Slingin it with QB Velocity #2: Super Bowl Champion Running Back Robert Turbin

For Season 3 Episode 2 of Slingin It with QB Velocity we got the chance to speak with current FCF player Running Back Robert Turbin.

Robert was drafted in the Fourth round of the 2012 NFL Draft by the Seattle Seahawks. He has played for the Seahawks, Browns, Cowboys, and Colts in his time in the NFL. Now he is in the FCF playing for the Beast co-owned by Marshawn Lynch.

We got to talk about how the FCF is a new and exciting league, how NFL should give chances to more players, the talent level in the league, the draft process, and his time with Bobby Wagner.

Be sure to check out the full podcast on YouTube, Apple, Spotify or anywhere else you listen to podcasts!

What made you want to play in the FCF?

I love football. I want to continue to play. You know the last couple years of my career, you know, didn't go the way that you know I would have liked it too, and that's just kind of part of it, right? You know, a lot of us have things kind of go through some of those. You know, down years per say, for lack of a better word, and you know, for me, it's just trying to find creative ways to continue my career.

You know, I feel like I can still contribute to an NFL team in the NFL roster, and I certainly. You know, for like I still have a lot of game left in me. I work very hard, you know, on a daily basis, and I've done, you know, pretty much everything that I that I possibly could do on my part to get another opportunity. And it didn't transpire, in 2020 it happened at the end of the year in 2019, but didn't really get any opportunities to carry the rock or anything like that, right? Or make it impact? So, you know, coming playing in the fan Control Football League I thought would be, you know, creative way to do a couple of things.

Number one obviously get filmed in pads. You know, hidden guys in it, you know, in a game environment and go out there and making some plays and then on the other hand. of mine or two even to partner with this league and create some sort of sponsorship and stuff like that where we can all eat and so it's I thought would be a good opportunity all the way around.

Where do you see this league ending up?

Man, I think it's gonna do nothing but grow. I mean if you think about where the world is going, you know as pertains to virtual and twitch right online and eat, you know, E games and stuff like that, right? And having a League where the fans are in control? It's different, you know it's out. It's outside of the box, and so I. I first see that the League continuing to grow, and you know it does create opportunities. You know for young players there really any player to have an opportunity next level. What it every may be the NFL or CFL you know, etc.

And so, when you have a combination of that where you're allowing guys to build their own brands in any way that they want, I mean, like the gloves that we where is owned by company by one of the players here, you know he, he's the one that makes these gloves so that you know you have creative opportunities like that for players. Then obviously there's a football aspect everywhere you have.

NFL scouts coming CFL scouts coming. You know, being able to watch these guys practice and workout do some of the drills and obviously watch the tape to playing the game, which is really where you're able to establish your resume. It's you know it's a great opportunity, you know they've been able to create this bubble.

You know we saw the other leagues, the AAF. You know, was enough. But they had to shut down their season as well. Similarly, to the AF, you know, do the code and everything like that, but I still got an opportunity from that League. But then you come to the SF, the excluding the FCF they've been able to establish a bubble.

They've been able to establish, you know, a minimal number of guys to stay here and be committed and follow the protocols and everything like that. They're giving we're getting covid tests every other day downstairs in the lobby. In the mornings, you know they've got the weight room set up the kitchen and everything like that. It's so organized, so you know that's why this League, Compared to the other, leagues have been able to finish the season.

I'm sure you know, as they were putting this together, they were learning right along the way, but they're blocking me a exit felon. Seeing some of the mistakes that they made, perhaps right, and they're like, OK, we go into it here, something that we can do different, so we don't make those same mistakes and so. you know we had that kind of organization and guys you know who are willing to learn and adjust and do things on the fly and stuff like that it only it only makes him through your league to grow.

It seems like the FCF is a well runed league?

No, it is. It is like I said, like you know, there's some things they can iron out. You know if they don't have all the rules right ironed out yet another change in the rules every week. And you got guys changing teams. You know every week. I don't know how you know how good or bad that is. You know for the League. and so, you know there's certainly some things that can be ironed out but for the most part you know I would agree with you, but it's well run.

Every other league has a developmental league, and the NFL doesn’t.

You know well. The NFL is It's so Independent. It's, you know, like you, we you saw those reports, right? The CFL and the XFL are looking to partner. Yes, you're doing this right. Because they know that together they can do more. You know they can.

They can be more successful, and more players can have opportunities. You know what I mean? And it just seems like the NFL is so like really it though you know like and it's just like they don't wanna open their hearts up to like do stuff like that for whatever reason.

You know I don't know I can't pinpoint it but. It's really disappointing that they wouldn't be willing to partner with the XFL or the CFL, or something like that and really get given up and give guys in opportunity, especially in a year like this a couple of years like this right where it's hard for young players to get opportunities. That's why a lot of them are here in the FCS. Or batteries for that matter, right? some sort of developmental

Guys they get cut, you know because of Roster spots and things like that. I mean wow these guys. They go home in a train, but instead of going home and training. You can be playing football.

Yeah, be in the developmental League and instead of calling a guy and having to work out and do drills that don't even tell you whether or not a guy could play football at night, you can actually see him playing football on film in the developmental League and you can grab him from there. Just like the NBA does. It would be better if they did that, but you know the NFL there. There's something there just. You know, talk too much about him, but.

When you really don’t have the developmental league, you're close minded about those guys out there that can really make a difference.

I mean there, that's a good way to put it, you know just being close minded, you know. And it's just almost like either make it or you don't. So, grow you know which is. You know, I get it. You know some businesses or like that you know.

But when you're talking about sports, you talking about people who. This is one of the lifetimes, I mean most. Careers you can do forever. You know, I mean you can. You can be a dentist for a long time and make millions of dollars, etc.

You know other you can coach for a long time, you know, and then it'll be very successful in an Anna coding career amongst other industries. Man. But playing sports is such a small window. Not, you know, when I opened up your hearts meant to provide every opportunity possible for these people to be able to succeed.

Do you see the FCF picking up anymore NFL players?

Probably not this. I mean, we only got one game left, but. I could see it happening, I could see it start to happen going into the next season and you know in the future and stuff like that. I mean, you know it's about creating opportunity, you know. And obviously for the bigger the name you know that they can. They can bring to the League.

Back on like 50 underline or something like that? Right? Again, to the red zone at Goal line area. You know that field is shorter. You know you gotta call some different plays, you know?

And then obviously you know they're drafting players, you know, and getting to know players and things like that. And so, they get you know, somewhat of a business aspect. of the league then obviously as a player just getting on social media getting on twitter saying what's up and responding to DMS and app messages and things like that I mean it's really cool.

What is the talent level like in the FCF?

You know the town level. These guys work really hard. You'd be surprised at how much talent there is here. These guys, man, you know good speed and really competitive. You know everybody's talking about who's the fastest guy.

You know they do these challenges. You know who? Who can you know Rep 225 the most and things like that is really competitive environment that you really enjoy it. So, some great competition and has some great guys with a lot of great abilities here.

One of the guys that that have stood out to me though is a wide receiver with his name is. Andrew Jamiel, he stood out to me and it also the other ride receiver. I think his name is turf. Last name, is it? I think it's Turpin. Turf and lot of grace, and he you know he.

He's like always open is like he's like nobody can guard up and then and then Q, who's the quarterback for the beast #9 stood out and one more guy to that just really took my yesterday was the quarterback for the. I think it was the glaciers #3 I can't. I can't think of his name. David Kendall yeah. a lot a lot of great talent here.

What was your pre-draft experience like?

Crazy because you know I didn't have any experience that have anybody around me with any experience to kind of tell me how to prepare or anything like that, but it was an exciting time. Is the one of the most exciting times in my life where I am.

My dream is getting ready to come true. I'm getting ready for the draft and. Getting ready for the Combine and so I was in Arizona training at the time and preparing myself. For that, and then when that was done, you know, obviously, you know, went home and was just with my family and loved ones and having kind of getting closer to the draft and getting prepared for it.

And it was just it was a unique experience because it was just like man that is just, you know, just really gonna get this going to come true. Right now. And man, you know I end up getting drafted in fourth round.

Like it was yesterday, you know. I mean, my, my dream really came true, you know. And I was excited. There was a lot of emotion that went on, you know, with that and full feeling in it affect that it had on my life, you know. But I was happy. You know, I was one of the more happy times that I've ever had in my life, really and. never forget those moments.

You and Bobby Wagner going together, did you think that helped you?

Bobby is a bro man and so we definitely held each other to a very high standard. You know we took on Utah State we wanted to be the leaders of that football team and that you know that program. And you know, we took it very seriously.

We knew where we were at and we were up against high competition. That's why I went to Utah State. I wanted that challenge. I wanted the challenge of going to a school that had had very much success.

Being a difference maker not falling into doing what everybody else does because it's college but just being different, you know, said the standard so that we could, you know, make a change here in this program that we can flip this thing around and become a winning.

You know program and have a tradition of winning. you know bobby and I were the same mindset throughout our years how Utah state throughout our years Utah state you know doing work that that you do with nobody's watching you know when you're not supposed to be working when it started schedule workout right.