Collected wisdom: Jammal Brown, Sooner in the NFL

Interviewed by Jenni Carlson

Published: January 21, 2007

Jammal Brown has been a standout at every level, first in high school at Lawton MacArthur, then in college at Oklahoma and now in the NFL with New Orleans. Despite making the switch from right to left tackle and being asked to protect the quarterback's blind side in only his second year, Brown was named All Pro. He's still such a league newbie he didn't even know it was that big of a deal. After Hurricane Katrina destroyed his house and decimated his rookie season, Brown has persevered and helped the Saints into today's NFC title game in Chicago.

I actually didn't hear about (being named All Pro). Everybody just started texting me and telling me. I didn't even know what it was. I thought the Pro Bowl was the same thing.

I look up to Walter Jones, left tackle for Seattle. So, I thought definitely he'd be a guy on it, but he wasn't. It feels good that everyone thinks I'm doing a good job in only my second year.

It's been a tough thing to do, make the switch. I kind of wasn't up for it because of the whole deal of learning a new offense. I didn't want to learn a new position at the same time. I was thinking maybe some time on down the line. But Coach Payton ... he said he thought I could do it, so let's go ahead and get it done now.

I like to play a perfect game. When I do mess up, I'm always hard on myself. I always think that I can do better, but when you look at the statistics and the sacks that we gave up as an offensive line ... we've all had a pretty good year. All five guys across the front.

It was tough being a rookie, trying to get yourself oriented in a new city, buy a nice house. Then the hurricane roars in. Just being in a situation with the hurricane and us not having a good year and having to play every game on the road and me being a rookie and starting and going against all these great guys — Michael Strahan, Julius Peppers — it was real, real tough.

I had an unfair rookie year.

Losing my house, that wasn't hard for me. That's just a lot of material stuff. I was sad that it happened, but I recognize that a lot of other people had it a lot worse.

My second year is my rookie year all over again. I'm just now getting to be here and get acquainted with the city. The people were so excited. Us playing in the Superdome was just great. This was like the first positive thing that they could embrace since the hurricane. That's what was so exciting for us, that they were so, so, so excited.

College is a lot more fun from a personal aspect. Coming out of college, you can't wait to get to this point, but honestly, it's the best time of your life. You've got guys that you're going to be around them five years no matter what. Here, you have a buddy. That next day, he could be traded, cut, gone or whatnot. It's just more business at the pro level than college.

The NFL ... you see all these stars, guys I watched on TV. I thought these guys were so, so great. Now that I'm practicing with them, they mess up just like we mess up.

When I got to the pros, I thought, "My God, everybody's going to be so perfect. Nobody's going to mess up.” Everybody still has to work hard at this level. Everybody still has to practice hard at this level.

We play so many games. You have to train your body. Your body has to get used to these longer seasons. I'm used to being free around this time.

New Orleans had faith in us. Everybody's just really excited about our chances. Having a guy like Reggie Bush and a guy like Drew Brees and then a guy like Sean Payton coming in ... everybody's just really excited. It's crazy.