Playboy's 2006 NFL Preview

You're sitting at a table with a ham sandwich on a plate in front of you. Maybe there's a little potato salad on the side. Sitting around that table are more than 25 elite NFL players, coaches and analysts, each with his own sandwich. Big Ted Washington, the 365-pound nose tackle for the Cleveland Browns, likes salad for lunch, but never mind. Pro Bowl linebackers Lofa Tatupu and Keith Brooking are there. Panthers tailback DeShaun Foster is there. Rookie offensive tackle Eric Winston fidgets nervously as he gazes at the Super Bowl ring on Ravens head coach Brian Billick's finger. More than two dozen NFL heroes are sitting there waiting for you to ask any question you want. Go ahead, hold nothing back. Surely there are a few things you'd like to know about the NFL. Say ...

What's the dirtiest thing you ever saw on the field? What's it like to be a rookie walking into a locker room full of football icons? The funniest thing you ever heard in a huddle? The toughest place to play on the road?

The scenario we've outlined may sound like a fantasy, but it's not. You're at that table right now. In our quest to get as close to the game as possible without actually having our eyes raked and our balls grabbed at the bottom of a pile (see question one), we gathered a stable of the game's finest and asked them 25 questions. Trust us, you won't get this kind of commentary on SportsCenter.

1 What's it like at the bottom of a pile when there's a fumble?

Julius Jones, RB, Dallas Cowboys: It's the worst. You've got guys diving headfirst at one another. You're risking a neck injury. That's the most dangerous part. When you're on the bottom, they're going to do whatever it takes to get that ball—punch you, grab your balls. Anything goes as long as the refs don't see it. I got bitten once in high school and had to get a tetanus shot. Lofa Tatupu, LB, Seattle Seahawks: It's a nightmare down there—finger in your eye, fishhook in your mouth. I'll admit I may twist some fingers, but I am not one of those groin grabbers.

2 Day to day, how much difference does it make to players whether they're on a winning team or a losing one?

Larry Tripplett, DT, Buffalo Bills: Being in the NFL is like being bipolar. When you win, it's unbelievable. I mean, you have so much riding on every game. People's livelihood can rest on each game, so when you lose, they go into a deep depression. And I'm not talking about just players but also the coaching staff, the front-office people, secretaries—everyone on the team.

Nick Leckey, C, Arizona Cardinals: You don't have to ask a guy in the NFL if he's happy. Check his team's record. Right now every player's pissed unless he plays for the Steelers.

3 Max McGee famously played in Super Bowl I with a brutal hangover. Do players ever show up for games hungover these days?

Ted Washington, NT, Cleveland Browns: Oh yeah. You can smell it through their pores. They'll smell like a brewery. I've known players who can drink and play.

4 How much difference can a good coach make in a team's success?

Brian Billick, head coach, Baltimore Ravens: Not as much as you'd think. We get far too much credit for the wins and far too much blame for the losses. Coaches can do some tactical things; the ability to make the correct game-day call may make the difference in a game or two a year. But I believe what separates one coach from another is the overall process he dictates regarding the way a team practices, the way the players stay together and their mind-set. I think that has far more of an effect on the outcome than the ability to consistently make better tactical decisions than another coach.

5 What is it like to run a pass route across the middle when you know you're going to take a hit? Ever get pissed at a quarterback for throwing an ambulance ball?

Donald Driver, WR, Green Bay Packers: I think of which linebacker or safety is back there. If John Lynch or Ray Lewis is there, I need to focus on making the play on those guys, knowing I'm going to take a big hit. I look at it like this: You have to be fearless not just against the best guys but against anybody. As for ambulance balls, I have gotten mad, but there's nothing you can do about it. I've been playing with Brett Favre for the past seven years. He never apologizes. You get to the point where you know that's the way the game is played. Sometimes he has to throw it up there.

6 You're a linebacker, and a receiver is running a route over the middle. His eyes are on the quarterback. What's going through your mind?

Keith Brooking, LB, Atlanta Falcons: I'm trying to knock his damn head off. As a linebacker you have to have that mentality. You have to first feel out whether you have a chance to make a play on the on the ball, and if you don't, you put it in that guy's head that he'd better think twice before he comes across the middle.

7 Do women throw themselves at NFL players? Give us some stories, please.

DeShaun Foster, RB, Carolina Panthers: Someone I know has a daughter in high school, and she wanted me to autograph a pair of her panties. [Did you sign them?] No.

Trent Smith, TE, San Francisco 49ers: When I was with Baltimore there was this woman and, I think, her husband, waiting for one of my teammates. The guy said to the player, "It'd be an honor if you'd sleep with my girl." [Did the player leave with her?] No.

Eric Winston, OT, Houston Texans: When you make it to the NFL, you suddenly notice you 're a lot more attractive. I don't know, maybe it was the new hair gel I started using.

8 Where's the toughest place to play on the road?

Keith Brooking: Philadelphia. Back in 2000 I tore a ligament and got carried off the field. The fans were throwing stuff at me, telling me my career was over, that I sucked. Most people have a little more sympathy for a guy getting carried off the field. My dad actually had a knife pulled on him in Philly. It's the only stadium I know of that has a jail in the basement. Those fans are brutal. At the same time, that gets me jacked up. I love playing there.

9 We're guessing we won't see Terrell Owens and Bill Parcells holding hands on the sideline in Dallas this season. Will there be fireworks or what?

Gil Brandt, NFL.com columnist and former vice president of player personnel for the Dallas Cowboys (1960–1989): Here's the real sticking point: Six weeks into the season, if the team is not doing well and Terrell Owens is not catching as many passes as he'd like, then there may be a problem. Owens is used to playing in Philadelphia in the West Coast offense, where there's more opportunity to catch passes. But he probably realizes that if this opportunity goes out the window, it could be his last chance to make big money in the NFL.

Samari Rolle, DB, Baltimore Ravens: TO. is the most misunderstood player. All he wants to do is play football. I'd take him on my team anytime. He just speaks his mind and gives his all.

10 Would a team shun a player who came out of the closet, even if he were a leader at the top of his game?

Kay-Jay Harris, RB, Miami Dolphins: Personally I think they would. I mean, they may say one thing, but when it comes down to it I think they may do another.

Trent Smith: Five or 10 years ago I could definitely see it being a huge deal. But the way the NFL is today, if a team sees a guy making plays all over the field and he can sell tickets and merchandise, I don't think his being gay would be a big deal.

11 What's the funniest thing you ever heard in a huddle?

DeShaun Foster: We really teased Jake Delhomme when he came back to the huddle with his pants ripped and his ass hanging out on live TV. He tried to play it off, but man, did his face turn red.

Samari Rolle: In Tennessee Eddie Robinson and Barron Wortham started to fight after someone went the wrong direction in a previous play. Barron actually swung. He didn't make contact, though. I thought that was pretty funny.

Keith Brooking: I wasn't there, but here's what happened. It was Michael Vick's rookie year. He walked into the huddle and pulled a ChapStick out of his helmet and put some on his lips. Then he stuck it back in his helmet. He wanted everybody to know he was cool, that he wasn't nervous.

Eric Winston: It's actually more of a gross thing, but in college at Miami, offensive lineman Vernon Carey used to vomit all the time in the huddle. He never even took his mouthpiece out. He'd just throw some water in there. It was pretty nasty.

12 What's the dirtiest thing you ever saw on the field that a ref didn't catch?

T.J. Houshmandzadeh, WR, Cincinnati Bengals: Redskins safety Sean Taylor spit in my face one time. I had recovered an onside kick, and he tried to hit me and I saw it coming. I said a few choice words about how we were winning the game, and he spit in my face. Then he did it to Michael Pittman in the playoffs.

Samari Rolle: When I was in Tennessee, we were playing the Steelers and linebacker Joey Porter was running down the sidelines to try to make a tackle. Our strength coach, Steve Watterson, threw a cup of hot broth on him. He denied it, but we all knew he did it.

Lofa Tatupu: I once dragged Steven Jackson down by his dreads. The next day there was a picture of it in the paper. I'm literally hanging in the air off his dreads. I didn't intend to do it. I hope he understands.

13 Who's the dirtiest player in the NFL?

Anonymous: Rodney Harrison. I hate him.

Anonymous: Hines Ward and Rodney Harrison. I think they're over the line.

Anonymous: Ray Lewis. I hear he goes after rookies.

14 We've been told the quarterback of the future will be a running quarterback. We don't buy it. Do you?

Sean Payton, head coach. New Orleans Saints: I am sure there will always be a future for a guy who can avoid the pass rush. Steve Young could run if the pocket broke down. But at some point the quarterback has to convert from inside the pocket if the defense chooses to keep him there. If a quarterback can't convert a third-and-eight from the pocket, he won't be successful in the league.

Gil Brandt: It's really more about the quarterback's accuracy than anything else. People think of Steve Young as a scrambler, but he was one of the most accurate passers I've ever seen. A guy like Michael Vick doesn't struggle because he's a running quarterback; he struggles because he's not very accurate. You can't teach accuracy.

15 Who makes the call on whether an injured player should play?

Justin McCareins, WR, New York Jets: It's mostly up to the player. We do feel pressure to play. It depends on the guy and his tolerance for pain. Most guys, if they can go, they're going to go. Coaches, teammates, trainers—they expect you to go. It's different when you can't play up to your ability or you're hurting your team by being on the field.

16 What's it like being an NFL rookie?

Nick Leckey: When you come in, you're wide-eyed and everything's new. I grew up in Dallas, and suddenly Emmitt Smith was on my team. I played it cool. I didn't ask for his autograph. You know, you grow up watching these guys, and it's weird to see them in their everyday lives. They're normal people. It's amazing. You can call your coach by his first name. I'm still not used to that.

17 Does one coach have the reputation of being the absolute worst to play for?

Anonymous: Tom Coughlin. A total douche bag. You can throw Parcells in there too. He's like a fatter Bob Knight.

Anonymous: Coughlin. I'm glad he passed on me in the draft. I don't think he and I would have worked out. I hear with him if you're not five minutes early, you're late. And you can't take your helmet off; it has to be buckled even when you're on the sidelines. If we were kids, I would understand some of that, but we're men. Don't treat us like kids. With him it sounds like a dictatorship.

18 What's one thing about the NFL that would surprise fans?

T.J. Houshmandzadeh: That 80 percent of the guys in the league would shine if they had an opportunity.

Lofa Tatupu: Hitting people and getting away with it is such a stress reliever. It's twisted, but it's true.

19 What don't football fans understand about trick plays? Why don't teams run more of them?

Brian Billick: A lot of trick plays don't work on a consistent basis. One thing about the Steelers—yeah, they have a reputation for running trick plays—is that a lot of the things they do are fundamentally sound. When you have a receiver like Antwaan Randle El, who is a former quarterback, you have some elements that make your offense very special. For the Steelers it all begins with the run. I promise you that every one of their trick plays begins with the legitimate threat of the running game.

Bob Bratkowski, offensive coordinator, Cincinnati Bengals: Trick plays can go either way. Teams that have great defense can afford to do more of them because they know they can get the ball back in three plays.

20 Does it piss you off when an opposing player does a stupid touchdown celebration?

Trent Smith: Not as long as it's original. I really enjoyed Chad Johnson's Riverdance, and I liked when Steve Smith did his diapering-the-baby routine.

Robert "Hammer" McCune, LB, Washington Redskins: It doesn't make me mad; it just gets me motivated. When you're playing at home? Someone doing something in your house? It's a disrespect thing.

21 Do players ever find that guys want to take them on in bars or clubs to show how tough they are?

Julius Jones: It happens. If you're out at a bar and some guy gets liquid courage, he may want to prove something to his buddies. You have to be smart. He's got nothing to lose. If you kick his ass, he's going to be on SportsCenter. When you've made it this far, you can't do something (concluded on page 126)NFL Preview(continued from page 102) stupid. You'll ruin what you've worked for your whole life. There were times I should've turned away and didn't. I kind of got away with it.

Ted Washington: We're big targets. We go to a club or restaurant and people notice us. They always want to impress their women or the guys they're with. Most NFL players don't go out alone. We go with an entourage of two or three guys because in the back of your mind you're expecting something to happen. If you incite a riot or throw some blows, you're in trouble. You've got to be smart. I'm a big guy. If I get hit, it's going to take a lot to stop me.

22Do players have fantasy teams?

Mike Williams, WR, Detroit Lions: Actually, yes. On our team it's big. We had a league last year. Roy Williams was the commissioner, making sure everybody updated their rosters and managed their bench. Kevin J ones was the only one who drafted himself My guy was Marvin Harrison. My defenses were the Panthers' and the Cowboys', and we even played both teams in the real thing.

23Pads have become much smaller over the years. You used to see Earl Campbell running down the field with shoulder pads as wide as a Volkswagen. Now the players are all sleek. What happened?

Ted Washington: When Earl Campbell played, football was 80 percent physical, 20 percent mental. Now it's 80 percent mental, 20 percent physical. There are new rules. You can't tackle this way or block that way. When I got rid of the big pads and put on the girlie pads, I could get my job done more easily. Is it more dangerous? It can be. Guys adapt to their environment.

24What happens in the locker room during halftime?

Chuck Bresnahan, defensive coordinator, Cincinnati Bengals: In this league more games are lost than won at halftime. Everybody splits up—offense, defense. All the adjustments are done in a short period of time; it seems like two and a half minutes. Guys have to get a drink and go to the bathroom. By the time everybody's together, you're scrambling. It's a high-tempo—not hectic—pace. Adjustments are made. The teams that handle that the best really do well in the second half

25Your favorite moment playing in the NFL?

Bill Romanowski, former linebacker: The big hits, for sure. I wish I could say I was so good I could aim and hit people in certain places, but in the NFL I literally just tried to get people down. You hear the crowd. The crowd knows when they've seen a great hit.

Donald Driver: My best moment was against the Oakland Raiders on a Monday night. Brett Favre's dad had just passed away. We all teamed up, got together. Everything Brett threw up there, our receivers caught. Everything he threw, we brought down. He played what I know for sure was the best game in his career. Every fan around the world was watching that game that night. Brett and the Packers played our best football ever.

Playboy's Picks

Super Bowl XLI * Carolina over Indianapolis

Who's up NFC Who's down

Cardinals: Moving into a new stadium this season, the perennially pathetic Cards needed to sell tickets. So they signed Edgerrin James, a two-time NFL rushing champion. On draft day–hallelujah!–the 2004 Heisman Trophy-winning quarterback Matt Leinart was still on the board. Guess what. By May, season tickets to Cardinals Stadium were sold out.

Panthers: Carolina finished last season a running back away from the Super Bowl; injuries forced the team to play fourth-stringer Jamal Robertson in the NFC title game. On draft day Carolina picked arguably the second-best thoroughbred in college football, DeAngelo Williams, in the first round. The Panthers also signed six veteran starters in the free-agent market, including receiver Keyshawn Johnson.

Saints: New Orleans hasn't played a home game since 2004. Fans may not recognize the team that comes marching in for its Superdome opener against Atlanta. There's a new head coach (Sean Payton), a new Pro Bowl quarterback (Drew Brees) and a Heisman-winning running back (Reggie Bush). Which rusher will come out on top, Bush or Deuce McAllister? Wait and see.

Vikings: In each of the past two off-seasons, Minnesota has traded away its best player–first Randy Moss and now Daunte Culpepper. Coach Mike Tice was canned, as was the team's personnel director, Fran Foley. Four other starters bolted as free agents. What's more, quarterback Brad Johnson turns 38 in September.

Bears: Start with the fact that Chicago had no first-round draft pick. With its first pick (second round) the team took a defensive back from that great football school Abilene Christian. The team still doesn't have a surefire quarterback, with injury-prone Rex Grossman slated to start. Luckily, they're in a weak division.

Rams: St. Louis has a new batch of coaches, new systems to put in place and a bunch of stars who are old enough to collect Social Security. Plus, the team lost four starters to free agency. A tough schedule includes six games against playoff teams, including four against competitors in last season's conference championships–Carolina, Denver and Seattle (twice). We don't think the 10 rookie free agents St. Louis signed (including the son of actor Denzel Washington) will get the job done.

Who's up AFC Who's down

Titans: With the teams's two huge draft picks–NCAA champ quarterback Vince Young out of Texas and running back LenDale White from USC–sparks should fly from day one at the Coliseum in Nashville. Plus, Tennessee signed three free agents who walk in as starters: wideout David Givens, linebacker David Thornton and safety Chris Hope.

Browns: Coach Romeo Crennel has rebuilt his offensive line, which should make all the difference. Expect a career season from rusher Reuben Droughns, and quarterback Charlie Frye, who got much-needed experience at the end of last year, will probably have more time to make plays. Monster first-round draft pick Kamerion Wimbley, a defensive end turned linebacker, will wreak havoc on opposing offenses.

Ravens: These birds no longer play the slam-the-door-shut defense that won them a Super Bowl in 2001. Or do they? This off-season the team signed Pro Bowl defensive end Trevor Pryce and drafted behemoth defensive tackle Haloti Ngata, making its big D sparkle on paper more than any other team's. The Ravens also added 1,000-yard rusher Mike Anderson.

Patriots: Adam Vinatieri, the best clutch kicker in history (winning 20 games in 10 years in the final minutes, including two Super Bowls), left the Pats in the off-season to take a payday in Indy. Linebacker Willie McGinest and receiver David Givens also departed. All told, 10 starters from the Patriots' back-to-back Super Bowl-champion teams of 2003 and 2004 are gone.

Jets: A huge question mark hovers over quarterback Chad Pennington as he attempts to recover from his second rotator-cuff surgery in two years. The Jets passed on Heisman Trophy winner Matt Leinart at the top of the draft. Meanwhile, new coach Eric Mangini inherits a salary-cap quagmire. The Jets released four starters, including Pro Bowl vets Ty Law and Kevin Mawae, and traded their best player, defensive end John Abraham, to Atlanta.

Raiders: Oakland lost its finest defensive player, defensive back Charles Woodson, to free agency. Quarterback Kerry Collins is gone too. This year the team will be led by Aaron Brooks, who's seen better days, and even those days were mediocre. Where's Kenny Stabler when you need him?