Titans Linebacker Jayon Brown 100% Thinks The Block From Ben Powers That Ended His Season Was Dirty

Welcome to the 3 Minute Tryst, a 3-minute conversation series exploring sports, music, business and culture in a fun, playful and light atmosphere. Check out last week’s episode with 4x CFP participant (2x national champion) Rashaan Evans:

This week, I interviewed Titans stud linebacker and their leading tackler Jayon Brown, who sadly got taken out by a season ending injury just recently. Jayon is a classic “undersized” linebacker with a huge motor who has transformed himself from a 5th round draft pick into one of the best edge rushing LBs in the NFL. He spoke on what it’s like to get stiff armed, how he got the nickname “Fatbacker” at UCLA and what it takes to bulk up 30+ pounds between seasons, why he loves dressing up as Batman, and his thoughts on the finale of Game of Thrones. And of course, Jayon gave DETAILS on whether the block that broke his elbow from Ben Powers was dirty (hint: of course it was). 

To finish it off, Jayon went through the Rapid Fire gauntlet, where he talks about the pain of missing a sack, whether PFF or his Madden score is more inaccurate, and Ryan Tannehill’s potential rap name.

Lots of really great stuff got left on the cutting room floor for time. Here’s a transcript of some of it, including his time at Long Beach Poly -- home to Snoop Dogg and dozens and dozens of pro athletes from Tony Gwynn to Willie McGinest.

TK: I was listening to the Bussin' episode, and [Will] Compton called Long Beach Poly [LBP] privileged and you said, nah, that's cap. but I did some research and you have the 3rd most [current] NFL players in the League.

JAYON: Oh wow. Still to this day.

TK: Seven current players.

JAYON: We're a football factory out there. Let's see. We got Marcedes Lewis from the Packers, got myself, got DeSean [Jackson], Jurell Casey ...

TK: Iman Marshall, Jamize Olwale, JuJu Smith-Schuster...

JAYON: We got some dudes! We're stacked. They gotta put some more respect on our name out there.  Most people think LBP is a private school, we're not. We're public. ... Kids from Corona or an hour away will come to LBP just to play football and get an opportunity to get a D1 scholarship.

TK: I saw you tour the campus with the Titans PR guy and I was like, wow, this looks better than some of the non-Power 5 schools.

JAYON: That's new!  They did some updates. The field I played on wasn't the best. We used to practice on our baseball field because our football field was rocks and dirt. It wasn't even the worst field in our league in Long Beach.

TK: It feels like it's public but it's not.

JAYON: It's dope. It's a really good school for school, too. So many good programs. The top program is called PACE. ... I was in one called PACRIM, the Pacific Rim program. What was it for really? Not sure, but I got my education.

TK: All of the Brown brothers got a chip [at LBP]?

JAYON: My older brothers did, but my youngest brother didn't get a ring in high school. It was looking dark for me too. I  didn't get one until my senior year. We started out 1-3. A lot of dudes on the team quit, but we had a lot of younger dudes step up and we won a championship. A good amount of seniors and freshmen and sophomores. That year JuJu was going NUTS.

TK: Who would be the last man standing between you and your brothers in a cage match?

JAYON: I'm winning. I'm winning that.  

TK: Really???

JAYON: I should win. I'd let them take out each other, instigate a little bit, and when they're not looking, take 'em out POW.

TK: Two of them are 265+!!!

JAYON: I can handle mine. I've been lifting. I been in the weight room.

TK: Do you think getting beat up by your older brothers as one of the youngest, turned you into what people call a “pest” or a junkyard dog on the field?

JAYON: 100%. Growing up with brothers and older siblings? It brings a toughness and competitiveness. ... Watching both my older brothers play, and going to Pop Warner playing running back and stiff arming dudes. First time I stiff armed I went for 60 or 70. They were like, where'd you learn that? I said, my older brother Jason. He played running back, too. Stuff like that. Working out together, training together, taking what they give me. ... They were so many fights [growing up].