Evening Addicts. You may remember earlier today I mentioned I would have some exclusive content for you all. Well, we hit a bit of a snag and were delayed but we got it together and I am going to go ahead and post this now.
This evening I was given the opportunity to sit down with Chiefs 3rd round draft choice Tony Moeaki. Pronounced “MO-ee-AH-kee.”
The Chiefs had already made their 3rd round choice when they selected Jon Asamoah on the 2nd day of the 2010 NFL Draft. Suddenly, near the end of he 3rd round, the Chiefs traded away their 4th round pick as well as a 5th round selection, to move back in to the 3rd round to snag a TE our of Iowa by the name of Tony Moeaki in what was probably the most controversial move in the entire Chiefs draft.
I asked Tony about that and more in this Arrowhead Addict exclusive interview.
How does it feel to be a Kansas City Chief?
“Feels good. I’m happy with the way thinks turned out. I know the Chiefs traded up to take me. I’m just really pumped that they did that. I’m just really excited.”
Did you have a feeling that the Chiefs were going to be the team that picked you?
“You know, I knew they were interested but you know it’s the NFL draft, and anything can happen. I had a lot of teams fly me out so it’s hard to say that I knew I was going to go to the Chiefs.”
More with Tony after the jump.
On draft day I know a lot of Chiefs fans were a little bit shocked. The team had made out 3rd round selection in Jon Asamoah. Then suddenly they were back in to the 3rd round and they called your name at the podium. It all happened very fast. How did it make you feel that the Chiefs wanted you bad enough that they were willing to trade back up to make sure you didn’t go to another team?
“Like you said, it happened really fast. It was the same for me. I was sitting watching and the Chiefs traded up and as soon as I saw that I got a phone call and it was the Chiefs. I’m just really excited, like I said.”
What did Scott Pioli say to you when he called and told you that you were about to be drafted?
“I don’t recall exactly what he said but, I mean, he wants to win and that with the Chiefs, we’re gonna work out butt off and there is going to be no other way. We’re just going to get ready to come in and work hard.”
You had your first experience as a pro in the rookie mini camp a couple of weeks ago. What was it like stepping in to that environment for the first time?
“It was great and was a good learning experience. It was a nice chance to get out feet wet and kind of see what to expect when we come back. We worked hard and it was good, like I said, to get our feet wet.”
The Chiefs are known to throw a lot of information at their rookies during the mini camp. Did you find that overwhelming or were you able to absorb all the new information they were giving you pretty quickly?
“Yeah, they did, a lot. But, you know, at the end of the day, its football. When I was a freshman at the University of Iowa, it was the same thing, you know you get thrown a ton of different stuff and you just have to get studying, studying your playbook and learn the plays and at the end of the day its football and you just gotta make it work.”
I do know that some of the concerns a lot of Chiefs fans have is that you had a lot of injury concerns in college. I have also read that concerns about your durability may have hurt your draft stock. Do you worry that your injury issues will follow you into the pros?
“I feel great, you know, I feel like that stuff was years and years ago. I’ve been healthy for a long time and I feel great. That is something that is behind me and I am looking forward.”
The Chiefs have had one, very good TE over the years. You may have heard of him?
(laughs) “Yeah.”
Now, Gonzalez has only been gone for a year now. He is now playing in Atlanta and you guys will actually see him in the preseason. It will be the first time the Chiefs have played against Gonzalez since he left the team. What is it like to be stepping in to a position that was recently occupied by probably the best TE to ever play the game?
“I mean, obviously Tony Gonzalez played TE very well for the Chiefs. He’s a future Hall of Famer but you know, I’m just a rookie and I’m just trying to make the team. He has done ridiculous things in his career and I am just fortunate to be in the NFL period. I’m just going to work my but off and see what happens.”
Do you see yourself as more of a pass catching TE, a blocking TE or do you see yourself as just an all around guy?
“I try to be an all around guy. I just want to do as many things as possible to help my team win, whether that team is Iowa or now its the Chiefs. I just want to do whatever the coaches ask me to do and try to do it the best I can. I just try to do everything.”
Your first regular season action could come on Monday Night Football when the Chiefs take on the Chargers. Are you excited that the first time you might step on the field in a regular season game as a pro, it will be on the national stage?
“Right now, I just hope I am on the roster.” (laughs)
I know that coach Todd Haley has you on a pretty strict workout routine and that you will have to pass a conditioning test but we hope that doesn’t prevent you from having a little bit of that famous KC BBQ.
(laughs)
So did you get to have any while you were in town for rookie camp?
“I did not get to have any. I have been hearing great things about the Kansas City BBQ so I’ll try and check it out but at the same time I’ll try to keep it to one trip…”
Right. I know a couple of guys didn’t pass their conditioning test last year and it wasn’t pretty from what I understand. I think Glenn Dorsey had some trouble the first time around, you might have to ask him about that.
(laughs)
Well the guys at Arrowhead Addict, they’d kill me if we didn’t give you some BBQ recommendations so I asked around. They said the famous places you will want to check out are Gates and Arthur Bryant’s. The dark horse recommendation from one of the locals was that you should definitly look into Winslows. That is just a little advice from the Arrowhead Addicts.
(laughs)
They want to make sure you are well fed.
Well Tony, we really appreciate you sitting down to talk with us tonght. It is really great for our readers to get a chance to hear directly from a player so thanks a lot for giving me a call tonight.
“Yeah, no problem.”
Good luck and knock em’ dead for us. Have a good camp!