You were born in Hampton, Virginia and spent your first years in the League on the east coast, now you reside in Los Angeles. How would you describe the style differences between both coasts?
I think when you break down style differences within the US, you have the west coast and the east coast is split north and south. Being able to experience all four seasons in the northeast allow for layering of pieces which can be fun. Where I’m from, Hampton, Virginia, is especially unique because our style is infused by both the north and south differences of the east coast.
How would you describe the influence the LA fashion scene has had amongst your teammates in your time there so far?
Being in a bigger market like LA allows for more opportunities to build a brand off the field. A lot of athletes like to dress well, so the fashion industry is something that sparks their interest. You can see guys on game days putting looks together to really make a statement. The weather is always amazing in Cali which is even more reason to get fly and want to look your best.
Would you say you put more time into your pre-game looks as your career evolves?
Of course, as my career and brand evolves, I’m naturally provided more and more opportunities to put looks together and experiment with new styles. I’m a believer that the more you work at something the better you will be. I think from the beginning of my career to now, my eye for fashion and style has absolutely matured.
I know you list Mike Vick as one of your personal on field idols, who would you say you looked up to most, style wise, off the field?
Jerry Lorenzo and Rhugi both have stories that I admire. Outside of people who actually work in the fashion industry, I also admire the style selections of Future and Kevin Hart.
Who’s style do you admire most currently in the league?
I think Stefon diggs, Odell Beckham, Deandre Hopkins do a really good job of staying true to themselves and not being afraid to test new boundaries.
Since we met, the world has changed significantly, do you envision the NFL restarting in 2020 in its previous state or in a “bubble” location like the NBA has proposed?
I believe that they are going to try their best to start a normal football season in their respective cities. I know everyone is ready for sports to come back and we as players are too. We are definitely eager to get back out there under safe conditions. I think football has one of the biggest challenges of professional sports because it is a contact sport with a large number of players.
You’re a big fan of fashion, attending multiple fashion weeks across the globe, do you have any aspirations of entering this world post your playing career?
For sure, I totally would like to try my hand in the fashion space at some point soon. But before I jump out there I would like to ensure I have a little more insight into the world outside of just putting together looks and attending fashion shows. I actually looked into some online fashion courses during the quarantine and ideally I would love to intern at a prominent fashion house during my next off season.
If you could be involved in one aspect of fashion design what would you focus on?
I would love to learn how to create my own patterns. I’ve heard that it is a step in the design process that a lot of designers out source. I would love be able to do this myself!
