can take my lady here. We can take our time shopping a little bit. You know, I like it, I like it. Know, I, I definitely want to buy a hat.
00:03:10:01 - 00:03:29:17
Justin Simmons
Bro. It's really cool, man. They got it. They got a great set up. So, you remember Taylor, too? So. Yeah. Taylor still on staff? He works here. Man, it's cool. This place. We were learning all about it with one of our previous. Excuse me, one of our previous guests with. And, Vic Lombardi. He was telling us about how Tennyson Street used to be way different back in the day.
00:03:29:18 - 00:03:35:12
Justin Simmons
But they open the doors, man. Like, it's it's very vibrant people, and they have live music on the weekends. There's a whole vibe in here.
00:03:35:12 - 00:03:54:09
Louie Romero
So first, first Fridays are really cool and tennis and just, first Friday of every month, you know, everybody's neighborly. Everybody comes down, everybody's door is literally open. You can get, you know, a glass of a toll on the rocks, or you can get a beer or whatever the case may be. But, it's cool to see, you know, like you said, you walk in, you grab a drink, you might get a hat.
00:03:54:10 - 00:03:55:23
Louie Romero
The stars align.
00:03:56:01 - 00:03:58:14
Justin Simmons
Always on Tennyson Street. The stars align.
00:03:58:14 - 00:04:10:19
PJ Locke
Yeah. I'm. There's. So. I never been on this side, man. I just looked like a bunch of people will be walking around, so it's like a perfect location, you know, for people just to walk in and just be like, oh, hey, I might want to have to do, you know what I'm saying? So, like.
00:04:10:20 - 00:04:11:06
PJ Locke
Yeah.
00:04:11:08 - 00:04:12:18
PJ Locke
Yeah, it's real strategic.
00:04:12:20 - 00:04:22:12
Justin Simmons
Strategic. Yeah. He knows what he's doing here. So shout out to American law man. Thank you guys so much for that to be here on the premises. But enough about American law and enough.
00:04:22:12 - 00:04:25:05
PJ Locke
About all things tennis history.
00:04:25:07 - 00:04:41:01
Justin Simmons
I told you I mean, I'm here with literally one of my best homies, man. I got a group text with this knucklehead and a few other guys, and, man, all we do is send laughing emojis back and forth, and, you know, man, we wanted to bring you on. There's a lot going on with PJ law right now.
00:04:41:03 - 00:04:59:00
Justin Simmons
Broncos law and cowboy law. Now, you came in with your cowboy hat, and I feel like in very similar way to myself, just the public doesn't have a lot of access to you, which in a lot of ways they shouldn't. So we were hoping we brought you onto the show, man. We just wanted to catch up with you on all things PJ.
00:04:59:02 - 00:05:25:20
Justin Simmons
How's life? Go ahead, take a big swig, man. How's life? How's the transition going so far? Seven years, bro. You played in Denver. Seven seasons. And what people may not know. You can speak more on this out of Texas. Undrafted. 20. What was it, 1919? You're with Pittsburgh and you're with there. You're you're in their training camp.
00:05:25:21 - 00:05:29:11
Justin Simmons
Yeah, right. They let you go.
00:05:29:13 - 00:05:59:18
Justin Simmons
Crazy story about that. Then we pick you up. Seven years undrafted after being let go after one training camp. I don't think people understand how hard that is. So there's a bunch of questions to ask you, but just to kick it off and just, man, let it go where it goes. How hard was it to basically pick you and your family over staying and being convenient with what was in Denver for what you've known for seven seven seasons.
00:05:59:20 - 00:06:34:14
PJ Locke
Bro. It's it's emotional. It's like super bittersweet for me. Obviously, going back home, you know, there's nothing but, like, a five hour drive from my hometown, Denver. My wife to new is like an hour and some change. Maybe, maybe 45 minutes. An hour. So obviously she's she's super happy to be back home. For me, man, it was like, it's the relationships, the the friendships, you know, all the stuff that, I didn't realize, man, I'm leaving behind.
00:06:34:14 - 00:07:05:22
PJ Locke
I don't know this the right word to say, but leaving behind and, like, sitting here, packing up my house and getting ready to put it on the market, and I'm just realizing, like, man, it's the end of the chapter. I was I mean, once I figured out I, I can basically sign to the Cowboys, it all really started to hit me because I called everybody, I called George, I call Sean, I called, everybody in the training staff, I call my coaches all that stuff and kind of just let them know, man, how much I appreciate it.
00:07:06:02 - 00:07:21:03
PJ Locke
And I, like, I hated how things ended, you know, I don't know, maybe we went to the Super Bowl, maybe the divorce would have been a little bit easier. Yeah, but I took that in consideration as well. Like, with my emotions, like, man, it's going to be probably the team that's going to go to the Super Bowl next year.
00:07:21:03 - 00:07:43:23
PJ Locke
And you know, I won't be a part of that. And the best scenario I can have is Dallas playing the Broncos and the Super Bowl. That's that's my best case scenario you know. But I forget like man seven years of, you know, building all these friendships just the grind in general. You know, getting to know the area, getting it, getting to know, you know, my favorite places to go.
00:07:43:23 - 00:08:02:01
PJ Locke
You know, honestly, you you know what I'm saying? You to like, man, just I can just pick up the phone like, hey, let's let's go here. Let's go, let's go get, Cajun lobster. Cajun. Cajun. Worst case of steak from Del Frisco's, you know what I'm saying? Like leaving all that behind. And, like, you don't realize that until after the fact.
00:08:02:01 - 00:08:13:03
PJ Locke
And I don't think it was really. It already hit me a little bit, but I don't think it's really going to hit me until I'm there, you know, with my Cowboys gear on, man. But it's been it's been a super emotional man. I'm not going to lie to you. It's been tough, man.
00:08:13:05 - 00:08:31:04
Justin Simmons
I can only imagine bro. I know like obviously I had the luxury of of I, I do live here, but even when I was done with Denver and I moved on to Atlanta, like, you know, that was hard to find all that, you know, and I'm happy that you're going to be stepping into a spot that you're going to have a chance.
00:08:31:06 - 00:08:51:10
Justin Simmons
Yeah. Really go earn what we all know you deserve. Yeah. And a chance to go start, go make some more money for your family. Go provide for your family in a new way. That's going to be exciting for y'all. And, but we'll touch on that in a little bit. I don't want to jump too closely into Dallas because we got, I got, I got some things to say about you in Denver.
00:08:51:10 - 00:08:58:16
Justin Simmons
I do, I do, and I think, I think this needs to be heard. And I think you would never say it. I will say it, and I already know. I already know what I'm jumping into.
00:08:58:17 - 00:09:02:15
Louie Romero
And I want to hear it.
00:09:02:17 - 00:09:07:21
PJ Locke
And I want, I want to get it and I want to hear to go. I got to get going.
00:09:07:23 - 00:09:10:03
PJ Locke
Bro.
00:09:10:05 - 00:09:24:15
Justin Simmons
There you everyone says like you don't know what you have until it's gone. Right? And so. Well, we know Denver has right now and Brandon Jones and and and and how far off is we've got two great safeties right.
00:09:24:18 - 00:09:24:23
PJ Locke
Now of.
00:09:24:23 - 00:09:42:17
Justin Simmons
Course. And they had another great safety that they didn't know. Two is too late. What am I gonna bring up? Bring up you had two interceptions in your career at Denver. And I'll bring it up over them, because the second one means a little bit more to me than than the first one. But the first one that I'm going to mention was, in my opinion, we talked about it multiple times.
00:09:42:19 - 00:10:00:14
Justin Simmons
I can't say the most important play only because of what Jay Magnet later on. Well, I don't think people realize, bro. Not playing all year like everyone talks about the quarterback position. Like how cool would it have been? He comes in and wins that game. He's prepped all year long. He didn't throw a pass in a game for two years straight.
00:10:00:16 - 00:10:26:06
Justin Simmons
And he goes on and he almost has a chance to bring the team to go to the Super Bowl. And in the same way you didn't play at least start most of the season in a couple games here and there with the injury and start most of the season or or like in general. And then when we jump into it, you get thrown into the fire of starting or having to like finish out the game as a starter with Buffalo.
00:10:26:08 - 00:10:37:02
Justin Simmons
Yeah. Right. Or no start with Buffalo. You started you have in my opinion, and I'm rambling, the most important interception of the game outside of Jim Macklin. That was a heck of a play. My dog Davis.
00:10:37:06 - 00:10:37:18
PJ Locke
Hello.
00:10:37:20 - 00:10:41:05
PJ Locke
Hello. Hello. I thought you.
00:10:41:07 - 00:10:58:12
Justin Simmons
Said we just looked it up before because I didn't want to get it wrong. It was 1723 Denver in the third quarter. A couple minutes left. We just turned the ball over. Buffalo has the ball on our like 20 to already points. Two plays later.
00:10:58:14 - 00:11:04:01
PJ Locke
Intercepted by PJ Locke. And you take bro like how.
00:11:04:06 - 00:11:22:16
Justin Simmons
Mindset like how could you stay in the moment after all the things that you've been through throughout the season and come and make one of the biggest plays in the game? Because what happened was you've made that play. Denver goes basically three and out and then Buffalo comes back down and scores and they go up one as opposed to going up 13 or 14.
00:11:22:18 - 00:11:23:20
Justin Simmons
It's a big play.
00:11:23:22 - 00:11:40:12
PJ Locke
So I'm gonna I'm gonna go on my spiritual side a little bit. I'm gonna say, man, God prepares you in many different ways, you know, just throughout the journey. And I don't know if you remember, remember, I've had, like, one of the best training camps in my life. I want to say, like, four years ago. Right. And that's when.
00:11:40:15 - 00:11:56:06
PJ Locke
That's when I broke my toe and I got put on, got put on our. I was pissed about that, you know, got put on for a weeks and you and Jack told me y'all were like, man, bro, make sure you stay on the team and keep coming to TV dinners and CP and tell me the same thing too.
00:11:56:12 - 00:12:15:08
PJ Locke
I just like, man, you going to TV dinners, man? Stay. Stay in tune with the game while on the field. Like I got the headset on. I'm listening to every play call it is going on. VJs calling. When you and Jack talking like I'm right there. Like, listen to your, when y'all having an encounter with CP about what happened on the field, like, I'm right there.
00:12:15:08 - 00:12:32:23
PJ Locke
Listen, y'all just all this stuff, and I'm pretty sure you don't talk about that. That was the other interception in the Packers game, right? But, that was the same thing. I was already callous for that for that moment. So obviously it was it was tough man. Do that back injury. And you know we bring it in half.
00:12:32:23 - 00:12:48:14
PJ Locke
You know I'm not starting with it is now that was frustrating. But same time like I've been through it before the in a sense of you know being sidelined. And you know I got to find ways to make sure I stay in tune with the game. So I mean, I was learning different things from her from, from B Jones all that.
00:12:48:14 - 00:13:10:08
PJ Locke
Right. So in that moment it was it was nothing I ain't done before. And from film study man I know and I get second like I think prior to that the first play they did Jay Mack he basically disrupted a screenplay. Right. So it was second and long. So he watching, you know, the Eagles Vic Fangio defense.
00:13:10:08 - 00:13:28:01
PJ Locke
Everybody's like similar defense. Any time they get into second long situations they always ran like they got in three by one. And they ran like some type of cover a beta. So we got in that situation and it was terrible. When my one sat down I was going to have my I want to sat down and I was like all right I don't have any work.
00:13:28:01 - 00:13:37:09
PJ Locke
I just seen what was it they think Curtis Samuel just streaking up the middle. So I just, I just found work and.
00:13:37:11 - 00:13:41:00
PJ Locke
He threw it. He threw it. I got he threw it.
00:13:41:02 - 00:13:53:19
Justin Simmons
If you see, he is smart. But, man, I didn't get the rest of the coaching staff down there in Dallas is smart, man. They're going to push you positions to make that play because you had as the second interception, you had the same interception on a basically the same play.
00:13:53:19 - 00:13:54:05
PJ Locke
Basically.
00:13:54:09 - 00:14:07:18
Justin Simmons
Just flipped on different sides of the field. Which is crazy. So for those like explain to the audience, like they don't know what cover eight is and y'all got to go. It's all, yeah, but when you say you're number one sat down, you had to go find work and going to the side like what what what did you do?
00:14:07:18 - 00:14:26:17
Justin Simmons
Because people just think you go out there and make plays. That's the whole point of what I saying right now. Like plays don't just happen like you don't just step in to make an interception. You went and got both picks on limited snap counts and, you know, like production wise up there with some of the guys that are getting paid around the league and you just haven't had the chance to get as many snaps as.
00:14:26:17 - 00:14:32:16
Justin Simmons
Yeah. So explain or explain to them like okay your number one sat down and then you like, how does that work.
00:14:32:18 - 00:14:55:12
PJ Locke
So cover A is basically like is is halves to the field and quarters to the boundary. So in this particular situation it was a three by one. And as a half field safety your technique is basically ball to one. So I'm reading I'm reading a release of one. So one takes the entire released out of kind of like shorten my my with when I drop.
00:14:55:14 - 00:15:12:23
PJ Locke
If you take an outside release, I had to get a little water because the corner is basically playing a cloud, a squat corner, and is a whole shot between me and him. If they run like some type of fade route, whatever. Right. So in this particular situation, my one sat down, he just ran five yards and went in.
00:15:12:23 - 00:15:34:01
PJ Locke
So I just really close to the next three two did the same thing. He ran five yards and went in. So they basically ran like an Indy concept. Call it Indy. Same. So yeah. Two sat down and I just kept, you know, transferred my eyes and three went vertical across the field. And technically that's not that's not my work at all.
00:15:34:07 - 00:15:55:08
PJ Locke
But I'm just being a football player and I'm just going to cover at least cover somebody. Right. And yeah, I kind of started heading that way. And I seen Josh Allen faking. He was kind of like messing with you for a little bit. And yeah, he's just he threw the seam. He never seen me but me having that mindset to like close brown I made the interception.
00:15:55:14 - 00:16:01:01
PJ Locke
Yeah intercepted by PJ Mark my man. Yeah I remember that too.
00:16:01:03 - 00:16:27:07
Louie Romero
Had a hell of a hell of a play man I was in the stands just cheering. But also man just for me as a fan before anything else to know kind of where you've come from this year with, you know, the back surgery and, getting to see some of your, some of your story and follow you on, you know, even YouTube and just see some of your surgery and how that went, to come back and bounce back like that and make that play towards the end of the season.
00:16:27:07 - 00:16:43:13
Louie Romero
But like you said, stay locked in. And, throughout the whole season, throughout the whole season and just, to see kind of where you come from at the beginning of the season with training camp in the offseason, I think I was cutting your hair at your house. A couple weeks or maybe a week when you when you did have that surgery.
00:16:43:15 - 00:16:44:20
Louie Romero
So, we'll.
00:16:44:20 - 00:16:47:08
PJ Locke
Move around with, yeah.
00:16:47:10 - 00:16:57:10
Louie Romero
It's a little bit, but, no, I mean, it's, just as a fan to see kind of, you know, beginning of the season to end, and see you come a long way is amazing.
00:16:57:12 - 00:17:03:15
PJ Locke
Yeah, it's it's a testament to guy, man. I'm telling you right now, it was it was a miracle within itself.
00:17:03:17 - 00:17:04:01
PJ Locke
Yes.
00:17:04:01 - 00:17:11:21
PJ Locke
Oh, man. All glory to God. I'm always give my glory to God. And he's given me a platform to do it. I'm gonna do it again. Oh, glory to God.
00:17:11:22 - 00:17:30:05
Justin Simmons
I'm with you. I'm gonna give you another props. And I don't know if I can, but I'm going to say it anyway. I. I don't know how true it is, but I saw when I was like looking up some, just making sure I got my statistic right on you. It says, like you, you're the first player to come back from a spinal fusion surgery.
00:17:30:07 - 00:17:45:23
Justin Simmons
Yeah. To be able to go play, which, bro, I like you saying a testament. Yeah. Testament. But like you got to do, you got to do a lot of things right. Obviously the surgeons got to do a lot of things right. And you know, there's a lot of things that go into that stuff. But bro, that's a testament, bro.
00:17:45:23 - 00:18:03:06
Justin Simmons
Like, you know what I'm saying? Like a scientist is going to be proud of you. Like no matter how Disney shakes out me, it's always going to be proud to be on those needles. Proud of you is a testament, not just testament. You said it was tough to.
00:18:03:08 - 00:18:23:05
Justin Simmons
To move on. Right? And yet the decision was made. So what? What to you was like, I need to be able to go do my thing. Like, did you, did you not think you were going to get that here in Denver? Another year with B Jones and half did. You thought you earned enough for yourself to go to Dallas and say like, man, I'm a starter.
00:18:23:05 - 00:18:33:10
Justin Simmons
I'm gonna go prove it. Like what? What what was it? Take us in the mindset of you at home getting that phone call or it's given a phone call to George was of us.
00:18:33:12 - 00:18:57:02
PJ Locke
Well, I already knew, like free agency was going to be. It's going to get out of hand for me this year. And I was just hoping I would just like certain scenarios didn't happen so I didn't have to, you know, go through it and think through it. And one of those things was I was almost hoping Denver didn't, like, offer me a contract that would have kind of like made it a little bit easier.
00:18:57:04 - 00:19:25:09
PJ Locke
But, they did. And honestly, I would have been making less money than I made this past year, and I wasn't I wasn't even fine with that at all. Given that, you know, played an important role of us, you know, advancing to the AFC championship. So, Yeah, man, I guess you can say I don't want to talk too much.
00:19:25:11 - 00:19:39:18
PJ Locke
I guess you can say, man, I wanted to say it. Another one of those scenarios was like, obviously going to Dallas. I heard Dallas had some injuries, and it all really came down to like, man, what was the scenario? I would the gave me? Like, what is it like, come in and play. Is it a third safety?
00:19:39:18 - 00:19:59:03
PJ Locke
Is it, a chance to start or Denver? They played a hand and they were like, hey, we see the third safety, which I already knew. I already knew that you pay half pay. Brandon. I just didn't want to have to sit back again and wait till somebody go down. You know, I don't want to wish that upon nobody and not my dad.
00:19:59:03 - 00:20:16:05
PJ Locke
I don't want that to be on my heart, that type of thing. So, Dallas, I mean, Dallas came in. They they doubled to offer with Denver. I'm making more money than I was going to make, that I made last year. And they gave me a chance to start and I'm going back home. So that played a huge role.
00:20:16:05 - 00:20:35:20
PJ Locke
But a part of me still wanted to stay in Denver is, say, like, man after money after start. I'm like, shoot, I didn't I didn't went through the growing pains of seven years and we finally here like we this close to make the Super Bowl. I was like, man, I'll take less money for that. And you know, I'll be at their safety.
00:20:35:22 - 00:20:53:16
PJ Locke
But at the same time, it's like I had to think about my family and, you know, I'm 29 right now. And, you know, I mean, once you turn 30, like, everything, everything changes. 30, 31 somewhere in there, everything changes. They start looking at you different, like you can't run. I can't play no more. That's not the case. It's not the case.
00:20:53:16 - 00:21:11:15
PJ Locke
I don't know what it is. That's. You know, that's not the case. Right. And I was I mean, it might be my last shot to really create some type of generational wealth in my family. Yeah. So I feel like it makes it easier. That at least is back home in Dallas. You know what I'm saying? Now that's what it came down to, man.
00:21:11:15 - 00:21:37:05
PJ Locke
That's what it came down to. And it was like making, what I'd be able to sustain another three, 4 to 5 years of playing NFL football, being a backup safety or do, roll the dice. All the hard work I didn't put in to become a starter. Go put that to use and go five first full job and, you know, extend my career another 3 or 4 years.
00:21:37:05 - 00:22:00:23
PJ Locke
Like what would y'all do. You know what I'm saying. So it was a tough decision. Super tough man. Like I said it's super emotional. I didn't already said it a bunch of tears, you know, and Denver means a lot to me, man. It really does. But I got caught on the business side of it. And, for all y'all who don't know, like, the fanbase and everything, man, that is tough.
00:22:00:23 - 00:22:21:16
PJ Locke
That is tough, man. You got to choose between being comfortable or being uncomfortable, you know what I'm saying? And you know how it is is man, you can't you can't progress when you comfortable. And I feel like in Denver, I'm comfortable, you know what I'm saying? I'm. I know everything here, and. Yeah, well, I can I sit back and be at their safety.
00:22:21:18 - 00:22:38:08
PJ Locke
Yeah, I can do that, man. I can do that. I've shown I can do that. But, man, it's time for me to. It's time for me to elevate. It's time for me to roll the dice. Take my chances in a I got a family to support, man and to stuff. It's tough. Yeah.
00:22:38:10 - 00:22:59:19
Justin Simmons
Hey, you speaking exactly how a lot of guys feel. And probably just don't always have the chance to say it like, that's that's real. Like, you talk, you're not talking about, you know, a couple of thousand, you know, here at air Time Out, millions life changing, life changing to be able to say I the kneel to do what she wants to do.
00:22:59:21 - 00:23:26:06
Justin Simmons
If there's if there's future kids, whatever the case may be with your family, man. Like you got pops and you got your own family, your other immediate family to take care of, like neighbors. There's things that go into decisions that appreciate you being vulnerable, that, like some people just don't understand. But you know what? As as I feel like a lot of the times we hear a lot of of the smaller voices so loudly, but there's a bunch of people that do understand that and do get that and do support you and you.
00:23:26:07 - 00:23:45:14
Justin Simmons
I just wanted to make sure before it was all said and done, I bring you on to the show, obviously one of my best friends, but like you deserve your flowers of one. All that you poured in to Denver in seven years, special teams ace a clutch individual that shows up when you are at that third safety position.
00:23:45:16 - 00:24:05:05
Justin Simmons
And and not only that, man, the impact that you made and your life with the different charitable events that you went out to, like actually pouring back into the city and not just take and take and take and take it. Like I said, I mean, it's time to be extremely proud of and, it's a blessing to know you and to do life with you.
00:24:05:05 - 00:24:08:15
Justin Simmons
And obviously it isn't a goodbye for for none of us here.
00:24:08:16 - 00:24:09:04
Louie Romero
Not at all.
00:24:09:04 - 00:24:13:18
Justin Simmons
But, the skill, it's important to. It's important to hit on those things.
00:24:13:20 - 00:24:35:21
Louie Romero
I think, Broncos country, getting to hear your story and kind of hear what's going on kind of behind the scenes instead of just surface level PJ like leaving Denver, signing to Dallas, you know, Broncos fans, Broncos country, very passionate fans, as you both know, and a hell of a fan base. I'm a part of that. But, I'm glad we get to also see your side of things and hear your side of things.
00:24:35:21 - 00:24:50:21
Louie Romero
And I mean, I think just even as a fan before anything, a fan of the game, before I'm a fan of the Broncos. It's nice to hear they're kind of behind the scenes, and I don't think anybody could be mad at you for your decision by any means. And, you're going to be very, very missed here in Denver.
00:24:50:23 - 00:25:05:13
Louie Romero
And, we're excited to see the next chapter and see the next step in your journey, man. Or at least I know I am, as are you. So, yeah, we're going to continue to be rooting for you, man. Even though you're going to be, we're to star on the side of your helmet. He's a cowboy, and he's not a horse anymore.
00:25:05:13 - 00:25:10:18
Louie Romero
He's not a Bronco anymore. But we'll still be rooting for you, man. I'm super excited for the future and what it holds for you.
00:25:10:21 - 00:25:11:14
PJ Locke
Yeah.
00:25:11:16 - 00:25:40:12
PJ Locke
I'll say, man, it's not. It's not easy at all. Like, some people might think like, man is. I mean, he just took the contract, and, you know, he's all about his way. Like, man, this is hard. It's hard man. Like I say it again, leaving all this stuff behind like bought a house two years ago and have to put that on the market, you know, is is literally like wiping my hands and going on to the next chapter and like that is that is so hard because like I said, is is so much is so much history.
00:25:40:12 - 00:25:57:05
PJ Locke
Is this a Denver is allow me to extend my career as well. So it's it's tough man. It's tough. I really hate talking about it because I, I can get really emotional about it. But you know I hope like what I said they everybody can understand, you know what I'm saying.
00:25:57:05 - 00:25:58:05
Justin Simmons
So I know.
00:25:58:05 - 00:26:01:11
PJ Locke
Oh yeah. You know. Yeah. Yeah I think you're right.
00:26:01:12 - 00:26:29:17
Justin Simmons
And and that they will like I know that came off a little bit jokingly but they can see the emotion. Yeah. If it didn't matter to you wouldn't come on and talk about it. Right. No. Second and third, like any person out there that has that type of decision would be doing the same thing. You know, I mean, like, this is not Josh Allen taking 5 million last off a max contract of $250 million, you know, so that like, that's not that scenario.
00:26:29:18 - 00:26:46:08
Justin Simmons
We're talking about life changing money to be able to go, first of all, earn what you've worked for. It just so happened that you worked for seven years here, and it worked out in a lot of ways, but you have earned the right to go fight for a certain position and go earn more money and go play for your hometown.
00:26:46:08 - 00:27:07:03
Justin Simmons
Not necessarily cowboys, but like you go play back in Texas so immediate family can come see you. They didn't get it. Yes. You got here to like all those things you've heard. And I would guarantee you 99% of our followers, that are viewing this are going to sit here and especially after hearing your testimony about it are going to say, man, I just I just he just gained a lifelong, fan.
00:27:07:07 - 00:27:10:03
Justin Simmons
There's a is an NFC team. You're going to be all right.
00:27:10:04 - 00:27:14:17
PJ Locke
They can cheer for Cowboys. What what he's like a big loss. Yeah.
00:27:14:22 - 00:27:17:03
Justin Simmons
Everybody makes fun of the Cowboys fan. No. But they can have a.
00:27:17:03 - 00:27:19:13
PJ Locke
Little bit of a star somewhere in the house.
00:27:19:15 - 00:27:40:11
Justin Simmons
And support you. All right. So we do want to talk a little bit because there is as much as there is heaviness and emotion in this that is with Denver. We do also want to talk about the, you know, like the brighter lights on the other side of it and head into Dallas. But before we do that, I gotta say, because I was I was shocked that you like what?
00:27:40:11 - 00:27:44:23
Justin Simmons
What do you think about. He mentioned it earlier. The costs a lot.
00:27:44:23 - 00:27:46:03
PJ Locke
So I'm. I know.
00:27:46:05 - 00:27:47:22
PJ Locke
I've been trying to keep myself from drinking.
00:27:47:22 - 00:27:53:20
PJ Locke
Too much this whole time, so I started rambling a little bit. I was like, you know, you take.
00:27:53:20 - 00:27:54:08
PJ Locke
A sip real.
00:27:54:08 - 00:27:56:19
PJ Locke
Quick like, nah, nah, I.
00:27:56:21 - 00:28:11:23
PJ Locke
I really like it, man. Is really is really, really smooth. Which I feel like is more of my taste. I also think it's dangerous, you know, because it's so smooth, you can all kind of over and doze and next thing you know, you kind of little woozy.
00:28:12:01 - 00:28:13:13
PJ Locke
Right? Yeah. It's got like.
00:28:13:13 - 00:28:23:08
PJ Locke
A little bit of a, a smoky taste. I kind of taste that, too. I like how old fashioned. That's. That's how I get from it. Like the little smoky taste, you know, I get.
00:28:23:09 - 00:28:23:22
PJ Locke
Yeah.
00:28:24:00 - 00:28:31:02
PJ Locke
But, also say Miss Cow, that type of thing. But it's not like.
00:28:31:04 - 00:28:38:11
PJ Locke
It's not, like, overly smoky. That makes sense. But man, like I said, is is really good. And I think I want a bottle, man.
00:28:38:12 - 00:28:40:03
PJ Locke
Oh. Oh, man. We, we.
00:28:40:07 - 00:28:41:23
Justin Simmons
Are good friends.
00:28:42:01 - 00:28:42:22
Louie Romero
Casa lotos.
00:28:42:23 - 00:28:47:16
Justin Simmons
They can get you a bottle. Easy. They know you know where you're heading to leave.
00:28:47:18 - 00:28:48:00
PJ Locke
But,
00:28:48:05 - 00:29:05:16
Justin Simmons
That's what we do, bro. That's what we've heard. I feel like those words over and over, we know they're super clean. It's really smooth and, like, bro, it's easy to just sit over you in a conversation with, like, that's the. That's the whole point. Super thankful for them. This is we always bring Louis on because Louis always breaks down.
00:29:05:16 - 00:29:07:15
Justin Simmons
Why? This is the. You know that. Yeah.
00:29:07:15 - 00:29:10:14
PJ Locke
Right. Yeah. Some amazing little corner store.
00:29:10:16 - 00:29:13:05
Justin Simmons
He always breaks it down when I talk about that wild agave.
00:29:13:05 - 00:29:29:21
Louie Romero
Yeah, because of low doses. This is the toll blanco that we're drinking. It's more of a tequila alternative, if you will. Not quite a tequila. Not quite a mezcal, but, it comes from a wild agave plant, so it's not, you know, farmed, regularly. It doesn't have all those additives in some of these other, tequila brands, if you will.
00:29:29:21 - 00:29:46:05
Louie Romero
You know, the vanilla, the sugars, whatever. And for athletes or just in general, if you like the organic taste, natural flavors. Yeah. I mean, I love it. It's good stuff. We've we've had some of it now for a few of these shows and I can't, I can't get it. Doesn't get old. I can't get tired of it.
00:29:46:05 - 00:29:46:21
Louie Romero
It's good stuff.
00:29:46:21 - 00:29:50:20
PJ Locke
What I'm most excited about is, like, when I do get a bottle.
00:29:50:22 - 00:29:53:18
PJ Locke
When I do that as well. Yeah, yeah, yeah. When I.
00:29:53:18 - 00:30:07:17
PJ Locke
When I do get a bottle, it's like, you know man, when you have a bar, you've got a bar at the house, right. And all that is not for you is for everybody else who comes to the house. Right. I'm just so interested to when I do get a bottle, is like I have somebody tasting it like me.
00:30:07:19 - 00:30:09:23
PJ Locke
You get that from and be like, don't you worry about it.
00:30:10:02 - 00:30:13:07
PJ Locke
I know about it. Yeah, this is exclusive.
00:30:13:09 - 00:30:15:00
Louie Romero
I know a guy.
00:30:15:02 - 00:30:21:11
PJ Locke
That actually put people on. I'm trying to tell you I'm sorry. Get your bottom. Because I know the first yo yo, you got to come on.
00:30:21:16 - 00:30:24:06
PJ Locke
You're like, that's nice, man, I like it. All right.
00:30:24:06 - 00:30:40:07
Justin Simmons
Good. I'm glad you like it, man. What? Always interested. Know you'd like to dip in a different spirits every now and then. So you get your take on that. All right, now that we're on a little bit more of a lighter note, I wanted to ask to like who? A Dallas. I feel like everybody correct me if I'm wrong, and I know we're.
00:30:40:07 - 00:30:55:18
Justin Simmons
I know we're a Broncos country. Like, we bleed orange and blue. We say that every single week. So it's not a downplay on that. Don't hear the upbringing of someone else and think it's a downplay on Denver Metro. I feel like every single player, whether they want to admit it or not, wants that star on the side of their helmet.
00:30:55:18 - 00:31:16:23
Justin Simmons
There's just some type of lore. When you hear Dallas Cowboys and fandom. So part of that, like how does that feel that you've got to be a Dallas Cowboy, be it from Texas, not a group of Cowboys fan. Yeah. But there's got to there is there hasn't been some of that as opposed to like you know wanting to play for whoever else.
00:31:16:23 - 00:31:19:20
Justin Simmons
But yeah there had to be some type of that that was like into the decision.
00:31:19:23 - 00:31:46:20
PJ Locke
Yeah, man. Obviously growing up in Texas, like definitely a Cowboys fan. You are. You grew up watching Cowboys. And I was like the first few watching NFL. I was like the first team that's going to get put on the TV by a parent. And yeah, man, it is feel. It feels like super surreal. The fact that my wife is from Fort Worth it, like, elevates it even more because her whole family is like diehard Cowboys fans.
00:31:46:20 - 00:31:59:17
PJ Locke
You know what I'm saying? They are going to the with it. So, when the day I signed on, it was like a if my phone, like, blew up my social media all platform.
00:31:59:19 - 00:32:09:02
PJ Locke
Hey, this your third cousin? You ain't heard from it? Hey, I'm trying to say I need I need a jersey. Like, who is it? Yeah, it was.
00:32:09:04 - 00:32:23:20
PJ Locke
Crazy. Like, I've never experienced something like that in my life. Like my phone. I literally probably had 200 to 300 messages on my phone. My social media was freaking flooded. Yeah. If I didn't get back to you. My bad. That's why.
00:32:23:21 - 00:32:27:21
PJ Locke
But yeah, it was it was absolutely crazy.
00:32:28:02 - 00:32:47:08
PJ Locke
And like, everywhere I was already I was already in Beaumont, my hometown, and, me and my dad went out to go get some, some dinner and everything, and it was like, came across the TV and everything, and like, people see me there, and it was it was crazy, bro. And I'm like, wow, Jesus Christ, what did I just get myself into?
00:32:47:10 - 00:32:48:15
Justin Simmons
My cowboy fandom.
00:32:48:15 - 00:32:49:01
PJ Locke
You know.
00:32:49:02 - 00:33:07:19
Justin Simmons
A whole nother level. That's why I was saying it like there's a there's a certain type of like popularity and fame that comes with being a Dallas Cowboy, especially a great one like, and this was you had a chance to be, which is crazy. Like, that's what I was curious is, you know, you know what I heard, though, when he was explaining that stuff, I was hearing his wife is from there.
00:33:07:21 - 00:33:12:10
Justin Simmons
He might he might have, should have just sent it back here. He might be spend a half his check on game tickets.
00:33:12:10 - 00:33:28:08
PJ Locke
Anyway, she she knew that. I knew you were going to read you black people say, hey, look like have a family going to be. Yes, you should me, I hope they I hope they see this park here. You know it ain't going to happen. You know, you go out and I already had I say we got to be the bad guys.
00:33:28:08 - 00:33:29:04
PJ Locke
Hey, we got to be.
00:33:29:04 - 00:33:31:01
PJ Locke
If you ain't come see me in Denver.
00:33:31:03 - 00:33:40:07
PJ Locke
Don't come see me in Dallas. You know the TV. Yeah. That's how they see me on the TV. That's front row, right? Do you some popcorn? And because of that, I don't give a smile.
00:33:40:09 - 00:33:44:08
Louie Romero
Everybody wants to be a cowboy. And I was trying to do some things I got to say no.
00:33:44:10 - 00:33:48:03
PJ Locke
No, man. Look, that's the number one thing. Now we say real talk.
00:33:48:03 - 00:34:09:08
PJ Locke
No, like I, we had to come to me and, you know, had the conversation. I was like, look like I might as well have sign for half the money if we don't control this. Yeah. So I don't want to be an asshole like I really don't like I want everybody experience it. But at the same time, like, if you really want to come, come support, like pay for that, that magic.
00:34:09:10 - 00:34:10:22
PJ Locke
Yeah. Like I know that that's coming.
00:34:10:22 - 00:34:11:11
PJ Locke
I'm not take.
00:34:11:12 - 00:34:12:10
PJ Locke
Life it up.
00:34:12:10 - 00:34:13:01
Justin Simmons
I take it.
00:34:13:01 - 00:34:15:03
PJ Locke
Yeah. So I that's a that's a real thing.
00:34:15:03 - 00:34:31:10
Justin Simmons
Yeah I'm about to say what they should, what they should be doing was like, I heard one of my friends tell me there's like, they should go up to IBSA. Can I take $1,000 from you in and come to a game? How comfortable do you think they will be asking? Five, six, seven, eight year old kid.
00:34:31:11 - 00:34:32:19
PJ Locke
I know. Have you seen.
00:34:32:21 - 00:34:39:22
PJ Locke
The hell no. Probably. It's like. So you know he like he's he's he's toys. You like chicken nuggets.
00:34:39:22 - 00:34:40:23
PJ Locke
He's called and all that.
00:34:40:23 - 00:34:43:05
PJ Locke
So he ain't man. That's like no food on his plate.
00:34:43:05 - 00:34:45:17
PJ Locke
A spicy laddu right there I mean you know.
00:34:45:19 - 00:35:08:03
Justin Simmons
That's a that's a real tango. That's a real real tight man being able to do that. I know one of the other decision is going into it just being in like that close circle with you is, going back with CPU mentioned earlier with Christian Parker. For those that are unaware, CP was our defensive backs coach three years, I think, here in Denver.
00:35:08:05 - 00:35:23:01
Justin Simmons
One of the best young minds I've ever been around. We all said it was only a matter of time before he went on and became a DK, so he he was he was there with us, we'll say three years was with Philly for two years.
00:35:23:01 - 00:35:23:18
PJ Locke
One who.
00:35:23:20 - 00:35:30:06
Justin Simmons
Won a Super Bowl and and that was the that was the Eagles Super Bowl where they beat the brakes off the.
00:35:30:06 - 00:35:33:11
PJ Locke
Kansas City and now still love it.
00:35:33:13 - 00:35:34:11
Justin Simmons
Loving every second.
00:35:34:17 - 00:35:35:00
PJ Locke
Yes.
00:35:35:00 - 00:35:47:10
Justin Simmons
I'm hating saying about me though. Anyways. So Yeah. So so then after that got go ahead and went and got the DC job with with Dallas that had to play a factor into some type of decision because.
00:35:47:12 - 00:36:09:14
PJ Locke
100, 100% like I've been in the same defensive scheme, for my whole career. So really didn't make sense to go somewhere else and be trying to learn some completely different. Not to say I wouldn't be good at it, but you got to find some type of even going into an uncomfortable situation. You still got to find something like that, you know, that you used to.
00:36:09:16 - 00:36:28:15
PJ Locke
Yeah. So yeah, man, I know I'm a no. I'm a no to scheme like the back of my hand like obviously is going to be some, some new terminology here and there going to make it his own unique way. But but yeah man made some plays for the last seven years in the same system. So, so that played a huge factor in my decision.
00:36:28:17 - 00:36:32:01
PJ Locke
Otherwise, you know, Dallas probably wouldn't even been in a picture walk.
00:36:32:02 - 00:36:40:09
Justin Simmons
I there at the utmost confidence. Yeah. And it was it was confidence. Louis is not going to ask. I'll ask you. Do you need a barber down there?
00:36:40:11 - 00:36:41:21
PJ Locke
You know, how do we make.
00:36:41:21 - 00:36:43:21
Louie Romero
Sure I like I like trips, but I.
00:36:43:21 - 00:36:53:04
PJ Locke
Also got asked for a little red, little. Right. Let's be like, oh, no. Louis just said, if you want to support.
00:36:53:06 - 00:36:57:07
Louie Romero
I always say, I'll bring the tools. I'll call them tomorrow.
00:36:57:07 - 00:36:59:09
PJ Locke
Man, have you on the spirit flight pack like that?
00:36:59:09 - 00:37:04:03
PJ Locke
Even go away. Which puts you.
00:37:04:05 - 00:37:08:10
Justin Simmons
Y'all seen that new thing? What? United they lay, all the rows down. Now, you could buy a whole robe.
00:37:08:11 - 00:37:10:08
PJ Locke
Did y'all see that for real?
00:37:10:08 - 00:37:20:01
Justin Simmons
I'm so serious, you could buy a whole row. I don't know what the. They have to break it up cost wise to make it affordable, but, like, you could buy a whole row. I saw somebody buy a whole row with a.
00:37:20:01 - 00:37:21:15
PJ Locke
Pillow, a big kick all.
00:37:21:15 - 00:37:25:06
Justin Simmons
The way across on under commercial. Bro. I'm so serious, dude.
00:37:25:08 - 00:37:34:19
PJ Locke
You about those. I'm so sick up in the comments. Put him on whatever it put me on please. I need I need a little.
00:37:34:21 - 00:37:36:15
Louie Romero
More people reaching out for tickets. Oh.
00:37:36:17 - 00:37:44:01
PJ Locke
Can you, can I? Yeah, man, if I only got two ticket, I have more money to spend on there. We go. Oh, we got a little,
00:37:44:03 - 00:38:06:20
Justin Simmons
No, that's that's. No way. So, you mentioned this earlier. We ended with a few more. Man, I appreciate you being candid and sharing a lot with us. We talked about, like, you know, you wanting to stay here and possibly with the contender, obviously, in Denver. A lot of people have slotted right now AFC West favorites.
00:38:06:22 - 00:38:26:07
Justin Simmons
And then, but I, I joke because just part of cowboy fandom every year is there a year, this is the year that they're going to go to the Super Bowl. But realistically, and we all know if you have a quarterback, right, you have a legit chance to make a run and go to the Super Bowl. So that had to also play a part.
00:38:26:07 - 00:38:43:03
Justin Simmons
Like I know there are a few I won't, I won't album. There are a few other teams that are interested in the quarterback situation, is just not no bueno. Yeah, it was like, I'm not about to just go waste my career to maybe earn a starting spot. Now at least go somewhere where there's a fighting chance. So with Dak and Dallas, there is a fighting chance.
00:38:43:03 - 00:38:59:07
Justin Simmons
Last year their defense was the worst I've ever seen. Ever. I said that on the podcast with Benny is the worst I've ever seen. So now they're bringing in CP to bring it out of the new additions. The best one being PJ lock. What I know that had to be there had to be a decision to like you do.
00:38:59:07 - 00:39:05:08
Justin Simmons
I legitimately think you have a shot. I'm not going to say the percentages, but I think I got a shot making a little run for it.
00:39:05:10 - 00:39:20:07
PJ Locke
I'm a back. I'm a back up a little bit. What would have made my decision obviously say you had a bunch of teams interested, right. A lot of teams were like kind of slow to work to the safeties because they working on other deals or like outside linebackers and middle linebackers and stuff. So they hadn't gotten to the safeties yet.
00:39:20:09 - 00:39:26:02
PJ Locke
So after I had already signed with the, with the Cowboys.
00:39:26:04 - 00:39:33:02
PJ Locke
Jim, Jim Leonard oh, Jim, you know, he's DC with the bills. Yeah, he hit me.
00:39:33:04 - 00:39:36:23
PJ Locke
And he was like, I had our I had called him and.
00:39:37:01 - 00:39:38:15
PJ Locke
He he didn't.
00:39:38:18 - 00:39:55:03
PJ Locke
Yeah. He didn't answer. He didn't answer. But he had called me back and then I didn't answer him. So I finally connected with him, like after I signed with the Cowboys. And he was like, yeah, man. Like, we're trying to get this deal done with the outside linebacker, man. And, he was like, it actually went faster than we thought.
00:39:55:03 - 00:40:01:02
PJ Locke
So now we kind of like working for the safeties. Like, what's your deal? And that's when they signed Chubb.
00:40:01:04 - 00:40:04:20
PJ Locke
They had just signed. So I don't even think about that. Yeah they had just signed.
00:40:04:20 - 00:40:13:11
PJ Locke
So so he was like yeah. So what's up with you man. What's up. So I feel like he was getting the process started to like start working towards that. He was like, man, you're a guy we need.
00:40:13:13 - 00:40:19:05
PJ Locke
And I'm like, oh, he was there. Just like I said, I'm the cowboy bro.
00:40:19:07 - 00:40:32:06
PJ Locke
And I swear to God, like that would have made that would have made the decision even more hard. Yeah. You know what I'm saying? Going from, hey, do you stay at the Broncos, you go with the Cowboys or CP, or do you go with Jim and Buffalo in Buffalo. You know.
00:40:32:08 - 00:40:33:08
PJ Locke
All I'm.
00:40:33:10 - 00:40:37:08
PJ Locke
All of which in similar situations like he has a legitimate chance to make it to the.
00:40:37:08 - 00:40:37:23
Justin Simmons
Super Bowl I know.
00:40:37:23 - 00:40:58:08
PJ Locke
What I'm saying. Get the defense right where Dallas can go get a defense right with the bills. Can't go Broncos is like offensively add a couple more weapons or whatever. And you know strengthen the defense even more. We go oh you know what I'm saying. Yes I was like God that or made the decision hard. Now I mean I'm stuck in a situation where I'm all right.
00:40:58:10 - 00:41:08:09
PJ Locke
Damn do I go and CB do I go with Jim? Jim's smart ACL too. Yeah. Stay with the Broncos. Like, is that what I've made? Decision even more hard bro.
00:41:08:11 - 00:41:10:18
Justin Simmons
So glad I didn't even know that story.
00:41:10:23 - 00:41:15:02
PJ Locke
Yeah, yeah, I forgot to mention I gave you a phone call, so, like.
00:41:15:03 - 00:41:29:20
PJ Locke
Essentially, I'm almost dying. I ain't, I'm, I thank God, like it didn't happen. Like they were all. They went all in my face at one time, right? Yeah. So, I prayed. I prayed like crazy, so. But made I feel like I made the yeah, yeah decision. Anyway.
00:41:29:22 - 00:41:30:13
Justin Simmons
You definitely did.
00:41:30:17 - 00:41:56:06
PJ Locke
But, yeah, back to, like, the defense. And we said it. Oh, man. CP CP has the chance. He has the experience as far as like he know. He knows what it needs to look like to make the Super Bowl and win it. Yeah with the Eagles. So he's bringing that same expertise to Dallas. He's getting all the right pieces dude.
00:41:56:08 - 00:42:14:19
PJ Locke
He's getting I mean we gotta we got a far d line. You know man safeties love a great D-line. So man, like he's getting all the pieces together. We all me. I'm pretty sure I'm gonna draft well. And, yeah, I feel like we gotta. We gotta freaking off as a top five offense, so. Hey, man.
00:42:14:21 - 00:42:15:13
Justin Simmons
You never know.
00:42:15:14 - 00:42:17:04
PJ Locke
Hey, Broncos versus Denver.
00:42:17:09 - 00:42:18:03
PJ Locke
You never know. I mean, I.
00:42:18:03 - 00:42:19:08
PJ Locke
Say both of the.
00:42:19:10 - 00:42:20:22
PJ Locke
Broncos versus Cowboys Denver a.
00:42:20:22 - 00:42:22:05
Louie Romero
Dallas Dallas.
00:42:22:07 - 00:42:23:11
PJ Locke
Cowboys versus yeah.
00:42:23:13 - 00:42:34:04
Justin Simmons
Yeah you know yeah I'm excited for you man I hope I get to see you in the Super Bowl. That would be that would be crazy. All right Louis has this thing he's been doing. He is our show.
00:42:34:04 - 00:42:35:02
PJ Locke
The haircut.
00:42:35:04 - 00:42:36:22
Justin Simmons
The new haircut.
00:42:37:00 - 00:42:39:21
PJ Locke
That was really keep, like, sad.
00:42:39:22 - 00:42:42:11
PJ Locke
I mean, look at him. I just look like he doesn't want to fade.
00:42:42:11 - 00:42:43:04
PJ Locke
You know, sometimes we.
00:42:43:04 - 00:42:44:15
Louie Romero
Make hair contact before I can't.
00:42:44:15 - 00:42:45:19
PJ Locke
Type, so.
00:42:45:21 - 00:43:01:22
Louie Romero
It is. It is what it is. But, No, man. I mean, I think I know the answer to this just talking to you. And like you said, getting to open up emotionally, and share your story or this, this, this part of the story on this journey with us. But, I know the answer to this already, but I gotta ask anyways, what about this?
00:43:01:22 - 00:43:04:02
Louie Romero
Most is bringing you joy right now.
00:43:04:04 - 00:43:04:21
PJ Locke
So one more time.
00:43:04:21 - 00:43:10:16
Louie Romero
What about the, what about what you're doing right now? Most brings you joy. What brings you the most joy with what you're doing right now? We talking about.
00:43:10:16 - 00:43:11:11
PJ Locke
Like, football.
00:43:11:16 - 00:43:15:07
Louie Romero
Ball, family, whatever.
00:43:15:08 - 00:43:38:20
PJ Locke
I think is my lifelong dream of, like, creating generational wealth, man. And, I feel like is is sucks to be the first person to, you know, create that, like, pipeline because you got to go through all the pain, the growing pains and all that stuff, right? The emotions every day. But it's like I'm seeing it slowly come together and it's like a thing of man.
00:43:38:20 - 00:44:04:15
PJ Locke
We pray, we pray for stuff, and we think it's supposed to happen a certain time in a certain timeframe. But you can go through all these different levels of, like pain, obstacles, all these different things. It might look like it's not going to happen, but it's all God's timing. And I feel like, man, that's like the epitome of my career, you know?
00:44:04:17 - 00:44:05:04
PJ Locke
And.
00:44:05:06 - 00:44:20:17
PJ Locke
And never happen all the time. It's like, know, it took me seven years to, you know, get in position. I am right now. So it's just like, man, it's all a process. And I just continue your faith. And I literally see, like, changing, in rare form. So.
00:44:20:20 - 00:44:21:13
PJ Locke
Yeah,
00:44:21:15 - 00:44:36:04
PJ Locke
I think that's what I'm most excited about. And then, like I say it, man, me going back to Dallas, me finally saw me and my wife was always like going back and forth like, man, where are we going to live? When, as I say, you know, I always know is going to be Texas. But we didn't know it was going to be Houston because I'm like closer to that area, but much closer to Houston.
00:44:36:10 - 00:44:53:19
PJ Locke
We didn't know this. Austin I went to school in Austin, loved area. Or is going to be Dallas. So I feel like Nissan and a dad is kind of like put a stamp on it, like, hey, hey, we going to settle in Dallas so I can go out and buy a house or whatever. So yeah, man, that's what I'm most excited about.
00:44:53:19 - 00:44:56:19
Louie Romero
That's dope. As though you're you're you're right where you're supposed to be.
00:44:56:21 - 00:45:05:00
Justin Simmons
I'm making changes, bro. And you don't want you to want you don't want another one.
00:45:05:02 - 00:45:08:06
PJ Locke
I need the one thing where.
00:45:08:08 - 00:45:10:14
PJ Locke
I get that right, I got you, I got you.
00:45:10:20 - 00:45:12:03
Louie Romero
Well, let it up. Yeah.
00:45:12:03 - 00:45:35:03
Justin Simmons
So, before we close out, I, you know, I wanted to make sure that, both Lou and, I mean, we mentioned our friends over in our in our our in our head labs. I don't know if you heard this from our previous shows, bank, but our in our head lives, man. What they do is they hire, previously incarcerated, individuals that are just getting out, transitioning, trying to find work.
00:45:35:05 - 00:45:58:00
Justin Simmons
Right. We know, you know, people from our, our lives prior or whatever, but that, like, second chances are hard to come by. And so, in what these guys do is truly incredible. You have about like 75% of their team is that R&R is they're rebuilding their lives. And, I didn't mention it, but our in our head labs is a barbershop.
00:45:58:02 - 00:46:17:19
Justin Simmons
And it's really cool, man. So like, what they do is they pull, they're able to able to get some, some, some men and women that are fresh coming out and giving them a second chance center. And I mention this every time because this is the fact that sticks out to me. And it is so cool that, you know, you can't just go into any store and go get a haircut, right?
00:46:17:21 - 00:46:37:07
Justin Simmons
People don't know that. You know, people don't know how to cut certain people there. Yeah, just leave it at that. And so and what's cool about what's cool about our, in our head lives, man. And the people that they hire is when you're in, you're in prison. I didn't notice, you have your chair from like 4 to 8, and whoever comes from 4 to 8 is who you cut.
00:46:37:09 - 00:47:01:12
Justin Simmons
So it could be hair you're not used to or hair you're always used to cut it, if you catch my drift. So when they leave, bro, these are the most qualified barbers, you know, probably around like you'd be in barber school. Do all x, y, z. Like they're so qualified that they that it like their program helps them kind of alleviate that process because they're already qualified being in the system, which is really cool.
00:47:01:12 - 00:47:19:00
Justin Simmons
So, it's just a huge thank you that I'm always going to share their story and a little bit of what they do and the support for our show. Because what they're doing is making an important impact. They always say, man, like great cuts, better impact. And so what they do, man, is just truly one of one.
00:47:19:00 - 00:47:44:06
Justin Simmons
So thankful for them and what and what they've done for us and getting to meet their staff, is inspirational for us and wanted to make sure I took a second to throw that out there because, it means a lot. It means a lot. But man, bro, thank you for coming on and being on the show. Is there anything that you miss that you want to say?
00:47:44:08 - 00:47:52:14
Justin Simmons
You know, anything at all that you felt like you wanted to say before we close it out?
00:47:52:16 - 00:48:20:11
PJ Locke
Hey, man, I made this. I made this point live where I'm getting stuff going outside of outside of football. Just in case, you know, anything can happen. So, Yeah, man, I got my own construction business called Lock Homes. We. We do new homes, we do remodeling all this different stuff, and, right now, if you go on the lock homes, Instagram, I did do my first flip.
00:48:20:17 - 00:48:21:08
Justin Simmons
Far.
00:48:21:13 - 00:48:45:14
PJ Locke
Right? First flip. Now I'm transitioning to trying to buy another lot right now. But there's a huge lot that's that's there is up for bid. And we could possibly build 18 to 20 homes on. And that's a huge, huge project. But it's a it's a super great opportunity. But but yeah, that's what I got going on outside of this.
00:48:45:14 - 00:49:05:13
PJ Locke
But I just also want to say, man, Broncos country. I love you guys from the bottom of my heart. And man, I wish that the positioning of life was a little different, to where I could. I could stay here. I wish that, you know, just everything kind of came together to where I could stay here.
00:49:05:15 - 00:49:22:04
PJ Locke
I gotta say, it really hurts me to, to leave such a great fan base, to leave the great city of Denver. Man, y'all will always have a special place in my heart. And I'm always Rufio. At the end of the day, unless we playing on Super.
00:49:22:06 - 00:49:22:17
PJ Locke
Novel.
00:49:22:18 - 00:49:38:03
PJ Locke
That really is all love and J and Louis. Man, I appreciate you all for bringing me in. You know, being able to share my story on a platform and, I'm happy for y'all, man, to get this going, man. Both of you guys have, like, some crazy connections. And so like, this just really goes right along, which I'll do.
00:49:38:05 - 00:49:57:12
PJ Locke
And y'all are such great people. People passing and this is one hell of a podcast to be able to bring people on, to share their story. And, I mean, you guys gave me an opportunity to do that where, you know, a bunch of Broncos fans don't really know me outside of making plays, you know? So, thank you guys too.
00:49:57:14 - 00:50:12:21
Louie Romero
Yeah. Appreciate you. We appreciate you, appreciate your friendship. Like you say, we'll be rooting your for your success as much as you're rooting for hours. And, it's a pleasure having you on and get to hear the back side of things instead of just surface level. So, we'll appreciate you. And, we'll be we'll be rooting for you, man, regardless.
00:50:13:01 - 00:50:13:15
PJ Locke
Yes, sir.
00:50:13:18 - 00:50:31:08
Justin Simmons
You know what it is for me, man. Oh, man. Yeah. And, like, literally like a brother. And you know how it is, man. And, man is just. Thank you. Thank you for being vulnerable enough to share some a little bit of your story. Like, you know, part of this for us, like we shared before, is like, we just want to bring real authentic conversation onscreen.
00:50:31:10 - 00:50:47:04
Justin Simmons
So there's nobody better than a guy that I know deserves his flowers from a team that got nothing but great things from him for seven years. And just hear a little bit of story of what like a departure looks like. Not everybody comes on a podcast right away and is able to talk about those. Yeah. So man thank you for you.
00:50:47:04 - 00:50:57:19
Justin Simmons
Thank you for being vulnerable. Thank you for sharing. And, who knows if we have you back after that Broncos that was Super Bowl. Maybe we'll get you back on here.
00:50:57:20 - 00:51:14:05
Justin Simmons
But everybody man, thank you so much for tuning in to another week of the weekly cut. Man. This one was super special to me. I get to bring my brother on, and go follow PJ, if you don't already know, follow his career. When he gets to Dallas, a decent NFC team, we can support them. All right?
00:51:14:05 - 00:51:27:09
Justin Simmons
We can support them for a little bit. I know it's hard for some of y'all, but we can support them. Thank you guys so much for tuning in this week. And we'll catch you next time. Remember always walk humbly, always extend grace, and we will catch you guys next week.