Transcript

The Unapologetic Truth: Resilience & Redemption from Adam Pacman Jones

From Mick Unplugged Podcast · Episode page · Watch on YouTube

· 44 min · 8,468 words · 134 timestamped sections

This is the full, timestamped transcript of "The Unapologetic Truth: Resilience & Redemption from Adam Pacman Jones", an episode of Mick Unplugged Podcast published February 23, 2026 (44 min, about 8,468 words). It mentions 29 people, works and ideas, including Quincy Jones, Atlanta, Mick Hunt, NFL, West Virginia.

What this episode is about

Adam Pacman Jones reflects on his upbringing in Atlanta, his rise as a premier athlete, and the forces that shaped his resilience, leadership, and perspectives on redemption, including his decisions around leaving the Titans and his impact as a mentor. The discussion highlights his place among Atlanta’s all-time greats, his mentorship work, and his view of NFL greatness.

Key takeaways

  • Atlanta raised Pac-Man with a bootleg treadmill: multi-sport dominance from childhood, not a singular breakout.
  • From the projects to the pros, his mentor-driven pivot showed real growth hinges on environment and choices.
  • West Virginia detour exposes the risk of prestige: choosing 'fit and growth' over 'brand and rumor'.
  • Mount Rushmore debate reveals Atlanta's underappreciated regional pipeline across football, basketball, and track.
  • Gamble and grit: Pac-Man’s early hustle underscores that talent compounds where tenacity meets opportunity.

Who speaks in this episode?

What is discussed, and when

  1. – 5:00: Atlanta, Quincy Jones, Cam Newton, Dwight Howard
  2. – 10:00: West Virginia, Atlanta, Red Fox, Georgia Tech
  3. – 15:00: West Virginia
  4. – 20:00: NIL
  5. – 25:00: Atlanta, West Virginia, Tennessee Titans, Keith Bulock
  6. – 30:00: Magic City, Atlanta, West Virginia
  7. – 35:00: Bankhead, Boat Rock
  8. – 40:00: Christmas, Atlanta, Cincinnati, D1
  9. – 44:20: Quincy Jones, Mick Hunt, NFL, Magic City

Notable quotes from "The Unapologetic Truth: Resilience & Redemption from Adam Pacman Jones"

  • Pac-Man Jones, like we cover the whole spectrum of a lot of things on this episode. Talk about his journey growing up in Atlanta. If you don't know, like Pat is one of the greatest athletes to ever come out of the city of Atlanta.
    about Atlanta · at
  • And Kieran Fox was at Georgia Tech at the time. Georgia off of me, but I didn't like the way they treated Dave Jacob after he had the stroke. you know what I mean? It's Oh, well, he.
    about Red Fox · at
  • He was do you want to go to the NFL or you want to go to school to play football?
    about NFL · at
  • So I'm You don't want me to stay in Atlanta? Only reason why I was going to Georgia Tech cuz you going through lung cancer and you could come see me play.
    about Georgia Tech · at
  • Know, coming from Atlanta, coming from West Virginia, [ __ ] you wear whatever the [ __ ] you want. I was the first person in West Virginia with a Louis Vuitton top at 18 years…
    about West Virginia · at
  • Another one. Now you getting paid a million dollar. Now you got a Adidas deal. Like that's why, you know what I mean?
    about NIL · at
  • Greatest NFL player of all time.
    about Quincy Jones · at
  • And always remember, your because is your superpower. Go unleash it. You've been plugged into Mick Unplugged. Don't just listen, take action. Rate and subscribe. Follow me on social and get the full experience at.
    about Mick Hunt · at

Who and what is mentioned in this episode?

People

  • Quincy Jones — Person · Main guest · 3 mentions · first at
    He recounts his upbringing in Atlanta, college choice, NFL career decisions (including leaving the Tennessee Titans), and his current community/mentorship work.
  • Mick Hunt — Person · Host · 2 mentions · first at
    He interviews Adam Jones, frames the themes (Atlanta, preparation, business of football, mentorship), and closes with show branding and calls to action.
  • Red Fox — Person · Referenced mentor / influencer · 3 mentions · first at
    Credited as a key figure who advised Adam Jones near signing day and whose family helped broaden his perspective beyond the projects.
  • AJ Jacobs — Person · Referenced idol / cautionary example · 1 mention · first at
    Described as Adam Jones’s idol from the same projects; his treatment after a stroke influenced Jones’s recruiting decisions and views on loyalty.
    And Kieran Fox was at Georgia Tech at the time. Georgia off of me, but I didn't like the way they treated Dave Jacob after he had the stroke. you know what I mean? It's Oh, well, he was a good player. And that's the.
  • Keith Bulock — Person · Referenced advisor/teammate · 1 mention · first at
    Cited as someone who tried to teach Jones early that the NFL is a business, shaping the 'what I'd change' reflection.
    He's Pack, you ain't gonna be young this whole time. Yeah, I am. [ __ ] I'm a player. I'm 40. You know what I mean? and which I could probably have. I [ __ ].
  • Cam Newton — Person · Referenced athlete (Atlanta Mount Rushmore) · 2 mentions · first at
    Named as an Atlanta-born elite athlete; Jones references Newton’s school (Westlake) to ground the Atlanta network of talent.
    Been the one all them guys you name. I actually went to school with Kevin Johnson's sister. Cam went to West Lake.
  • Dwight Howard — Person · Referenced athlete (Atlanta Mount Rushmore) · 2 mentions · first at
    Named by the host as one of the top Atlanta-born athletes; Jones adds personal connection via track and coaching.
    Dwight Howard. Dad coached me in track.
  • Calvin Johnson — Person · Referenced athlete (Atlanta Mount Rushmore) · 1 mention · first at
    Included in the host’s Atlanta-born athlete Mount Rushmore, reinforcing the episode’s framing of Atlanta as an elite talent hub.
    Me when I did go and play with kids that was my age. But man, Atlanta is always been the one all them guys you name. I actually went to school with Kevin Johnson's sister. Cam went to West Lake.

Companies & orgs

  • Tennessee Titans — Organization · Key career organization (referenced) · 2 mentions · first at
    Central to the discussion of Jones’s early NFL experience and his decision to request a trade/leave Tennessee, which he says he would change.
    Prime example, I shouldn't have never left Tennessee. I should have stayed there. That was my decision. Like I went and told official like I want to be traded and because all…
  • Georgia Tech — Organization · Referenced organization (recruiting decision point) · 3 mentions · first at
    Pac-Man says he was committed to Georgia Tech before switching to West Virginia, influenced by Kieran Fox and family circumstances.
  • D1 — Organization · Business/initiative partner (referenced) · 1 mention · first at
    Jones mentions opening a gym and doing it with D1, tying his post-NFL work ethic to youth development infrastructure.
    I'm doing it with D1. But yeah, man. My job is to be a sponge for the kids so they can soak up everything I went through, the good and the bad. And if you do it right, it'll help you. Like.
  • UNCC — Organization · Host affiliation / recruiting anecdote · 1 mention · first at
    The host says he went to UNCC; Jones notes UNCC offered him and discusses why he didn’t choose it, tying into pre-NIL recruiting realities.
    You sure did. So I went to UNCC. I'm a Tarhill.
  • Company — Organization · Referenced organization (recruiting visit) · 2 mentions · first at
    Pac-Man mentions visiting Duke and contrasts campus atmosphere with UNCC, underscoring his recruiting process and preferences.
    Like I don't know which one was more quieter, UNCC or Duke. Like I took a visit to Duke, too.
  • University of Kentucky — Organization · Outcome destination for mentored athlete (referenced) · 1 mention · first at
    Used as an example of a kid Jones helped who later earned a full ride and NIL income, illustrating his mentorship impact.
    To a certain extent, no. cuz I didn't do it for that. I did it for you to be where you at. Now you got a full ride at the University of Kentucky. Now you getting paid $250,000.
  • Fortune 500 — Organization · Career benchmark (referenced) · 1 mention · first at
    Jones cites a success story where a person he helped later worked for a Fortune 500 company, demonstrating long-term impact beyond sports.
    You can keep every one of your checks. I pay your rent for the whole year. And now she is working for a Fortune 500 company that moved from the house that she's in. got her own…

Products & tech

  • Louis Vuitton — Product · Referenced status product · 1 mention · first at
    Used to illustrate Pac-Man's early fashion/flamboyance and culture clash in Tennessee/Nashville.
    Know, coming from Atlanta, coming from West Virginia, [ __ ] you wear whatever the [ __ ] you want. I was the first person in West Virginia with a Louis Vuitton top at 18 years…

Concepts & topics

  • NFL — Concept · Core topic · 2 mentions · first at
    The episode repeatedly discusses preparation for the NFL, the league as a business, and all-time player evaluations (e.g., Lawrence Taylor).
  • NIL — Concept · Modern sports-business topic · 2 mentions · first at
    Used to contrast past recruiting realities with today’s athlete monetization; Jones discusses marketing oneself and NIL’s broader implications.
  • Tar Heel — Concept · Referenced identity/affiliation concept · 2 mentions · first at
    Used to signal North Carolina affiliation (host) and teased as the identity of Pac-Man's NFL GOAT pick.
    It's a Tar Hill, by the way. Great episode. I'm just gonna let you go. This is Adam Pacman.

Places & events

  • Atlanta — Place · Core location / origin story setting · 10 mentions · first at
    Central to the guest’s identity and formative years; also used to frame Atlanta’s athlete-producing culture and places like Magic City and Bankhead.
  • West Virginia — Place · Key career-development setting · 10 mentions · first at
    Represents his pivotal college decision and the environment where his preparation habits and performance accelerated toward the NFL.
  • Christmas — Event · Referenced giving/charity moment · 3 mentions · first at
    Serves as the recurring time marker for Pac-Man's community initiatives (bike drives, gifts, visiting families).
    Don't even have a bed to sleep in. Like up here where we at like you go over to the house just to deliver a Christmas gift to surprise them. Like all right, I'm bring you a PlayStation.
  • Cincinnati — Place · Referenced location (community work) · 1 mention · first at
    Pac-Man highlights ongoing community support and giving in Cincinnati, implying strong ties from his playing career there.
    Of what I done gave or giving to the family. Now I'm talking about Cincinnati wise now because I do a lot of stuff in Cincinnati.
  • Boat Rock — Place · Referenced neighborhood (context for community need) · 1 mention · first at
    Paired with Bankhead as an example of places where Pac-Man saw severe childhood hardship, shaping his mission to help kids.
    But like I've seen other kids in Boat Rock or Bankhead that didn't have that who dad was gone away, who dad was incarcerated, who mama was a crackhead.
  • Bankhead — Place · Neighborhood context (referenced) · 1 mention · first at
    Mentioned alongside other Atlanta areas to describe the hardship environments Jones witnessed and that motivate his community work.
    But like I've seen other kids in Boat Rock or Bankhead that didn't have that who dad was gone away, who dad was incarcerated, who mama was a crackhead.
  • Greenville (North Carolina) — Place · Host background reference · 1 mention · first at
    Used by the host to establish Southern context and credibility when discussing Atlanta’s sports culture.
    I've been telling everybody for the last 20 years, I'm from Greenville, South Carolina. I'm from the South. We know what Atlanta is in the South.
  • Duke — Place · College-visit reference point · 1 mention · first at
    Used in a comparison about campus atmosphere during recruiting visits (UNCC vs Duke), illustrating how environment influenced decisions.
    Like I don't know which one was more quieter, UNCC or Duke. Like I took a visit to Duke, too.

Media & podcasts

  • Magic City — Media · Cultural reference point · 3 mentions · first at
    Referenced as an Atlanta nightlife landmark and as a colorful example in stories about discipline, locker-room culture, and lifestyle management.
    Believe lead by example. Once you lead by example, then you own the circle. If I go out and I take a [ __ ] limo all the way back from Magic City on Monday to be at the stadium…

Sponsors

  • Adidas — Company · Referenced sponsor/endorsement example · 1 mention · first at
    Mentioned as an example of NIL-era endorsement outcomes for athletes Pac-Man mentors.
    Another one. Now you getting paid a million dollar. Now you got a Adidas deal. Like that's why, you know what I mean?

Full transcript with timestamps

All right, this episode, my guy Adam Pac-Man Jones, like we cover the whole spectrum of a lot of things on this episode. Talk about his journey growing up in Atlanta. If you don't know, like Pat is one of the greatest athletes to ever come out of the city of Atlanta. He's on my Mount Rushmore. We talk about that. You're going to find out why and how he actually left the Tennessee Titan. Like most people don't know why or how. We talk about his mentorship and what he's done in the top five. We talk about who his goat of NFL all time is.

It's a Tar Hill, by the way. Great episode. I'm just gonna let you go. This is Adam Pacman.

This is Make Unplugged. Let us uncover the because that thing that drives you, that thing that fuels you. I'm ready. If you are, let's go.

Pat, how you doing today, brother? Man, I'm doing good, man. I'm happy to be a part of this, man. I appreciate you for having me on. We're long lost friends. Definitely Instagram friends, but it's finally to get on here and and sit down and share some words with you.

Hey, I'm gonna go straight to it, man. I've been telling everybody for the last 20 years, you know, I'm from Greenville, South Carolina. I'm from the South. We know what Atlanta is in the South.

Yeah. I tell everybody that that will listen my Mount Rushmore of athletes from Atlanta. I'm not talking about that played in Atlanta, that went through Atlanta. I'm talking about from Atlanta. My Mount Rushmore is this in no order. Calvin Johnson,

love it. Cam Newton, love it. Dwight Howard, love it. Pac-Man Jones. Let's go. Like what you did growing up in the city of Atlanta. And I'm talking about before high school, bro. Like, like people that don't know, Pack was playing with grown men when he was like seven years old. Like, like I'm talking about football, basketball, track. like you were the guy that honestly set that that new generation of athlete from Atlanta, man. Like talk to us about just that growing up being being the guy in Atlanta, which is a lot. Like people talk about New York and basketball, but like they don't know, man. Atlanta has athletes, all sports, and I think it's the sports capital of the United States. Talk about us. Talk to us about that. Growing up in Atlanta,

man, you know, um, a lot of credit goes to my grandma, bro. like she kept me out the projects, made me go and play football up at Sant with the privileged kids instead of playing. Like we had a we had a team in the projects for his basketball, not football. And um a dude named Coach Knight really changed my whole perspective and look at a lot of things because he was coaching like 18u. He never he wasn't co coaching my age at the time and I was like 12 years old playing with 18 you like. So that really changed my mindset as far as the physicality of playing basketball with these older guys. The training, the the dialect of you got to work to get there, man. And I think that transferred into me when I did go and play with kids that was my age. But man, Atlanta is always been the one all them guys you name. I actually went to school with um Kevin Johnson's sister. Um, Cam went to West Lake.

Yeah. Dwight Howard. Dad coached me in track. I ran track with Dwight Howard. And who was the other name you had for me? Um,

you. Well, oh yeah, myself. Yeah. So, it was a it was a great group of athletes. And I had like AJ Mo, I had Sean Jones, Kieran Fox.

Yep. David Jacobs. David Jacobs was my idol growing up because he was in the same projects that I was in. And um he was the first person that I seen that was trying to get out the projects and had every coach pretty much in the world, you know what I mean? Stopping at the top of the hill cuz they were scared to come down to the bottom, you know what I mean? So he had to go up and get him. But like that was kind of my idol looking when I when I grew up, you know what I mean? I was telling this to somebody else like I wasn't allowed to be up there on the corner like

Yeah. selling dope, selling weed and none of that. No, I did gamble. Now, we gambled a lot. I'm talking about dice, basketball football softball anything you can name. Track,

if you can compete, anything you can compete in, but like I wasn't allowed to compete up there at the corner, though.

Yeah, man. And this prolific high school career you had, man. Like running back, DB, all state, mister, everything. I I got this question because this is before NIL, bro. How in the hell did you get out of the state of Georgia and go to West Virginia? I don't want to know the bag number, but how did you get to West Virginia?

It was a bad number. I'll tell you that. Like, that's my time now, so I could talk about it. But I was committed to Georgia Tech.

Yep. And um Kieran Fox was at Georgia Tech at the time. Georgia off of me, but I didn't like the way they treated Dave Jacob after he had the stroke. you know what I mean? It's like, "Oh, well, you know, he was a good player." And um that's the reason why I I immediately typed down the Georgia offer. Um I had I had pretty much anywhere I can go, but I was committed to Georgia Tech. And it was like a week before signing day, bro. Fox come to me, which shout out to Karen Fox and his family. They did a lot for me, changing my life and making me see different things besides the project.

Um, he's like, "Bro, this [ __ ] is school up here. I know you want to come here and play football, but this work up here is pretty hard. I I think you going to school to play football, right?" I was like, "Yeah, yeah, I am." He's like, "Bro, these classes and stuff is super hard." I'm like, "All right, but I'm pretty smart. I made 1250 on SAT. I think I can do this." Fox.

He was like, "Uh, do you want to go to the NFL or you want to go to school to play football?"

I was like, "I want to go to school to play football." And u, it kind of changed my whole outlook. And West Virginia with Coach Rod, Gibby, and Coach Bird at the time. I knew they was first year coaches. This was and I was their first recruiting class. So, I just put two and two together. I'm like, "All right, I can go up here." And the visit was unbelievable. like unbelievable. And um so when I went up there, I got to meet Coach Rug. Got to go around Morgan Town.

Yeah. Got to go to a couple frat parties. I'm like, um this is a little different. All white, you know what I mean? Besides the football players at that time.

Yeah. But the the love and everything else was there. Like I was probably the only four or five star that they had at that time. So I'm like, "Fuck it. I'm out of here." You know what I mean? And my grandma was sick at that time too. And she was like, "Look,

I don't want you to stay in Atlanta." So I'm like, "You don't want me to stay in Atlanta? Only reason why I was going to Georgia Tech cuz you going through lung cancer and you could come see me play." And um when she told me that, it kind of kicked in like she really wanted to get away from all the all all of the energy around here. And um that was it, bro. Like I end up going to West Virginia and and and wrote wrote a story. You know what I mean?

You sure did. Yeah. You sure did. So I went to UNCC. I'm a Tarhill. So you're saying that if UNCC could have got enough bag, we could have got a look is all I'm saying.

UNCC could have definitely got a look. I I I actually they offered me because I was all all into the sky blue, the Jordans and all of that and it just football-wise it wasn't there. When I went to the visit, the whole campus was quiet as hell. Like I don't know which one was more quieter, UNCC or Duke. Like I I took a visit to Duke, too.

Well, you you didn't need that one. Yeah, I wasn't going there. Yes. But I I did need you to be a Tario. But at at UVA, man, or at uh West Virginia, you again broke records. Like I I say this, one of the best competitors I know is you, right? Again, if you can compete, if there's a way to win, I'm putting my money on pack every time because that's who you are. Again, Mr. Go get it. You're going to go get it every time. What was that like going from dominating a high school in Atlanta to then saying, "All right, now I'm almost with with some grown men up here at West Virginia and just dominating there from literally day one." Bro,

my mindset was I'm three and out of here. I told him that time I got there and everybody was looking at me crazy because nothing was happening like that in West Virginia.

And you got to realize I played with grown men like I've always played up a age group. Like I really never played with my age group except in high school I guess I'll say.

But like I've always played with guys that are older than me. Like growing up in the projects when we playing basketball like I was probably the only kid that was [ __ ] 10 years old that was out playing with guys that's 17, 18 years old and still giving them buckets, still making moves. Like so my mindset was like [ __ ] if I can do this here this can't be that hard because all of them are way better than the guys I'm going to play against. Only reason why they are not there because they don't have the grades to go

or they ain't pass SAT. Yeah. So like my mindset have always been like killer be killed. Period. Point blank. Like put in the work, prepare yourself, watch your film and everything else will take care of itself. Like I didn't even lift weights in high school bro. never touched the weight. When I went to West Virginia, I had Mike Bars as my uh strength coach, which is one of the best strength coaches in the world. If it if it was up to me, I would put him at number one. Um

Okay. He would make you think you could run through a [ __ ] brick wall. I mean, it wasn't no limit to how we beat it up our body to make sure that we can perform. Like in high school, I was fast. I ran like 107,

man. After my first year of college, they start calling me Lightning. And I would come back home and like the kids like Travis Moroni is a is a good example. He was just fast as hell, a little older than me, same grade, but just didn't have the grades. Got kept back once or twice.

He running 10 fives. I would make it my interest like when I get back home, I'm calling like, "Hey yo, where you at, bro?" Like, "What's up?" I want to race. And the reason why I was doing that mindset wise, I wanted to show them like, look what this just well look at all this work I done put in there one year. And I ain't talking about I not just beat him. I beat him with some some room. You get what I'm saying?

And I, you know, you come back from that, you like, damn, this [ __ ] really is working.

Yeah. Yeah. So, yeah. That's always that's always been been my mindset, bro. Like, never let nobody outwork you no matter what you're doing. like and you going to have ups and downs through the situation,

but like the work ethic like you can't judge that. Like you can't you can't you can't two things you can't judge. Work ethic and speed. Like some guys got a motor, some guys don't. But if you work, you eventually have a motor.

Yeah. Some guys got speed naturally or you have to put in the work to get faster. But that's always been my motto is like if I don't let them out and work me, they can't beat me. And and that's again why I say I separate you from almost everybody that I know because of that mantra right there. Like your draft year, right? Again, I've always been a huge Pack fan like from day one. I told people the best player in this draft is going to be Pack. The person that's going to make impact day one is going to be Pack. And everybody's like why? And I said, "You're looking at a skill set, which is great, but what I can tell you is he will be the most prepared person moment one to make an impact in the NFL." And they're like, "How can you say that?"

I'm like, "You're not looking at his journey. You're not looking at the work he's put in because the results just don't happen because you're the fastest. There's always going to be somebody tomorrow that's going to be faster."

Right. Right. But the way he prepares, the way he studies, you're not seeing that and that's going to separate. And it proved with your career, right? Like you know, how many people did you see as teammates, as rivals or whatever that aren't willing to put in that work that's like, oh, they'll be out in two or three years. Yeah.

Because there's a certain thing like talk about that with you like how preparation became a skill set for you, too.

Well, preparation was number one at West Virginia. Like it was like you gonna be prepared, Coach Gibby, like you're going to watch film,

right? we're going to go out here and run these hills. You're going to go to this weight room and spend half of the day in the weight room and like

but like me coming from the inner city and always having to prove myself cuz you know I'm 5'9 bro like 180 pounds at the most. 185 I'd say.

Yeah. Like so I had to be first of all physically prepared second of all mentally. And I came from being the number one running back in the state of Georgia to getting to West Virginia be like, "Hey, look, we really want you to go play defense cuz we got a kid named Avon Coburn that was Big East player of the year and there's no way we can start you over, but y'all can share carries." I'm like, "Ah, [ __ ] that sharing carry shit." Like, yeah,

I ain't with that. I'm trying to be three and done. Like, that was my whole mindset. Like, three years in West Virginia and I'm out of here. And I asked Coach like, "Yo, can you let me um do punt return, kick return?" He's like, "Yeah, I'll let you do that, but you got to go over and play on the other side of the ball if you want to have a chance to be a day one starter." And like I did it. Um and it really it wasn't that big of a change cuz all of this hips and turnings, you know what I mean? So me being a running back, I had good feet. Me playing basketball, I knew how to backpedal, you know what I mean? I knew how I know how to cut people off to whatever side they going to. So, I kind of just used that. I was like, "Fuck it. I'm just out here playing. I'm playing basketball, right?

Let me see how long it's going to take him to get off the line. If he if I can hold him on the line or shadow him for four or five seconds to play over with, the play only lasts 8 seconds in the NFL. I mean, in in college, NFL, or whatever it is, the average play is 8 seconds. So like even that little tool like me using that right there for a whole different sport I shall say

y was can tell you like how mentally I was preparing myself and like I would I would I would watch film bro like and I would go out like I like to party but like in in my house I've never watched I wasn't a movie guy. I never played Madden, Call of Duty, even growing up. I I stayed outside

to I had to go in the house, which when the street light came on. Besides that, I'm doing two things. I'm out here running, catching a route, running against somebody, playing basketball,

or shooting dice. That was it. Like I wasn't one of those kids that I I was I was I did like fashion and all that, but that wasn't my main mental when I was growing up. And like I had a kid named Smitty on my team when we was playing AU basketball. We had um Rashad Karu was the best player that I ever seen in person at that time.

So I played up with Coach Knight, team Georgia. We won three national championships. And when he went to went to Kentucky, I'm like, damn, it's gotta be something like he should have been one and out like how good he was. He was the only that had a guy Puma commercial in high school. This was like unheard of back then bro.

Yeah. And like this kid can shoot the ball from anywhere. And I'm like, why does he why is he not winning out?

Come back home at summer. And I'm asking him, but I'm watching everything too. I'm watching him like, what he doing? how he doing it. Is he taking it serious? He's smoking. Like, and I kind of took I took a little bit from everybody that I was around to change the [ __ ] that I didn't want to be. Like, I already knew I wanted to be three and done, you know what I mean? So, like I took a little bit from everything. His work ethic was there, but he was an unbelievable player. And I was like, this is that's what it is. You can't let the work ethic catch up because everybody is good.

Everybody's good, bro. What separate good and great is work at all day. Period. You can be the best kid right now in high school. You go to uh college, it's 10 of y'all.

Yep. Some of them don't like the work. Some of them soft as a [ __ ] Some of them put in the work. And you can tell which ones put in the work because it shines. It It shows. You know what I mean? It definitely shows in the long run

and and I think you're a testament to that off the field post career, right? You have that same mentality with what you're doing now the NFL is done. Like I actually think you get to be more the real Pac-Man, right? But you're doing it your way. And I think that that's critically important. You're not trying to be someone else. You're not trying to be what other people may want you to be. I think this is my perception. and you're like, "Hey, y'all don't really know PAC or what you think you know about PAC. I'm about to give you the real me." And that's what I love because you're putting in the work ethic to understand different things in media, to understand social more, to look at branding and brand partnerships. Like, I've been so proud of you, bro. Like when I see the the things you're doing during college football season, during NFL season, what the things you're doing when sports aren't even the topic. Like

you really getting to be you. I'm just so damn proud of you, bro. Hey man, I appreciate it. I appreciate it. And I'm a big smoker. Like I watch everything. Like I watch like people just think I'm just a guy that smoke weed and drink which is a great perception if y'all want to think that. Ha, shame on you. You didn't read the whole [ __ ] book. You just read the cover. But like I watch trends. I watch stuff that's going on NIL with kids. And like at this day and time it that same NIL that we're talking about that the kids are getting right now. Guess who else getting it? The grown-ups too if you know how to use it. So marketing yourself, believing in yourself, and like yeah, if if I could change anything, bro, it's a couple things I could change. And I I I talk about that when you ask me. But as a person, me, I know who I am. Like I'm loving and caring. Like,

do I got a temper? Yeah, but that come with being a little bit competitive. Can I turn it turn it down sometime? Yeah, I can. Is my words always right the way I want to say it when I'm hot? Maybe not sometimes. But passion that that comes with the territory of what I've been doing my whole life. I've been hitting hitting [ __ ] people my whole life since 5 years old. So like my mental is a whole lot different. It's damn near like a a person going to war.

Like your mental is going to be different like period point blank. like regardless of what anybody say like because you only have a flight or flight or fight mode.

You get what I'm saying? And now it's like all right, I can go fight or flight, but I just need to know, all right, sometimes I got to turn that light off.

And and you might say you've got a temper, but I think what you really have is a discernment of people. And Pack is never going to let somebody take advantage of you. Right. And

I don't care who it is. I don't give a damn if it's the police, the mayor, the governor,

right? Like, I'm standing on business. Right or wrong, if I think I'm right, I'm standing on business.

And that's what I think it is. Like, I don't think it's a temper. I think what you're really good at, blessing or a curse, is you know the true intent and you're just cutting the intent off early, right? Like, you're not going to let somebody mess with you for an extended period of time. It's like, no, if I see that this is what this person wants or this entity wants, like I'm just going to cut it off right now. I actually think it's a great skill set, bro.

Well, you know, I do, too, but sometimes it it bites me in my ass. But for the most part, um, it's been it's been pretty good to me.

Yep. Yep. So, now let's talk about it, though. If you could change something, and I'm not going to call it a regret, I'm going to say change. like what's something you would have changed or done differently knowing what you know now?

Once I got to the league, you know, I didn't know how much of a business it was. Like, yeah, your first you're the first defensive player pick, but this is business. And my buddy Keith Bulock was trying to tell me that like early on. He's like, "Pack, you know, you ain't gonna be young this whole time." Like, "Yeah, I am. [ __ ] I'm a player. I'm 40." You know what I mean? Like, and which I could probably have. I [ __ ] retired at 34 35 and that was on my own. It wasn't like teams wasn't calling me. But like I wish that like if I could change anything I would have had a better like circle around me as far as making sure that I knew that it was a business. I don't know if I'm saying it right, but like you know you sign $42 million deal, 28 million upfront. the next day you wake up, you got $12 million in your bank account. Which I did have some good financial people around me. Hey, put five of that up to

where you can't touch it to 35. So, like I had some good advice, but when it come to like, all right, um, prime example, I shouldn't have never left Tennessee. I should have stayed there. That was my decision. Like I went and told official like I want to be traded and because all of the I was just too at that time Nashville was it wasn't a honky tone town. It wasn't a party town. It was all whites period point blank. And I ain't going to sugar cut it or nothing. If you was if you was white a Lamborghini you was cool. And around here around Lamborghinis and Bentley's it was a problem. And at that time, you know, I just didn't understand that, you know, coming from Atlanta, coming from West Virginia, [ __ ] you wear whatever the [ __ ] you want. I was the first person in West Virginia with a Louis Vuitton top

at 18 years old and a 70s Monte Carlo with a 454 in there. So, like I this is new to me,

right? This new to me now that I I got a bag, I can't do like move how I wanted to move, which was ludicrous. Like a a lot of that [ __ ] that happened in Tennessee, man, was just because I was a young black flamboyant and politely raw, I would say, person.

Yep. I'm the one, hey, bro, you got a book in your nose. Like, oh, damn. Why you couldn't wait to tell me? No, bro. I'mma tell you right now so you don't have to walk around and [ __ ] let everybody see the book in your nose.

Yeah. And like I just think I was a little bit too fast for the culture in Nashville like when I was there. But going back to what you said, change, if I could change anything, I would just I would change that that little circle when it comes to the business part because I was, you know, it's hard to look up to somebody when you seen your daddy get killed killed in front of you and when you're going through the hardest time, you ain't got nobody. Now when I get all my money, everybody want to come around.

And like that was the part that I didn't understand. I'm like, why would I [ __ ] listen to these people? Where have these people been? Like my first 20 years of my life.

Yeah. Like, and now that I I look back, like maybe one or two of them I could have listened to. The rest of them was full of [ __ ] But um that circle is is very pivotal. You know what I'm saying? Like I truly believe in you are what you hang around.

Absolutely. Period. Point blank. Like, yeah, you can have your homeboy, you can have your friends. It's a time and place for that. But like, surround yourself with either what you want or someone that's got what you got.

Yeah. You know what I mean? Because if you don't, it's always it's always going to be a little hate.

Yeah. And if somebody don't have the I ain't going to say the means because like if you if you got the hustle and you got the the work ethic, you can get get to where we where we at right now. But like if you just hang around anybody and not really paying attention to the details, um I think it stunts your growth

for sure. You know, and again another testament to to Pac-Man is this. I also know the business of football. And if you didn't become that circle for other people, you personally would not have had as long a career as you did, right? like you became a locker room glue person and you became the person that teams were like you talked about it you chose to retire but you had people still calling you. Talk to us about that evolution of pack of going from the person needing the circle to the person that now was a part of the circle for others.

Well, I always been a part of the circle for others. Like I took kids that didn't even have a scholarship to West Virginia to stay with me that stayed in my projects. Like one of my two of my closest friends, you know what I mean? Because I was trying to show them something different. Like and in the locker room like I really believe lead by example. Once you lead by example, then you own the circle. If I go out and and I take a [ __ ] limo all the way back from Magic City on Monday to be at the stadium at 6:30 and we ain't got to be there to 8:00. Like, but damn, he did all that. This [ __ ] sleep in the parking lot, but I'm the first one in the wait room.

250 on the squats, 300, 400, 450. So, like I think the reason why I got a chance in every locker room I've been in, I've been pretty much the guy.

Like now we might be some guys getting paid more than me in certain position, but when we talking about relationships, talking, sitting there bonding like I've always been the guy, hey Pat, what you think about that? Hey Pat, what you think about that? Hey Pat, what you think about that? Hey Pat, what you doing in this situation? Hey Pat, how is this right there? How is that right there? And you you'll be surprised, man, like how many guys, women is probably the biggest questions in the locker room cuz a lot of guys, you know, haven't really had no girls until they got some money. That's the craziest thing about it.

Mhm. And it's some of the biggest names and have two touchdowns, go by, you dating Cam Kardashian like and I grew up I and everybody know like Magic City is like the real club like a club to us in Atlanta. Like all the [ __ ] they have right now with girls going wild. I bro I did that [ __ ] in college. Like literally like

we had six girls standing in my house. Like bro, we had mud parties every Friday, beer kegs, everything.

Like I've done all that [ __ ] Like so you can't you you don't know until you know. Like and I ain't trying to say everything but like

Yeah. Yep. I grew up in an era where it was it was popping. Like I grew up in that that era that that big me, you know, young Jesus when when it was okay to go to the club and spend 20,000.

Like that was my error. Like I understood like all right know this not going to last for long but let's go ahead and enjoy while we can we can. You know what I mean? Yeah. And like I had a lot of teammates like, "Bro, how in the hell do you just cut it on and cut it off?" Like I'm like, "Bro, same way we get paid to perform. You got to turn the light switch on. Sometimes you got to turn it off." Like,

I've always always been like that, bro. Like that's just been my mentality of work hard, play hard. Sometimes you got to turn it off.

Absolutely. Absolutely, man. I could talk with you forever. I know you got stories that are going crazy. We might have to do a part two where we just do story time with Uncle Pack.

Oh, I got some stories. I got a lot of stories. But I would be remissed if I didn't give you props and give you your flowers for this. Again, people that know the real Pac-Man, that know Pack that you allow to know you, all will say this. One of the greatest fathers, one of the greatest mentors. Like Pat does so much in the community that he does not talk about.

Yeah. Um because you genuinely care about kids, man. And like I want to give you just the floor to talk about the things that you do in the community or the things that you do for kids, man. Because

for that, bro. That's my calling. Like I was one of those kids who lost his dad early, stayed stayed with my grandma. Um I ain't gonna We wasn't hurting them. I I'll say that. Like my grandma, we was the bootleggers. So like everything went through 146, which was our apartment number.

Y but um I seen her work so hard, bro. Like and try to do everything to provide for us. But like I've seen other kids in in in Boat Rock or Bankhead that didn't have that who dad was gone away, who dad was incarcerated, who mama was a crackhead. Like I've seen a lot of [ __ ] during my younger age that was just so crazy that I'd be like, "Damn, if I can if I if I was back as a adult, I would have I would have grabbed them." You know what I mean? I didn't have the means to grab. But now, like I truly think that my my calling are the kids.

Like if I can help and if if I and you know you can't help everybody but my relationship like here I take care of damn near 40 kids. We travel all the way around the country play football. My best friend passed away.

I had all his kids here. Yep. I got my own kids who I love dearly. But like my true calling is I think with the kids. The reason why I'm saying this cuz I'm burnable. I'm not scared to admit when I make a mistake.

Oh, oh, Dad sent you on the news yesterday. Yeah, I had I shouldn't have been drinking. I had a little bit too much to drink. That's why you don't need to drink. And yeah, I just tell him to [ __ ] off and he got mad. So, he locked me up.

Mhm. And some parents are not willing to admit their mistakes because they don't want to be shamed on, I guess. But I live in the glass house. Like everything I do, if I go outside right now and take a piss, it's gonna be on channel 5, 2, 12, 11, and 19.

Yep. So I've used kind of switch their narrative to like, all right, I can touch every kid cuz everybody gonna make a mistake. Somebody during your journey of life, you're gonna make some mistakes. But if you can capitalize off the mistakes and flip some of those into a positive and if you even if you don't and you have to go through something, but you come back out fighting, that's the definition of a man. That's the definition of a winner. You get what I'm saying? It's just like playing a game. You ain't going to win every football game. you are going to get a flag sometimes for whatever the cause may be, but like at the end of the day, you got to have a a a quick um uh I I got to forget about the last play.

Yeah. And I ain't saying that in everything. Like some things I'll be like, "God damn, Pat, why you just couldn't shut the [ __ ] up?" But

most of the things you be like, "All right, I know what this is. I know how I know how they they trying to make this beat." M

um for instance, I used the example in Dallas. You know, I'm minding my own business. I get approached by a Mexican guy. He was pretty drunk. Call me out my name. Boom boom boom boom. This that. So I I said, "Hey, bro. You got two more times to do this or we going to step outside. I'm going beat your [ __ ] ass." Here comes the police. I'm like, "Yo, you need to get him. Stop [ __ ] talking to me. He calling me D. And so he went to do this. I smacked his hand down. Here I go straight to jail.

Yeah. And I do this from the officer in Dallas. Oh, now you're assaulting the officer. Then a week, two weeks later, everything get dismissed. But on the news to make a headline,

right? Oh, here you go again. D, you just punch somebody in the club, which is [ __ ] a total false [ __ ] accolization. Yep.

So, I'm I'm I'm more vulnerable because I don't want my son and all these kids that that that's I'm taking care of not know how to play the game

because the game is to be played regardless of what anybody say. Like now I have to keep security with me everywhere I go.

Like I have to have a second opinion with me, right? Like I don't drive nowhere by myself.

Yep. Like, and it's sad, but like I I ain't going to say I put myself in this situation, but for what it may be, I did have I meant to the [ __ ] that I've done, too. But like, you got to learn how to play the game. I got to have somebody with me at all times so I can have a second eye. If not, I don't know what this person intention of doing or what he's what his narrative of doing about any situation. So, like that's my main thing, man. And I love I I love kids, bro. Like I want I want all these kids to be better than me. Like all of them. Like I I I sponsored three, four football teams, soccer teams. Um I had a gym over here where I'm at, but they didn't really understand the sports because we in like a whitey whitey whitey area. So um I'm opening up another gym. um not too far from like the middle of the city so um I can get back. It's it's gonna be called D1, too.

I'm doing it with D1. But yeah, man. My my job is to be a sponge for the kids so they can soak up everything I went through, the good and the bad. And if you do it right, it'll help you. Like you can take these little pieces that I was taking from everybody and trying to build what I'm what I was trying to build.

Yeah. And it'll help. And a lot, bro. It's it'd be sad like some of these kids like don't even have a bed to sleep in. Like up here where we at like

you go over to the house just to deliver a Christmas gift to surprise them. Like all right, I'm bring you a PlayStation. Don't even know I'm coming and don't even want me to walk in. That's how bad the houses be. You know what I mean?

Yeah. I do a thing called check in. Like why with my players, I just pop up. You don't never know when I'm pop up. But I want to see what's in the refrigerator.

Yeah. You will be surprised, bro, when you see some of these kids and the way they're living. You like, god damn. Like, and the parents won't ask for help because they don't want all of they nobody to know their [ __ ] But I'm like, I'm a private person. Like, I'm not doing this to First of all, I don't even like half of the [ __ ] that I do. I don't even tell the media.

Yeah. Because then it look like, oh, Pack trying to do this to No, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no. But you [ __ ] don't even know 90% of what I done gave or giving to the to the family. Now I'm talking about Cincinnati wise now because I do a lot of stuff in Cincinnati.

Yeah. And I still do a lot of stuff in Atlanta, too. But like Yeah. Yeah. Y'all know about the bike drives and all that. I give a 100 bikes away every Christmas. But y'all don't see everything else that I do

on the daily when it comes to our community and and helping these kids out. But I do that because I ain't have nobody to do it for me, man. And I ain't saying that it ain't other people that is doing this. But like what I'm trying to do for the community and you hear kids talk about it like a lot of kids now, you know, with social media, um, NIL deal. Um, I've had, "Hey, man. Do you mind me talking about what you did for me?" To a certain extent, yeah, but to a certain extent, no. cuz I didn't do it for that. I did it for you to be where you at. Now you got a full ride at the University of Kentucky. Now you getting paid $250,000.

Another one. Now you getting paid a million dollar. Now you got a Adidas deal. Like that's why,

you know what I mean? Those are stories people don't know about you, man. And again, I'm not I'm not going to go into the details of it, but that's why I [ __ ] love you, bro. Like to see what you do with intention. I think that's what people miss, right? Because you know it's the truth. There's a lot of people that do it for the attention.

Yeah. And and they only do it when the cameras are around or the phones are out, right? Like you see it. I see it. You do it with intention, man. And and most of it goes unseen. And that's why I freaking love it because you don't care. You care about the person on the other end. And that's what matters.

Yeah, I do, man. Um I just did a thing for Christmas and my my group. Uh shout out to Val. We was talking about uh all right, we gonna go down and get the homeless some coats and feed them food. I'm like, they don't want no [ __ ] coats and food. They want some money,

right? Let's go and get $10,000 out the bank and give every last one of them $10.

There you go. And maybe a blanket. The food, they don't really care about the food. They going to find the food. Now, what they do with the money, that's on them. Like, I can't control what they do cuz I ain't That's not why I'm doing it.

Yeah. I'm doing it because this is out of the kindness of my heart. And hey, maybe one of y'all might take advantage of this, maybe one of y'all won't.

But like that's the reason like why I do certain things the way I do it. And like my team be on my ass like, "Bro, why don't you just tell people what you doing?" And I'm like, "No." Like, "No,

not about that. No, I'm not about that." Like certain [ __ ] I will tell them, you know what I mean? when it come to organizations and stuff like that. But me personally, my intent of doing it is because I come from this. I come from the struggle. I come from not having [ __ ] I've come from a people around me not having [ __ ] You know what I mean? And like you never know, bro. Like I got this one family that was pretty bad. And the mama just like I just need to get over the hump. I like, "What's it going to take to get over the hump?" She like, "Well, my rent is $420."

I said, "All right, so what are you saying it's going to take for you to get over the hump?" She like, "Just maybe help me out for a month." And I won't say the people name. And um I paid the rent for the whole year. I was like, "So you can keep every one of your checks. I pay your rent for the whole year." And now she is working for a Fortune 500 company that moved from the house that she's in. got her own little side cleaning business and like that's what we doing it for, bro. Like and no, you don't owe me [ __ ] like this is this is like this is what somebody this is what I was I got to see

right from some of the kids that I had a chance to play with that was pretty wealthy

because I was playing sports that was doing for me the Karen Fox dad like taking me in like a pack let's help you get over the hump like so

that's why I do it bro like cuz without the families that I've had that's been in my life I pro I wouldn't be in the same situation I agree. I agree. Man, I know you're busy. I know you got to run. I'm gonna get you out here with my rapid fire quick five.

Rapid fire. You ready? Yeah. All right. Favorite NFL city to play in. Miami. All right. Your favorite flavor of wings from Magic City?

Hot sprinkled with lemon pepper. There you go. The best teammate you ever had? Montes Ber. Greatest NFL player of all time.

Lawrence Taylor. Love it. Most overrated NFL player according to Pac-Man. Most overrated NFL of all time.

Of all time. All time. However you want to give it to me. I don't care. Right now, all time. It don't matter.

All time. Most. Steve Smith. We'll let you tell why on episode two. How about that?

I with that. Pat, bro, love you like a brother. You are my brother. You already know this, but if there's ever anything I can do, I'm here. Um, this has been an honor just to spend time with you, bro.

Man, I appreciate you for having me, man. Um, and I hope this can get to somebody, you know what I mean, that that might need this. You know what I mean? And mental health is real. I want to say that before we get off here, bro.

Yeah. Make sure y'all checking on your mental. Like, it's okay to talk to somebody. We all go through something to get to something. Um, I'm a big mental health guy. Like, my family is big in bipolar um disorder. So, like, check on yourself. And it's okay to go get checked in to check on yourself. It's okay to talk to somebody and express how you feel. Um, so don't don't don't put no shame, guilt, and don't don't be scared to be vulnerable when you going and and talking to these people and tell the truth because it's the only way you're going to get some help.

I love it. I love it. Ladies and gentlemen, this has been Pac-Man Jones. And always remember, your because is your superpower. Go unleash it. You've been plugged into Mick Unplugged. Don't just listen, take action. Rate and subscribe. Follow me on social and get the full experience at mickhuntofficial.com. Keep building, keep leading, and most importantly, keep dominating.

Questions about this episode

Who speaks in "The Unapologetic Truth: Resilience & Redemption from Adam Pacman Jones"?

Adam Pac-Man Jones (Guest), Pat (last name not provided in transcript) (Host).

What is "The Unapologetic Truth: Resilience & Redemption from Adam Pacman Jones" about?

Adam Pacman Jones reflects on his upbringing in Atlanta, his rise as a premier athlete, and the forces that shaped his resilience, leadership, and perspectives on redemption, including his decisions around leaving the Titans and his impact as a mentor. The discussion highlights his place among Atlanta’s all-time greats, his mentorship work, and his view of NFL greatness.

What is mentioned in this Mick Unplugged Podcast episode?

29 people, works and ideas are mentioned, including Quincy Jones, Atlanta, Mick Hunt, NFL, West Virginia, Red Fox. Each one on this page links to its own page with every episode that mentions it.

How long is "The Unapologetic Truth: Resilience & Redemption from Adam Pacman Jones"?

The episode runs 44 min; the transcript is about 8,468 words in 134 timestamped sections.

More from Mick Unplugged Podcast

About this transcript: the episode's spoken words as captioned on YouTube, split into timestamped sections. Reclip.Me locates every person, work and idea in the text, keeps the time it is first named, and quotes the words around it verbatim. Last updated October 29, 2026.