do you know how I became 75 for the LA Rams I don't okay it's um it's it's kind of a long winding story okay so I've been 75 my entire life first time I played football I was 75 except for one year when I was 72 when the Bears won the Super Bowl and the fridge was popular sure so I wore 72 or they made me they gave me 72 did you resemble the fridge see that's what made me mad you think I look like the fridge well you brought it up I just figured no that's I'm saying this to the coach do you think I look like the fridge you the biggest guy on the team I might have been that's how I got the nickname baby whale oh okay yeah that came with the 72 yeah yeah baby whale with a PE brain that's what he said that's what he said who said that to you my Pop Warner football coach boy if you go to where I'm from yeah and you say DeMarco they might know who I am if you say baby whale know everybody knows who I am baby will with a p brain 72 um so couldn't wait to flop 275 because Howe long was in town with the Raiders and just loved his whole Aura loved everything about him I had everything hoe in my room in in my house even in college I had a howy long six-foot cutout oh no kid yeah he had the tight jeans and a leather jacket how he looked good he did still looks good that's a funny part of this so my friends would come over and theyd see this and they're like you know this is not for guys right and I looked at him like oh I get it this is for this is not you're I'm trying to think this is probably 1991 or two yes it anything Howe Heather lole maybe you're supposed to have something like that there you go that's and it was the Heather loer version of howy long it was just Howie to me I didn't know like I didn't know Garoppolo was he's a great player that's what I said it's hoe long you know I never looked at it that way so anyway so Howe long was my guy different kind of player ah stop so uh playr College we're good um son is an undrafted rookie free agent to the LA Rams so happy they gave me 30 grand highest signing bonus of any undrafted guy like ever did you know that I didn't I didn't know that either but it was amazing so they gave me 94 upset me a little bit you who do you think I am I don't wear 94 I want my number but I'm not going to complain went to my locker I'm sharing it with a guy uhoh I am sharing a locker with another dude yeah I have tape on my helmet that says far wait you don't know who I am you think I'm a scrub so this is my mentality so ball out have a good camp good preseason it comes down to the last game in San Diego and the dline coach who was also the coordinator his name is George Dyer pulled me and Mark boute into a room and says I love you both I can't decide whoever plays the best best tonight is staying oh my right and I loved mark But I looked at him and said you're going right right to his face you're going home so bald out had a great game I think I had two sacks in the first quarter right I'm staying here so the Turk comes around that's the guy who makes the cuts coach needs to see you bring your playbook bring your playbook so I survived that night so they're still making decisions so we're in the locker room get ready did the other guy get tured a lot of guys get cut early they know they're getting cut that's they wake you up yeah so they're still making decisions on some guys some guys as you're getting dressed and going to practice so I'm in my locker I still have one things are good The Turk comes in everything gets quiet right so he starts walking two guys coach wants to see you bring your playbook so he's making his way around the room and I am 75 I'm towards the end so he walks up and I walk to him and look him dead in the eye he goes have a nice day and keeps walking so I made the football team right right right so I'm happy I'm like yes I'm trying to keep it in I'm trying to be Willy May Haze about this I'm trying to keep it all ins right I'm trying to keep it all inside you know I'm trying to do it you know so I'm sitting there and I look up and I'm like this is so awesome thank you God just the one thing I got to have 75 I cannot play with 94 so walk up to the equipment manager who must be 75 80 years old been doing this job for 40 years name is Don hwit so I lean over and said Mr huitt can I please take you know get the number 75 I want to wear 75 and he stops and he stares a hole through my head right I'm like what did I just do and I'm like oh right behind him is the Fearsome forsome yeah I just asked for Deon Jones's number I I'm thinking Howie that's all I'm thinking I just asked for Deon Jones's number oh my God so he goes son do you know what you just asked me I said yeah I I think I do he goes tell you what you do go outside of this room take a left look for an old man in a bark lounger he he's probably going to be asleep ask him if you can wear 75 so I go out take a left see the chair see this ugly pair of feet no shoes walk over and as soon as I get there I'm like oh my God it's Deacon Jones it's Deacon Jones so now I got to wake him up oh Mr Jones yeah yeah yeah uh my name is DeMarco far I just made the team um I've born 75 my whole life and he sits up I'm like I really would like to wear a 75 he goes your name is DeMarco right yeah fa yes sir you played up there in Washington right yes sir are you any good yes sir I think I'm I'm I'm I'm pretty good he goes okay how you feel about quarterbacks I like to hurt them cuz I know what he wants course he goes you when you get to the quarterback you make sure you put him in the graveyard I said yes sir I'll do my best he go no no the graveyard if I see anything different I'm going to take the number back now tell Don to give you 75 that's incredible bro soon as I made that right to go back now I'm Willie May Hayes you got the blessing from from Deacon Jones Deacon Jones and he said if I see anything different I'm going to take take it back so that's why I was looking like a psycho on the field sometimes it wasn't because I'm crazy it's because Deacon is watching me every minute of the day that's fantastic that's how I became 75 that is amazing yes that is I got to know Deacon a little bit uh you know he used to fill in for gim and come in and do and I I he us a little before my time as a player so I didn't really remember him but I knew of him in the head slap and everything else and even as an older man he is wildly intimidating crazy right so they wanted to retire his number and I'm still in it and he's like you better hurry up yeah yes you don't want to go back to 94 no yes oh that's great absolutely yes uh can we do multiple far sides a DayM because that's awesome that is just uh terrific isn't that terrifying though I got to go ask Deon Jones honestly I'll be honest to Marco if if what was the guy's name Don hwit yes if if Don huitt said to me go ask the guy in the bar lounger and I turned around I saw Deacon Jones I would have you-turn and said I'll take whatever you got I can't see I can't do I could not I had to undrafted free agent you're like yo Deacon how about 75 huh so if he says no do you take 72 if if he says no I'm just going to wear 94 okay I'll just wear what you gave me but yeah so I think three months from that moment I made my first start against the New York Giants and that night met Hulk Hogan that that's your guy oh my God you want to talk about like a a year yes right I need to hear the Hulk Hogan story at some point as well um Deacon Jones DeMarco far Hulk Hogan are not joining the Rams right now but uh they did sign some offensive lineman one of them's been here before long time ago but we'll uh we'll get into that next it's travin DeMarcos 710 ESPN