WEBVTT NOTE This file was generated by Descript 00:00:18.967 --> 00:00:19.667 Riccardo Stewart: Hey, what's going on? 00:00:19.667 --> 00:00:24.367 I want to welcome you guys back to another episode of the AWM NFL podcast. 00:00:24.397 --> 00:00:27.397 My name is Ricardo Stewart, and I have the pleasure of being your host. 00:00:27.707 --> 00:00:30.947 And I'm joined as usual with my good friends, Zach Miller, 00:00:30.957 --> 00:00:33.277 Sam Acho, and Jeff Locke. 00:00:33.777 --> 00:00:38.067 Guys, we were in that point of the season for NFL, where it's the best. 00:00:38.067 --> 00:00:42.057 I mean like in the major sports, you think October is the best for baseball because 00:00:42.057 --> 00:00:43.587 that's the playoffs of the World Series. 00:00:43.587 --> 00:00:47.217 In basketball it's June because you get into the NBA finals and for 00:00:47.217 --> 00:00:51.357 football it's really that second to third week of, of January, all the 00:00:51.357 --> 00:00:54.777 way through February for for the Super Bowl, which is where we're at. 00:00:54.777 --> 00:00:55.348 And so I want to just. 00:00:55.807 --> 00:00:58.667 We're going to talk about the playoffs and not even so much 00:00:58.687 --> 00:01:00.137 what's happening on the field. 00:01:00.467 --> 00:01:04.337 But but some of the things that goes on at the field and so I'm going to start 00:01:04.337 --> 00:01:05.747 first just in a playoff experience. 00:01:05.747 --> 00:01:08.717 I mean, this is the vantage point I get with talking to you guys is you 00:01:08.717 --> 00:01:12.447 guys have all played in the NFL and you have experience and that matters a lot. 00:01:12.447 --> 00:01:17.817 So Sam, what did it mean for you going into your first ever playoff game? 00:01:18.697 --> 00:01:21.097 Sam Acho: Well, my first ever playoff game was everything. 00:01:21.097 --> 00:01:24.377 I remember being a rookie and playing in the preseason and 00:01:24.377 --> 00:01:25.467 saying, man, this is awesome. 00:01:25.467 --> 00:01:28.557 And a lot of the vets would say, Hey, Sam, just wait until the regular season. 00:01:28.557 --> 00:01:29.147 It's different. 00:01:29.157 --> 00:01:30.047 I said, okay, great. 00:01:30.327 --> 00:01:32.327 I got to the regular season and it was in fact different. 00:01:32.337 --> 00:01:33.847 And I remember finishing my first regular season. 00:01:33.847 --> 00:01:34.567 We didn't make the playoffs. 00:01:34.567 --> 00:01:37.647 And a lot of vets would say, Hey man, just wait until you make the playoffs. 00:01:37.757 --> 00:01:38.397 It's different. 00:01:38.847 --> 00:01:39.907 And it was in fact different. 00:01:39.907 --> 00:01:42.697 I think it was my fourth year in the NFL with Arizona Cardinals. 00:01:43.037 --> 00:01:45.727 And I had gone through some injuries, been through life stuff. 00:01:45.727 --> 00:01:47.327 Well, all of a sudden we ended up making the playoffs. 00:01:47.837 --> 00:01:50.777 end up playing the Carolina Panthers, Panthers and Cam Newton. 00:01:51.077 --> 00:01:52.567 And for me, the experience was awesome. 00:01:52.567 --> 00:01:55.567 Not only because, uh, we got playoff cheques So that was the whole thing. 00:01:55.922 --> 00:01:58.682 But also it was awesome because I got a chance to peek at the right time. 00:01:58.682 --> 00:02:02.032 As a younger player, you don't always think about the postseason and your 00:02:02.032 --> 00:02:05.882 body and, and how to like really play at your best at the end of the season. 00:02:06.192 --> 00:02:08.672 But I had learned after my first year and second year, third year 00:02:08.672 --> 00:02:12.082 through veterans, through watching a film, through asking guys questions. 00:02:12.082 --> 00:02:15.162 So I had one of my best games towards the end of the season, a season 00:02:15.162 --> 00:02:18.332 in which I was recovering from an injury season in which I was. 00:02:18.792 --> 00:02:19.962 Had some confidence issues. 00:02:19.962 --> 00:02:21.022 I was up and I was down. 00:02:21.232 --> 00:02:24.752 Got a chance to have a sack fumble on, uh, on Cam Newton. 00:02:24.962 --> 00:02:26.392 Helped change the game for our team. 00:02:26.392 --> 00:02:27.182 Ended up losing that game. 00:02:27.182 --> 00:02:29.342 I think we're on our third, fourth string quarterback, third 00:02:29.342 --> 00:02:30.342 or fourth string quarterback. 00:02:30.522 --> 00:02:32.772 But the experience was the experience of a lifetime. 00:02:33.607 --> 00:02:34.217 Riccardo Stewart: That's good. 00:02:34.537 --> 00:02:37.297 We always hear from defensive guys or in Zach, we're going 00:02:37.297 --> 00:02:38.527 to hear from an offensive guy. 00:02:38.527 --> 00:02:38.647 Yeah. 00:02:38.647 --> 00:02:38.662 Yeah. 00:02:39.402 --> 00:02:43.602 I feel like the playoffs so often in these times of the games, it comes down 00:02:43.602 --> 00:02:48.332 to one or two plays, and eventually it's a time for the kicker to do some things. 00:02:48.332 --> 00:02:50.532 So like, we don't always hear the perspective from a kicker. 00:02:51.052 --> 00:02:52.582 So we have one Jeff Locke. 00:02:53.062 --> 00:02:53.372 What? 00:02:53.452 --> 00:02:56.922 What is the preparation going into a playoff game for kicker? 00:02:56.922 --> 00:02:58.592 Is it different than the regular season? 00:02:58.942 --> 00:03:01.912 I'm sure you might not try to make it any different, but it has to be. 00:03:01.952 --> 00:03:02.852 I'd love to get your thoughts. 00:03:04.227 --> 00:03:06.137 Jeff Locke: Yeah, so I only had one playoff game. 00:03:06.297 --> 00:03:08.517 Um, and it didn't go so well. 00:03:08.567 --> 00:03:09.607 You can all look it up. 00:03:09.717 --> 00:03:13.637 Um, one of the top five coldest games in NFL history. 00:03:14.167 --> 00:03:16.047 Um, and I didn't prep all for it. 00:03:16.157 --> 00:03:16.787 I'll tell you that. 00:03:17.367 --> 00:03:20.517 But I've learned a lot since that experience. 00:03:20.527 --> 00:03:23.797 And what I should have done was prepare for it just like any other game, even 00:03:23.797 --> 00:03:25.597 though it was going to be 20 degrees. 00:03:26.077 --> 00:03:27.177 That was my mistake. 00:03:27.227 --> 00:03:30.167 So as a kicker punter, the biggest thing you got to do is just 00:03:30.177 --> 00:03:31.957 treat it Like it's another game. 00:03:34.082 --> 00:03:35.662 Riccardo Stewart: I should have done some history. 00:03:35.662 --> 00:03:38.182 Sorry for bringing out that, uh, that, 00:03:38.432 --> 00:03:39.072 that moment. 00:03:39.382 --> 00:03:42.552 I feel like I did the same, I think I did the same thing with Zach last year 00:03:42.552 --> 00:03:47.492 in talking about Super Bowl losses and wins, but, uh, I'm a great host. 00:03:49.737 --> 00:03:50.457 Jeff Locke: Let's move to Zach. 00:03:50.467 --> 00:03:51.447 His answer is going to be great. 00:03:51.802 --> 00:03:52.192 Riccardo Stewart: Okay. 00:03:52.202 --> 00:03:53.482 So Zach, I mean, let's go. 00:03:53.562 --> 00:03:54.642 I mean, Zach smiling. 00:03:54.642 --> 00:03:56.952 Cause he's like, I played in lots of games. 00:03:56.952 --> 00:03:58.602 I played in two super bowls. 00:03:58.612 --> 00:04:01.452 So Zach, I'd love to hear your perspective as someone who's 00:04:01.452 --> 00:04:02.392 played through a lot of games. 00:04:02.392 --> 00:04:06.372 Is that, does the preparation change as you get older, as you become more of a vet 00:04:06.372 --> 00:04:07.942 where this is not your first playoff game. 00:04:07.942 --> 00:04:09.252 This is not your second playoff game. 00:04:09.252 --> 00:04:11.932 This is your fourth or fifth, or it's your second super bowl. 00:04:13.189 --> 00:04:15.139 Zach Miller: Yeah, I, I would say experience definitely 00:04:15.139 --> 00:04:16.189 helps in the playoffs. 00:04:16.249 --> 00:04:19.569 Uh, Pete Carroll always preached, like, play every game, like 00:04:19.569 --> 00:04:20.919 it's a championship game. 00:04:20.919 --> 00:04:24.989 So when we got to playoffs, we tried as best we could, not to let the 00:04:24.989 --> 00:04:30.109 hype get to us, but you realize the intensity is different in the playoffs. 00:04:30.459 --> 00:04:31.334 You have so many. 00:04:31.894 --> 00:04:34.114 Extreme competitors in the NFL. 00:04:34.354 --> 00:04:35.354 Everyone wants to win. 00:04:35.384 --> 00:04:36.774 There are some dogs out there. 00:04:36.774 --> 00:04:40.894 So you have to match that intensity or you'll get, you'll get sent home quick. 00:04:40.904 --> 00:04:44.134 And so it took me till year six to make the playoffs. 00:04:44.144 --> 00:04:47.814 So when I finally got there, I couldn't have been more jacked up to just try and 00:04:47.854 --> 00:04:52.734 go when, and, um, you know, we almost made it to the NFC championship, my 00:04:52.734 --> 00:04:55.854 first round in the playoff, my first time in the playoffs, we ended up 00:04:55.854 --> 00:04:58.984 going to the Superbowl and winning it the next year in the playoffs and then 00:04:59.224 --> 00:05:00.684 lose the Superbowl that third year. 00:05:00.684 --> 00:05:01.014 So. 00:05:01.509 --> 00:05:05.019 I appreciate it because of what I went through with the Raiders of like, 00:05:05.159 --> 00:05:09.079 not making the playoffs and not even having a chance to even be in it. 00:05:09.079 --> 00:05:14.199 Week 16, week 17 to truly appreciate how difficult it is to get there and 00:05:14.199 --> 00:05:15.519 then take advantage of that opportunity. 00:05:15.519 --> 00:05:16.119 Once you're in it, 00:05:16.612 --> 00:05:17.112 Riccardo Stewart: That's good. 00:05:17.342 --> 00:05:19.512 Well, I appreciate you guys just sharing that experience. 00:05:19.542 --> 00:05:21.602 And so clearly that's on the field. 00:05:22.022 --> 00:05:25.542 So what our job is as a family office is we try to take care of all the other 00:05:25.542 --> 00:05:28.492 things off the field that your agent and your agency team is not doing. 00:05:28.492 --> 00:05:30.592 And so I do want to talk about those things. 00:05:30.592 --> 00:05:32.262 And so Sam, I'll start with you first. 00:05:32.262 --> 00:05:35.572 Again, my question for you is when it comes to compensation, right? 00:05:35.602 --> 00:05:36.432 You made the playoffs. 00:05:36.672 --> 00:05:37.492 How does that work? 00:05:37.997 --> 00:05:39.917 Sam Acho: Well, I alluded to it a little bit earlier. 00:05:40.097 --> 00:05:43.507 One thing that you may not realize if you're on a losing team is that when you 00:05:43.507 --> 00:05:45.967 make the playoffs, you get paid to play. 00:05:46.257 --> 00:05:50.147 So you get checks that other people who are sitting at home don't get. 00:05:50.537 --> 00:05:52.487 And those checks increase as you continue to play. 00:05:52.487 --> 00:05:54.267 And Zach will tell you about the Super Bowl. 00:05:54.267 --> 00:05:55.557 I'm pretty sure the Super Bowl winners. 00:05:55.787 --> 00:05:57.947 Get double than what the Superbowl losers get. 00:05:57.967 --> 00:05:59.547 And he can get a, I have a play. 00:05:59.547 --> 00:06:02.297 It's, I don't have the clarity on that, but that was a benefit. 00:06:02.307 --> 00:06:05.527 All of a sudden I'm still playing and I'm not thinking, Oh, there's extra 00:06:05.527 --> 00:06:08.977 compensation now, no, it won't be the exact same compensation you get 00:06:09.277 --> 00:06:11.377 as far as your regular NFL salary. 00:06:11.377 --> 00:06:15.627 This is what we consider someone like a, of a benefit regarding like NFL PA. 00:06:15.817 --> 00:06:19.297 So everyone's going to get paid the same when it comes to like that salary, 00:06:19.377 --> 00:06:23.787 but it's an extra check, a bonus check that you don't get if you don't make it. 00:06:24.797 --> 00:06:28.767 Riccardo Stewart: So we're looking at this year right now, it just became, uh, 2025. 00:06:28.767 --> 00:06:31.877 And so most of these guys have played their games in 2024. 00:06:32.237 --> 00:06:36.357 And so Zach, my question for you in terms of this money being taxed, is it taxed the 00:06:36.357 --> 00:06:40.617 year where you played the majority of your games or this money that you received that 00:06:40.947 --> 00:06:42.497 Sam talked about being in the playoffs? 00:06:42.537 --> 00:06:44.897 Is it taxed on this current year? 00:06:46.299 --> 00:06:47.129 Zach Miller: on the current year. 00:06:47.129 --> 00:06:50.949 So for this year, it's going to be 2025 on your taxes. 00:06:51.159 --> 00:06:52.679 You don't have to worry about any of that. 00:06:52.709 --> 00:06:53.409 It's going to come out. 00:06:53.409 --> 00:06:55.719 It's going to come to your check, like another game check. 00:06:55.929 --> 00:06:56.899 And it's a different number. 00:06:56.929 --> 00:06:59.979 Like Sam said, it's, it's, it's significant. 00:07:00.029 --> 00:07:02.549 The further you go in the playoffs, it can start up to a few hundred 00:07:02.549 --> 00:07:03.929 thousand dollars that you weren't. 00:07:04.289 --> 00:07:05.689 expecting Which is nice. 00:07:05.699 --> 00:07:09.819 So the takeaway there is like, Hey, yes, use some of it for fun. 00:07:09.819 --> 00:07:13.269 Like when I finally won the super bowl, I actually finally bought like the car 00:07:13.589 --> 00:07:18.159 that I had like dreamed about, got a Mercedes S550 and was like, that was my 00:07:18.159 --> 00:07:22.869 reward to myself in the, and that was like, because that was money that I didn't 00:07:22.879 --> 00:07:26.649 expect to have that we went out and won that super bowl and the rest rest then 00:07:26.679 --> 00:07:30.544 the rest of the, you of those playoff games, save that for that future self. 00:07:31.074 --> 00:07:35.214 huge takeaway that when that money is that extra money, if you can save some that 00:07:35.454 --> 00:07:36.594 that pays off down the line. 00:07:36.757 --> 00:07:39.107 Sam Acho: And one thing to think of as well, Zach, I didn't think about this, but 00:07:39.117 --> 00:07:42.527 for a player who's thinking about, okay, I'm a free agent and the compensation 00:07:42.527 --> 00:07:45.327 is the same on two different teams and maybe taxes, that's something to take 00:07:46.407 --> 00:07:49.507 into consideration of, okay, maybe the two states have a similar state tax or 00:07:49.507 --> 00:07:54.037 don't have a state tax, maybe something to consider maybe, okay, well, will this 00:07:54.047 --> 00:07:56.197 team consistently make the playoffs? 00:07:56.467 --> 00:07:59.047 Cause that could be another bonus check that you weren't thinking of. 00:07:59.047 --> 00:08:01.697 And so I'm not, I don't want to be specific on teams, but 00:08:01.697 --> 00:08:03.947 that's just something that I'd never considered as a player. 00:08:04.232 --> 00:08:07.732 That looking back, I would think, okay, this may be something to think about. 00:08:07.972 --> 00:08:11.952 There is an extra check that comes when you play in the playoffs. 00:08:13.002 --> 00:08:15.102 Riccardo Stewart: Zach, I just got to ask this briefly before I get to you. 00:08:15.102 --> 00:08:16.612 Jeff is in that check. 00:08:16.622 --> 00:08:20.652 Is it taxed the same in terms of percentages, all other game checks, 00:08:20.662 --> 00:08:21.912 or is it considered a bonus? 00:08:21.912 --> 00:08:22.892 Is it taxed differently? 00:08:24.714 --> 00:08:25.444 Zach Miller: It should be taxed. 00:08:25.504 --> 00:08:27.144 It was pretty much taxed the same as your salary. 00:08:27.144 --> 00:08:29.944 So, um, the same withholding is going to come out. 00:08:30.014 --> 00:08:33.794 Um, it's just like an, you get to keep playing essentially on 00:08:33.794 --> 00:08:36.544 the, on, um, get more money. 00:08:36.604 --> 00:08:38.874 It's, it's not really changed, uh, in that regard. 00:08:39.141 --> 00:08:40.581 Riccardo Stewart: That's super helpful, Zach. 00:08:40.841 --> 00:08:44.321 Um, I want to just close with the cleanup hitter himself and the professor and 00:08:44.321 --> 00:08:47.671 Jeff, and that is, we've talked about a lot, what players are thinking about 00:08:47.681 --> 00:08:51.301 on the field and some things that they need to be thinking about off the field. 00:08:51.311 --> 00:08:55.091 But I mean, gosh, is there anything else we missed that a family office 00:08:55.091 --> 00:08:57.751 should be taking care of for an NFL player while they're planning 00:08:57.751 --> 00:08:58.641 the playoffs for the super bowl? 00:08:59.811 --> 00:09:01.141 Jeff Locke: So two things come to mind, Rick. 00:09:01.141 --> 00:09:05.571 It's what your team should be doing us and what you should be doing personally. 00:09:05.871 --> 00:09:11.341 So for us, Zach touched on it on the tax side, your 2024 tax situation is going to 00:09:11.341 --> 00:09:13.271 be different than your 2025 tax situation. 00:09:13.271 --> 00:09:14.331 So your CPA. 00:09:14.826 --> 00:09:17.966 Should be helping you go in and change how your withholdings are 00:09:17.966 --> 00:09:22.946 done with the team now, before your first check comes for 2025. 00:09:23.386 --> 00:09:25.856 Or there might be implications down the road with penalties, 00:09:26.086 --> 00:09:27.666 interest, stuff like that. 00:09:28.036 --> 00:09:32.386 Right, and then off the field, I call it keeping your circle tight, right? 00:09:32.426 --> 00:09:35.376 There's going to be a lot of people coming out of nowhere. 00:09:35.376 --> 00:09:38.276 You're finally in the playoffs for the playoffs for the first time 00:09:38.536 --> 00:09:39.996 for some teams in a long time. 00:09:40.656 --> 00:09:44.496 Wanting things from you, wanting these tickets, expecting things. 00:09:44.506 --> 00:09:44.956 So. 00:09:45.451 --> 00:09:48.841 You got to really decide who's my core group this time of year. 00:09:49.191 --> 00:09:52.441 Cause when things go bad, they're going to feel worse than usual. 00:09:52.491 --> 00:09:56.371 And when things go good, everyone's gonna be saying you're the best in the world. 00:09:56.651 --> 00:09:57.681 So keep it tight. 00:09:58.721 --> 00:09:59.211 Riccardo Stewart: That's good. 00:09:59.551 --> 00:10:02.001 Well, as you guys know, you guys been listening to our podcast. 00:10:02.031 --> 00:10:06.141 We love providing resources for you and the resources we provide for you are free. 00:10:06.546 --> 00:10:08.676 And a lot of that comes from the questions you guys have. 00:10:08.676 --> 00:10:11.706 So any questions you have regarding today's episode, or maybe some 00:10:11.706 --> 00:10:14.666 questions, um, that you had from the previous episode, we'd 00:10:14.666 --> 00:10:16.306 love to hear back from you guys. 00:10:16.306 --> 00:10:21.501 So please, um, please reach out to us at 6 0 2 9 8 9 5 0 2 2. 00:10:32.749 --> 00:10:35.497 I don't know why I'm doing this.