The Sam Acho Podcast

Sam Acho: Welcome back to the Sam
Acho podcast featuring Cliff Marshall.

This is a place and a
space where we go first.

We give space and we grow hope.

We talk about faith, family,
football, and finances.

And today we have a very,
very special guest and as we

usually do on most episodes.

Clif, please introduce our special guest.

Clif Marshall: Yes, Sam, we are
so fired up today because we

have Casey Phillips with us.

Casey is a Mizzou Tiger alumni.

She's a current reporter
for the Tampa Bay Bucks.

She has also spent time with the
La Rams and the Washington Wizards.

She loves Jesus, and we are thrilled to
have her on the Sam Acho podcast today.

So Casey, thank you for being here.

Casey Phillips: Oh, thank you
guys so much for having me.

I am so excited to be here.

And, uh, yeah, just Sam was a, a light.

In the building here in
Tampa when he was here.

So just so pumped to watch him now
with the broadcast career and to get a

chance to be, be a part of the podcast.

I feel like the roles have reversed here.

Sam Acho: Uh, no, I, before we
press record, I said, Casey,

I need you to give me a grade.

So like, hindsight, people don't know.

And I, it didn't dawn on me or occur to
me until we were about to press record,

but Tampa Bay was the last place that I
played in the NFL, so I played nine years

in the NFL and my last year, the last
half of the season, I thought my career

was, then I was ready to retire and move
on and, and just move on with my life.

I got a call from.

From Bruce Ens, who was my coach
in, in Arizona, but fast forward,

he was the coach in Tampa Bay.

And I mean, so much so where, you know,
my time in Chicago would come to an end.

I had a, I tore my pec,
I was out for the year.

I had a, you know, signed a
multi-year deal, but I got cut

one year into my two year deal.

First time it'd ever been
cut, we'd went to Buffalo.

I was training with the bills.

I was in training camp, right?

Playing with Josh Allen
and all these guys.

And I got cut from the bills.

At this point, I'm like,
dude, what is going on?

And I'm ready to be done.

I remember telling my wife like, Hey
babe, let's just hang it up, right?

Like let's just be done, move on.

And she, she says, I don't think
that God's done with us yet.

And I'm like, well, I pray too.

So like, how are you supposed to?

But fast, fast forward, we stayed
in Buffalo for about, and I haven't

shared this story a ton, but we
stayed Buffalo for about two months

and I kind of made this deal.

I said, you know what?

I told my wife, I said, babe.

I will stay here until it gets cold.

And when it gets cold, I'm, I'm
going back to, you know, we had a,

there's like some venture capital
stuff I was gonna go do also, I'm

gonna go do that and start a new life.

And so essentially like it got cold
and so we packed up all our stuff.

We had just purchased the home that
we were renting in Chicago before

when I was playing with the Bears.

We, we purchased it and so we were
gonna put it on the market, rent

it out through some real estate
stuff, and we drove back to Chicago.

It was my first time.

If you wa wanna say it that
way, like away from football.

We drove on a, I think I had the
conversation with her on a Friday, Hey,

let's be done on Saturday, we drive
back to Chicago, right from Buffalo

to Chicago, I don't know how many, 8,
10, 12 hours, whatever the drive was.

And on Sunday morning I couldn't even
watch the NFLI, I mean, it was just like

I was, that whole season, I've been angry
and frustrated and upset and confused.

I mean, just all the different
emotions of, of losing something that

you'd spent your whole life doing.

And, and I remember it was on
that Sunday, and on the Monday I

was going to move to Minnesota.

My buddy had this opportunity for
me and some venture capital stuff,

and I was like, boom, let's do it.

And I had a flight on Monday at like
4:00 PM as most people know, Casey, you

know this cliff, you know this, you spent
three decades in, in the sports world.

Sunday is when the NFL games are played,
and if people get injured, you don't

know about their injuries until Monday
when they go get their MRIs, et cetera.

So.

I called, I, I fired my agent.

So I was the one calling teams.

I spent two months calling teams.

Nobody was picking up nothing.

And all of a sudden, Monday
afternoon around one or 2:00 PM

I get a call from, from someone
with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

Uh, Q is actually, Q called me, uh,
and he said, Hey, Sam, as you know,

we have four outside linebackers.

Two of them got injured
in the game yesterday.

Do you want to come and work out?

Mind you, I had like made the
decision in my mind that I was

gonna be done, but at that moment,
he, he said, do you wanna work out?

And I remember my, my, I
mean, he's six now, but he was

one at the time was crying.

Crying.

I was trying to register our washing
machine that we were gonna, you know,

for the, you know, and all of a sudden
I said, Hey, can I call you back?

I said, can I call you back?

Mind you, and it wasn't because I didn't
wanna go to Tampa, but it was really

just this idea of like, Hey, God, I,
I wanted to go out on my own terms.

I wanted to say hi.

I said no to the NFL.

What if this is my opportunity
to say no to the NFL?

Well, I remember, uh, I
said, lemme call you back.

I said, oh, I get it.

You know, I hear your baby
crying in the background, but

yeah, sure, gimme a call back.

I prayed and I felt, I think
our listeners would resonate.

Casey, you resonate, cliff.

It's like this.

I felt, I felt this kind
of like voice, if you will.

It felt something that
was just like, say yes.

Say yes.

And I remember going downstairs
and sharing with my wife and, and

she kind of gave the thumbs up.

I had a, you know, my, my 10 year old's
probably six at the time, I'm like,

Hey, do you want daddy to go play?

He's like, no, daddy, stay home sale.

You know, but I, but I said yes, and
I'd go and I worked out with Tampa Bay.

I signed with Tampa Band.

I spent, I spent the last eight games
of the season with the Buccaneers

playing on defense on special teams.

And that was when I got a
chance to meet Casey and Casey.

You started off this podcast
by saying that I was a light.

In the locker room and in the city
you are a light in the locker room and

in the city and in everything you do
within, at the stadium, at the facility.

I mean, I didn't know a lot of people
who were following Jesus on the team.

I just didn't know that team was
a very young team, and it was kind

of, the culture was different.

I felt, I thought my, my, my purpose
there was just to kind of help lead

and guide some of the younger players.

But you stuck out Casey and I, I don't
even, like I said, I don't even know

how I knew that you were a follower
of Jesus, but something about you.

To, and so I'm so honored.

That's my longwinded way of saying
thank you for joining the podcast.

Casey Phillips: Oh,
well, thank you so much.

I mean, I can't think of a better
compliment than what you just

said, and, and I appreciate it.

I, I don't know for sure how you knew.

My guess is.

A lot of times, you know, new player
comes in and my job is to just, you know,

professionally creep on Google to like
learn all the things about everybody.

And uh, so I know that, you know,
when I researched you, when you joined

that I knew that you were a believer.

And so usually when that happens, if
like I've seen that a player is outspoken

about it, I will usually then like
approach to just say like, Hey, me too.

Like, let me know if you need a church.

Let me know if you need this just to,
especially when you're new, like, I

always like guys to know, hey, like.

I'm here for you in that, in that
area, if you need a church, if,

you know, if your wife needs a, a
place to take the kids on a Sunday

morning when you're playing whatever.

And so, um, I think I, I'm guessing I
most likely, you know, had one of those

moments with you of like, Hey, me too.

Um, but I wanted to show that
this is, you gave me this,

Sam Acho: Oh yes.

Casey Phillips: so this is,
you said five years ago, right?

Six.

Six.

It was 2019.

Does that sound right?

Yep.

Sam Acho: my last year.

Yep.

Five, six years ago.

Casey Phillips: So you gave a
bunch of the guys on the team.

One of these, you gave like the
whole locker room practically, like

these just showed up on every guy's
chair, whether they wanted it or not.

I think you were just like here and
then you were so kind and gave me one

as well, which I thought was so cool.

And it's been amazing because I
have literally been reading this.

For five years.

And what's really cool is there are
certain, I mean, I, I write and underline

all over it, but um, it was cool.

I got to tell my husband that
I was coming on with you.

I'm like, this is who gave me this Jesus
calling because there are days and years

I pull one up where I'll write the year.

Then the thing.

And so I get to track through the years
what I was like, what I got outta that

day, what I was praying about, and
then I've gotten to watch as answers

have come to the different things.

And so this is like one of
my most prized possessions.

And you were who gave it to
me, so thank you for that.

Sam Acho: oh my gosh.

That makes me so glad.

I'm, I'm starting to tear up a little
bit because like that book that Jesus

calling book, Casey, like that devotional
got me through like some seasons.

That book got, that devotional got
me through some seasons of life.

I mean, sure, some highs,
but those are some low lows.

Those I could talk about all the,
whether they're being released or being

injured and not knowing what was next.

It was almost just like, it's like
two paragraphs and a couple verses

and it's as if Jesus is speaking
to you and for whatever reason, and

you, you resonate with this as well.

It's like it's perfect timing.

It's perfect timing and so I
gotta pick, my mind got torn and

tattered and, and all these things.

I gotta pick mine back up, but
man, thank you for, for, for

sharing that and showing that.

Casey Phillips: I was, I was so glad
I remembered to, to bring it in.

But yeah, this thing is, it's so
true and like I think that is what's

so cool about a thing that you.

Go back to is how often we don't go
back to things to even always remember

and recognize when we got answers.

You know that we just get the answer
sometimes and move on and like remembering

both to be grateful, but then also the
next time that there is a challenge,

the next time there is a thing.

We've got that evidence, we've got that.

Well, I saw that this year.

This happened, man, this is back
when I was praying this for me.

Lemme tell you, there are some days
where I was praying for a husband in

this devotional and now I have him and
he has all the things I prayed for, and

I always love pointing that out to him.

Then I'm like, look at this babe.

I was really, I was really
praying about this one here.

So, um, yeah.

It's just so cool to have those moments
where you get those things answered

and those prayers answered to be able
to, then now, the next time you're

praying for something, it's like, well,
obviously like I look at all these,

look at all this evidence already.

Clif Marshall: Casey, it's abundantly
clear that the faith that you

have is so important to you.

I just wanted to know, you
know, is it something that.

Happened in your childhood or have
you, was you brought up in the

church or did you come to Christ a
little bit later on in your life?

What was your journey like?

Uh, you know, following Christ?

Casey Phillips: Yeah,
a little bit of both.

I was raised in the church.

I mean, like Sam, I'm a Texan.

You know how that is.

There's one on every one on every

Sam Acho: Every corner.

Casey Phillips: yeah, it's,
it's not, do you go to church?

It's where, right.

That was the, that was the question.

So, yeah, I mean, I
definitely grew up in church.

Um, I don't, I always say that it became
my own, I, in high school, that I went

to a youth group event and, uh, that
I got tricked into going to, 'cause

I was told there was barbecue there.

That's how they get you in Texas too.

They promised barbecue and I didn't
even know what I was going to and

it was the first time I ever heard
like contemporary Christian music.

'cause our church was very
hymns, pews, robes, formal stuff.

And um, I saw these people that
I knew from school raising their

hands, eyes are closed and I'm like.

What in the world is happening?

Like I was kind of weirded out by it.

I was like, I don't understand what's
going on, but these are all people that

I know and I know they're not crazy.

So like, what would be causing this?

And I started listening to the words of
the song and just trying to figure out

like what would make these people I.

React that way.

And just in that moment, I, I had the
first time ever this understanding

of God's love for me individually
and care for me and like the depth

of that and what that would mean.

And it just, I, I can't explain it, but it
just, that moment, that was it that I had.

It was the first really emotional
understanding and connection of

what a faith like this would mean
for me as compared to just, yeah,

we go to church, I check this box.

Um, and that was it, that
there was no looking back.

I think that was when I was about 14
or 15, and that's when it really became

a priority in my life from there.

Clif Marshall: Wow.

What?

Um, I think working in the NFL
Sam, you played in the NFL Casey.

You're in the NFL right now.

Um.

You know, I guess on game day, I
coached in the NFL Casey for a few

years with the Cincinnati Bengals.

You could see the, the
Bengals stuff behind me.

Uh, I've also spent time in college
basketball, so I've done both.

But I just know in the, in the
NFL, certainly on game day, I

used to see the players, you know,
pre pregame or postgame, and I

just know faith is so important.

Uh, the athletes and everybody
who works in the NFL, so to speak.

So, Casey, I guess for, for you,
how do you use, you know, your

faith in your career, uh, as a
reporter for the Tampa Bay Bucks?

Casey Phillips: Yeah.

For me it's always been really
important that, um, my faith is

shown in how I do everything that.

We're Christians 24/7 and I don't think
it has to mean beating people over the

head with it, but I just wanna know
that everything I do, if people find

out I'm a Christian, that that makes
sense in their mind for how I'm carrying

myself, and especially for me, it's
the way that, I mean, I am telling

people stories and there is nothing.

More personal than that.

More important than that is that I know
the trust that means of players and

coaches and people putting their, their
reputations, their stories, their public

image, sometimes in my hands when I do
these interviews and these podcasts.

And so for me it's that I.

I will always choose what I think is
the Godly way to handle and enter, you

know, a relationship with everybody here.

The types of questions I ask that
I'm never going to sacrifice, you

know, the way that I think God is
calling me to love him and love these

people, and it for the sake of views
or clicks or numbers like I want.

The way we handle an interview to
make whoever it was feel like they

were cared for and loved that.

So often athletes are not
treated like people, right?

That the way people talk about them
online, the way people treat them, I

want them to walk away feeling like
now the fans are gonna see their

humanity and what matters to them
and their family and their friends.

Um, so just making sure that I take
extreme care with how I treat all

my coworkers, how I treat everyone,
and how I tell their stories.

'cause I know that's.

That's a really big deal to be
putting that in my hands and, and I

also knew that for me, I was gonna
wanna invite players to go to church.

I was gonna wanna offer
to pray for players.

And if I have now done a story saying
all this negative stuff about you

or not being honorable and how I
did that, like, are you kidding?

Can you imagine?

I put out this story where I'm
like bashing some player and then

I'm like, Hey, by the way, do you
wanna go to church with me tomorrow?

They're gonna be like.

What, and I just knew that I wanted
the way I did my job to line up with,

if I was gonna invite them to church,
that there was no contradiction there.

Sam Acho: Casey, how do you, I'm gonna,
I know Cliff's got a couple, but I

media I from being a player now.

As you know, there's so much that
goes into clicks and likes and,

and and, and, and getting the, the,
being the first to tell a story.

What is your priority when
it comes to being successful?

And I wasn't gonna say in your job, but
like, I guess, how do you view success?

What do you view as success?

Casey Phillips: I think for
specifically my job, I view success as.

A couple things.

If I get the, the player, or especially
maybe their mom, to tell me that they

love how I portrayed them in something.

If I get a, if I get a player's family
member to say they love the interview

I did with their son or their brother
or whatever, I'm like, what a win.

And then it's also.

For me when like I had a, a mom message
me about her daughter who was asked to

a school assignment write a, a woman
that she wanted to be like someday.

And she picked me and
she sent me this essay.

Her daughter had written that
she was eight years old and that

why she wanted to be like me.

So then I think like, am I, do I
feel like I want her to be like me?

Is is success to me is that I can
say that I want that 8-year-old

girl to do everything that I do.

I would be happy about that,
that I would feel good about

that if she wants to be like me.

And so it's that I do my job in a
way that I feel like I've done it

in an honorable way where I can say
to the next generation of girls, do

like I did and feel good about that.

Um, and then that the players and
their families are happy with the

way that I've told their story.

Clif Marshall: Very good.

Casey, I have to ask, I see you
worked with the Washington Wizards

and now you're obviously in the
NFL with the Tampa Bay Bucks.

Um, again, I've spent time in
both football and basketball as a

strength and conditioning coach.

So I just gotta ask you, what, um,
did you enjoy more working in the

NBA or currently working in the NFL?

Casey Phillips: Ooh, that's tough.

Um, my schedule liked the NFL
better, let me tell you that.

That's for

Clif Marshall: Right.

Casey Phillips: Um, especially 'cause
when I was there, I was also covering

the Washington Mystics at the same time.

So we had no off season that we
went straight from NBA to WNBA.

And, um, that's part of why I
only lasted two years there is I

was like, I think I'm gonna die
if I continue in this trajectory.

So then I got an offer to go to the
NFL and I was like, oh, 17 at the

time, even 16 games compared to 80
something with, you know, the NBA

and then all those WNBA games later.

So I, I, from a schedule standpoint,
obviously NFL is is better,

but basketball was my love.

It's what I played.

It's, it's my favorite sport in the world.

So like.

And it was funny, I, I was more
starstruck covering the WNBA than

like the NBA or NFL because those were
so many of the women I had grown up.

Idolizing and watching and wanting
to be like, and, and so it's funny

how that was actually the times I had
to be like, Casey, get it together.

Like it's, it's all right.

Like, those were the people.

So I, I really loved getting to start
my career covering a sport that I

was so familiar with, that I felt
so knowledgeable about football.

I definitely had a lot I had
to learn once I got here.

So it took a lot of work from just an Xs
and Os standpoint, not having played it.

Um, but yeah, they both are
really cool in their own ways

of, I loved basketball, but.

Having 53 people to tell stories about
is really great as compared to only, you

know, we had at the time, it's like 12
guys on the team and only like nine were

actually dressing and playing even on any
given night or you know, more dressing.

But nine guys get in the rotation.

You got 80 something games.

You are just having to interview the
same guy over and over and over and over.

And whereas at least football,
you, you have more people to

choose from and, and more stories.

Sam Acho: Hmm.

Casey, how did you get into the industry?

Casey Phillips: Man, I, I am convinced
that God just wanted me to do this job.

'cause there are so many things
about it that I'm like, I, this

is wild how it all worked out.

But I knew when I was very young, I
wanted to do some form of broadcasting.

So I actually, I was just at my parents
this weekend and we found these old

photos of me anchoring the news at my
middle school when I was 11 and 12.

Um, but I, back then I
wanted to be Katie Couric.

And I think it's, especially
because that's what was like.

You just could see that more, that
there were more women doing that

kind of a broadcasting job than
there were on the sports side.

And people would even recommend
that, oh, you should be like Katie

Couric, you know, which is great.

But I think that's what
everyone kept kind of pushing.

And then, um, my high
school also had, um, a.

You know, kind of broadcast station at it
And my teacher for that class was like,

Hey, I give one student the chance to
interview for some internships every year.

I know this is what you actually wanna do.

And she goes, I wanna be
clear, you won't get them.

You're 17, you're gonna be
interviewing against college graduates.

Like it's just so you get
some experience in the door.

And she said, so I'm gonna let you
interview with the Dallas Mavericks

and with Fox Sports Southwest.

And I was like.

Why have I not thought about doing sports?

It was like this light bulb went off.

Like I played every sport.

I loved sports and I loved that it took
a woman also suggesting sports to me.

You know that, that at that time,
that just wasn't as much of a thing.

So I went and interviewed for
both internships and I got

both of them at 17, which is.

Again, I'm like, clearly God wanted
me to do this because I was not

necessarily the most qualified.

I'm sure I wasn't and I was 17,
but I went and did both them.

So I worked both internships that summer.

Um, and then from there it was
like I got in the door and I

just knew all these people.

So from 17 to 22.

I did Fox Sports Southwest, three
different summers, the Mavericks.

I did two different summers
with the Dallas Cowboys.

I did CBS in Dallas, two different
summers, all just from kind

of knowing everybody once you
get into that industry there.

Um, and then right as I was about
to finish college, I'm like, man,

I've done a thousand internships.

I'm finally gonna get paid to
do this career when I finish.

Uh, and I tore my ACL right
before graduating and I, oh God.

And I had some chats.

I was.

I was unhappy about this.

I was like, I don't understand.

You've always made it so clear.

This is what you want me to do.

Like how can this happen?

And, you know, 'cause to be a reporter,
especially right outta the gate, I

needed to be carrying all my camera
gear and shooting myself and, you

know, sitting down on the baseline,
I physically couldn't do the job.

So I took an internship with, uh, Disney
Sports pr, and I remember at the time.

Being terrified that that was
going to derail my whole career.

That you feel like if you get out of
broadcasting for any amount of time,

like it's just over before it started.

And, and I was so afraid I was gonna get
pigeonholed into just more the PR side.

And, um, but that internship, I, right
after I applied for the Wizards blindly,

didn't know anybody applied online.

I found out 300 other people applied
at least, and they gave it to me.

And I remember asking them like.

I'm thrilled you did.

Can you tell me why me?

And they said, well, you know,
everyone that applied had broadcast

experience, but because of your
work at Disney, you also had done

social media and PR and marketing.

And those are all things that
when you work for a team, you're

gonna have to do all of those.

So everyone had broadcast experience,
but only you had this thing.

And I just remember hearing,
God, I, I could pic I pictured

this expression of him going.

That's what I pictured where the thing
that I had been so mad and I, and I was

so frustrated and didn't understand the
plan, and to finally all of a sudden see

that like what I thought was gonna ruin.

Derailed his whole plan and career.

God knew that that was exactly
the thing that I needed to get it

started and it got me into this team
reporter route, which was just being

created at the time when I graduated.

These team reporter roles
didn't even really exist yet.

That one year I did at Disney was
when they started getting created,

and so my job with the Wizards and
then at the time, basically the

Wizards and Celtics were like the
only ones that had this team reporter.

Role and it let me break in,
right as these were being formed.

And so my job with the Wizards, my job
with the Rams, and then my job with

the Bucks, I was the first person to
get to have all three of them that they

were these brand new created roles.

And it just always made me think about
how like, man, God can open doors you

don't, like, I didn't even know to expect
these kind of jobs when I was in college.

And it just all worked
out perfectly timing wise.

Sam Acho: To me that sounds
Cliff, like a cliff note.

You know, usually when we do Casey on
this, on this podcast is, uh, cliff

shares his CliffNotes, and I know we're
not even close to being done yet, but

Cliff, what Cliff note do you have?

From what we just heard from Casey, I.

Clif Marshall: Well, I think she
just pretty much summed it up.

I think, uh, we work as if it's up to
us, but we pray as if it's up to God.

You know, like in our C career,
Sam, you as an NFL player, KCU as

a NFL, broadcaster and Reporter.

I mean, it's, and even me as a coach,
you can reflect back on your journey.

You reflect back on your
career and you could look at

God's Hand has been with you.

And so I think the cliff note
for me today, at least for this

podcast, is work as if it's up to
you, but pray as if it's up to God.

Casey Phillips: Mm.

I love that Mark Batterson
says that all the time.

He was, uh, my pastor when I lived in dc.

Clif Marshall: Wow.

I, I know he is.

Put some great books out there and
have a ton of respect for him for sure.

Um, I did want to ask you, um,
Casey, about your journey, um,

and if you just go back again, you
mentioned you were 17 years old.

What would you tell 17-year-old
Casey as you reflect back right now?

Casey Phillips: Yeah, I think,
um, I would say it's gonna turn

out even better than you imagine.

That.

You know, I, I think one of my favorite
verses is the Ephesians three 20.

If he's able to do a measure, it'll
be more than all we ask or imagine.

And I think that it's also the fact
that the back half of that verse

is that according to his power at
work within us, where it's like.

We love to think about, he's
just gonna do more for me.

But it's like according to the idea
of if you're allowing like him to

work through you as well, and that as
long, I think I would say back then of

like, Hey, as long as you're walking
with him, it is gonna turn out even

better than you can ever imagine.

Whatever your plans are,
it's gonna be even better.

And that includes the things
that are not fun at the time.

Like, would I wanna tear my ACL.

No, but would I now
change that for anything?

Absolutely not.

I would tear it all over again because
of the direction that it brought me and

the way that it formed this stuff now
of where like, God can use even those,

you know, hardest kind of darkest things
to take you where he wants you to go.

So, um.

Then I also I think would tell, you know,
17-year-old Casey, one of my favorite

things to guide me when making decisions
is something I heard Andy Stanley say

one time of just ask yourself, what
does love require of me that I think

as Christians, like that's the question
that when we get ourselves in a binary,

we don't know what God wants us to do.

Maybe of just like God's made
it so clear our job is just to

love him and love other people.

And so if you're not sure what
to do at any point in your life,

what does love require of me?

And that's, I think,
some of the best advice.

Sam Acho: Casey, we, we talk.

Thank you so much for sharing that.

We talk, uh, about adversity
a lot on this podcast.

shared a little bit about tearing your
ACL right before your dream job and how

it worked out, but on the outside we
see, I see man, Casey, she's always got

a smile on and she's a reporter for the
Bucks, and now she's married and she

got what, A Super Bowl with Tom Brady
and Rob Gronkowski and all the things.

But there's some things behind the scenes
that a lot of people don't know about.

Can you share with us a little bit about
your journey with some of the autoimmune

disease diseases that you've dealt with?

Casey Phillips: Yeah, so, um.

Ironically, it was, uh, right when I met
you was when all of it was happening.

So again, the things that you don't
know at the time about somebody.

Um, so I, in the summer of
2019, um, just suddenly.

Had massive health stuff going on
out of the blue where I went down

to, I'm five foot eight, I went down
to 111 pounds, um, which is wild.

And I, I will spare you
all the, the details.

Um, but it was bad.

And I got put in the ER a couple times.

Um, it was, it was really rough.

And And I ended up getting diagnosed
with what's called ulcerative colitis.

So a lot of people have heard
Crohn's, ulcerative colitis.

They're, they're very similar things.

Um.

It was, I, I was in pretty bad shape and
they had to put me on just wild amounts

of steroids to try to bring it down,
which was, was super fun as a broadcaster.

'cause it made my face get all puffy and
it caused me to have like acne everywhere.

And I was like, this is great.

Everything is fine.

Um, but I remember just at the time, like.

One of my first thoughts was like,
am I gonna get to still do this job?

I mean, there's anyone that
has heard of or knows anything

about ulcerative colitis.

Like you have no idea what that's going
to do to your, it's different for every

person and what that can look like.

And I'm reading about it and just
even the way it got delivered to

me, I, I woke up from getting, you
know, a colonoscopy to diagnose it.

I'm coming out of the anesthesia
and they're like, okay, yeah,

you have this autoimmune disease.

You'll have it for life.

There's no cure.

And I'm like, first of all, we should
work on the bedside manner a little bit.

But, um, I mean, that's a wild thing
to hear of just like, here's this

thing, you're gonna have the rest
of your life and you have no idea

how and when it's gonna affect you
and what that's gonna look like.

And I just remember sitting there
having a very similar moment with

God of like, I just don't understand.

This does not feel like something
that is gonna help me live.

the life for you that I would, I would
like to, and especially this job that

I, I love so much, like, am I gonna
still be able to do these things?

And I, it's one of the clearest times
I felt like I heard from God and

I heard him say, if I have called
you to it, I will equip you for it.

And I, I just remember at the
time being like, okay, I don't

know what that's gonna look like.

I, but it just tells me that if, if God
wants me to do it, I'll be able to do it.

And if he doesn't, then I
don't wanna do it anyway.

And, um.

You know, it was just such a,
now looking back like that was.

Such a dark time.

It was very scary.

Um, it was months before I was
kind of back into like normal.

And here again, I'm having to fly to
London for a game and I'm having to

cover the whole NFL and I'm like, I don't
even know what this is gonna look like.

I'm not feeling great.

I'm, you know, all these things.

Um.

And then of course, right as I kind
of get it under control, COVID happens

and trying to deal with like the whole
COVID pandemic with an autoimmune

disease was its own challenge.

So then right as we get into like
2021 where I'm like, okay, like

we've kind of got a handle on this.

Like I know what's going on now.

I actually got diagnosed with a second
autoimmune disease that affects my um,

joints and my back and my spine, and.

So then, um, I had to get on like a
new, you know, medication that could

try to treat both where I was having to
give myself injections every two weeks.

Then through those injections,
I started having really bad, um,

allergic reactions to them where I was
developing hives all over the place.

So I'd be like on air doing an interview
and suddenly start feeling like all

these hives developing, feeling swelling,
feeling the stuff, and I'd have to finish

the interview, and then I'd have to go
run out to my car with an ice bag and

like Benadryl that I kept out there.

And like sit in my backseat
for a bit to like ice those

to try to make them go away.

And it got to a point where
it was just not sustainable.

And so then I had to switch to a whole
nother medication where now I have

to go and get IV infusions that last
two or three hours every six weeks.

Um, and it has just been a wild ride
of there being something therefore

like every year since 2019 where
it was like getting diagnosed with

a new thing or a new medicine or
switching medicines or that something.

It's just every year there's
been something with all of this.

And I just always thought like.

What is this gonna look like?

What is my life gonna look like?

Am I gonna get to do these jobs?

Am I gonna get married?

Am I gonna, you know, all these questions?

And now here I am, you know, five
and a half years later, and you know,

I have been able to do this job.

I've gotten married, I've bought a
house, I've won a Super Bowl, ring.

Like all of these incredible things.

And now.

I look at verses like, you know,
James one, two and the considering

it pure joy when you face trials of
many kinds 'cause of the perseverance

and Romans five, three, same thing.

We rejoice in our sufferings
knowing that it produces

endurance and character and hope.

And I get to understand a bit
about that now because look,

have I enjoyed all of this?

Absolutely not, but I do believe that
I've seen where now, like I'm a more

empathetic person knowing that you have
no idea what people are going through.

I.

Like you said, Sam, like no one
would have any idea of all of this

if they're just watching Buck's
content that any of this is happening.

So I'm more empathetic not knowing
what someone's going through.

I'm very empathetic to people
that have chronic pain or illness.

I know how tough it is to go through
that, and I also know like I'm

stronger and can handle more than I
would've thought if you had told me.

All of this was going to happen.

I'd have been like, Nope, I can't do that.

I'm not strong enough.

I can't handle that.

And to just learn that no, like
you are stronger than as long as,

again, you lean on God for it.

I couldn't have handled it on my
own, but by leaning on God through

it, you know, I can handle more
than I would've thought, and now I'm

able to give back to other people.

Go through this that I got to speak
to a group of kids who all have it.

That were going to a summer camp
that are for kids who have one of

my autoimmune diseases, and they got
to ask me all these questions of,

you know, and it's, they're so cute.

These kids are like, what do
you do if you have to go to

the bathroom when you're on tv?

Like, it was really adorable.

Um, but I get to talk to these
kids going through it and give

back, and so now it's really cool.

I've gotten involved in the
Crohn's and Colitis Foundation.

And, um, I'm on their gala board, so we're
having a gala this fall here in Tampa, and

they asked me to be their patient honoree,
which was really, really special for me.

So I'm gonna get to give a speech at
the gala and, um, just talk about my

experience and hope to try to encourage I.

Other people going through it and you
know, I'm just now so much more grateful

for the blessings in my life, knowing how
easily they could have gotten taken away.

That the moment you see, like it is
so fragile that the moment I'm going

to the er, it, I recognized that
like it could all be taken away.

In that moment through, through
nothing I did or didn't do.

There are just sometimes circumstances
where it happens and when you recognize

that man, you are so grateful for the
days you are healthy, the days you can do

the things you wanna do, the days that.

You recognize everything that
could get taken away from you.

So I can see all the ways that going
through this has made me a better person,

a stronger person, a better Christian,
more reliant on God, closer to him.

'cause man, when you have health
stuff that you can't do anything

about, you talk to God a whole lot.

And um, so as much as I have not,
it's not what I would wish on anybody.

I can see the truth in those verses
that talk about the way it can produce

that endurance and character and hope.

Clif Marshall: Casey, you're.

Oh, sorry, Sam

Sam Acho: No, you got it.

Cliff.

Clif Marshall: Casey.

You talk and your test
has become your testimony.

Casey Phillips: Mm-hmm.

Clif Marshall: life is, 10% of what
happens to us and 90% of how we respond.

And your response is encouraging.

Um, and it's impactful
just to hear your story.

And I think, um, a good friend of mine
told me the event plus the response.

And your response has been incredible.

So thank you so much
for, for sharing that.

I just wanted to throw that out there.

Sam, I know you had a question.

Sam Acho: Well, no, I, I just even
a, a, a comment, you know, 'cause

we, we do, at this podcast, we
go first, gift space, girl hope.

Uh,

what can you tell somebody, Casey,
who is going through some hard stuff.

Right now that needs some hope.

Casey Phillips: Yeah, I think it's that,
um, the hard times are the thing that

will define you one way or the other.

And kinda like what Cliff was saying,
it's the hard times happen to everybody.

I've heard someone say, you're either
going into a storm, you're in a storm,

or you're coming out of a storm like.

And so hard times are going to happen.

And so the question is always about
how we're going to respond to it.

And what I think is nice to remember
is that it's, it's okay to not respond

great every moment of every day.

It's more about the over the long haul.

What direction are you heading?

Are you overall like leaning into
God, leaning into family, leaning into

friends, leaning into who you wanna be.

I know there were times I beat myself up
where there were days where I was just

really sad and I would sometimes feel
bad about that, thinking like, oh, a real

Christian would be able to, you know, see
the good in all of this and be, not be so,

and I, I, I don't think that that's fair.

And so I think it's the idea of.

Understand where you wanna go.

Understand that you don't wanna be
defeated by whatever this hard time

is and have your eyes set on that
point of who you wanna be in God.

But give yourself the grace to
know that you will not be perfect

in your response every day.

And that does not mean any less
of you as a person or a character.

'cause we do celebrate people that we
see go through hard things and say,

man, they're always still smiling,
or they're always still in a great

place and it makes you feel pressure.

To be that happy, smiley,
perfect face all the time.

And so I would tell people like understand
that the hardest thing is not the last

thing that you, there will be better
days in some form, and frankly, even if

it means after this life, like that's
the beauty of the hope that we have.

At some point there will be
better days, and we hope they're

sooner rather than later.

But in the hard days, like.

Make your choice of who you wanna be, and
then give yourself grace when you don't

always live up to that every single day.

Sam Acho: Casey, I wanna,
uh, well, thank you.

Dropping gems.

Uh, we need to call, we need to
have like a Casey's corner, right?

You already, you probably
already have that.

I'm not, this already exists.

Uh, but, uh, Casey, I, I've, as I'm
listening to you, I, I'm hearing

a lot of, man, I, I was the first
to do this and the first to do

that, and this job wasn't created.

And, and, and I'm also hearing.

Sure.

Like I was, you know, there with Tom
Brady and Robert Gronkowski and all

these Mike Evans, where you're like,
man, the, the, the women on the mystics.

Those were my heroes.

What impact are you having on
women in your world that a lot

of us don't even know about?

Casey Phillips: Oh man, I'm not sure.

I hope it, I hope I am.

I, like I said, I sometimes do get
to hear from um, either young girls

whose parents reach out to me and
talk about how much they love being

able to show them my videos and how
much their daughters love, you know,

watching my stuff, which is really cool.

And, um, I do get reached out
to by, you know, high school

and college students who.

Wanna do this for a living
and, and reach out, which also

every time makes me feel old.

And it's always so funny to me 'cause
I'm like, man, I, I feel like I was

just that person and I almost still
feel like I am that person of like,

man, I should reach out to so-and-so.

And I'm, it's always funny to me when
people reach out to me for career advice,

I'm like, am I in a position to give that?

It's so wild.

But yeah, I think, um, I just hope that,
um, yeah, I just hope that I'm showing

younger girls and, and other women that.

This is a wonderful job in life and that
it's not always this, you know, really

rough, horrible battle being a woman in
this sphere that we have made so much

progress that I'm, I'm so thankful to
the women who went through what I view

as the really hard stuff in the eighties
and the nineties and, and really breaking

down those barriers and doors for us
that are now in it at this point where.

Have I had some, some weird things, you
know, and some not great things happen

because I'm a woman in this sphere.

Sure.

But honestly, I feel like overall, like
we have made so much progress and I think

that I want women to see that like this
is our space, this is our time of whether

it's women's sports or men's sports.

Like you belong anywhere,
anywhere you wanna be, anywhere

that God decides you need to be.

You belong there.

And.

It can be an amazing ride that is just
so much fun and I want women to see also

the, again, the way that I do it, of
trying to put God first and trying to make

sure that I put my character and values
first, and that that can be done around a

world where sports, entertainment, media,
they can try to tell you that you gotta

do things a certain way to have success.

And that to try to show that no,
like stay true to who you are and

like don't Actually, Todd Bowles
just said this the other week.

Um, we have something here called the
National Coaching Academy, where we

help coaches try to break into the NFL.

'cause you know how it's such a,
like, who, you know, kind of thing.

Um, so they bring whether high school,
college or international, you know, pro

outside of NFL coaches get a chance to
come in and learn from all of our staff.

And Coach Bowles was talking
to all of them, and that was

actually the advice he gave.

Was, don't sacrifice who
you are for what you want.

And that's what I think I would
want women to see watching me and

to learn more than anything is just,
yeah, don't sacrifice who you are

for what you want in this industry.

Clif Marshall: That's great advice, Casey.

I think the, uh, one thing that I, when
I hear your story and uh, know that

your, uh, background is and working for
the Bucks right now, I just feel like

that you're living out your passion.

At the same time, you have a great
purpose, and again, it's super inspiring.

I do want to know, on your day-to-day job
with the Tampa Bay Bucks, what is your

most enjoyable part of the job and what
is the least enjoyable part of the job?

Casey Phillips: Hmm.

Interesting.

Okay.

So

Clif Marshall: I.

Casey Phillips: yeah, I mean most, the
part I enjoy the most is just getting to.

Learn the stories of the
people that are here.

I love when we get like, you know, a new
player and I get to dive in trying to

learn everything about them and, and find
out all the interesting, cool things.

And I love when I learn something
about somebody that others don't know.

'cause in today's day and age of media,
it feels like every story's been told.

And if I can find something.

That other people don't.

And I, I love that.

And so I actually, it got to happen
with Coach Bowles last year, and

it was one of my favorite moments.

I learned that he had been a
radio DJ in his playing days.

It was like incognito, like did not,
no one knew this was NFL player,

Todd Bowles at the time doing this.

He was just like a radio dj.

And I was like, what was your name?

Like your show name?

And he was like, land of Love.

And I about died.

I was like, this is the
greatest thing I've ever heard.

And I got his permission to let me.

Share that.

And I got to share it at this big event
where Baker and Mike Evans and these

guys are there with Todd on stage.

And I got to deploy this information
and watch all of them be like, what?

Oh my.

Like, and it, that was so fun
to watch like that I got to help

cultivate this bonding moment between
players and coach and all of that.

So like, I love when I get to find
the ways to bring humor, to bring

bonding, to bring joy, like all
of that, um, least favorite is.

My shows still all have
to happen even if we lose.

That's an unfortunate, it's an
unfortunate part of the job.

I'm like, can I not have a clause that
says I only have to do this if we win?

Um, because let me tell you, going into a
locker room right after a really bad loss

and walking up to a player and going, Hey,
so you know that game that just happened?

Do you wanna talk about it
with me for an hour tomorrow?

Like that is by far my least
favorite is having to make that ask.

And even having to.

Yeah.

Having to ask a guy to do that
where I'm like, let's, yeah, let's

relive that tomorrow, please.

When you'd also probably
rather be sleeping.

Thank you.

Um, but thankfully that's where it's
nice that I've been here a long time.

I've built good
relationships with the guys.

They know I'm gonna make it
as painless as I possibly can.

You know, we're not gonna just sit
here and dwell on whatever went wrong.

We're gonna move on, we're gonna
find good things to talk about.

Uh, but yeah, that's, that's definitely
the part that is my least favorite.

Sam Acho: That's so good
Casey, I, I've got, so on this

podcast we talk about faith.

Talk about family, talk about
football, talk about finance.

I want to go back to the football
piece, but not necessarily the

Casey Phillips: Oh good.

I was real worried you were gonna say
the finance part and I was like, oh no.

Sam Acho: not yet.

Not yet.

We'll get to that a little bit later.

Uh, but, but the Olympics flag football,
we, we were chatting before and you got

really excited about saying, Hey, I want
to let, oh, let's, let's dig in on that.

So let's dig in a little bit.

What are you most excited about
for flag football in the Olympics?

Casey Phillips: First of all, again, as
we established Texas girl at heart, right?

So, and also like my high school was
when you picture peak Texas high school

football, this was my school that my
two quarterbacks in high school were

Chase Daniel and Greg M, not too Shoppy.

Sam Acho: You went to Southlake Carroll.

Casey Phillips: I did.

See

Sam Acho: I didn't know that?

Casey Phillips: knows.

I know.

I know.

Look at that.

So, yeah, I went to South
Lake Carroll and I, yep.

And I, man, I am telling you, if I could
have played flag football, I would've

been the happiest person in the world.

The fact that this is now an option
for so many girls in high school

and to then let them see an Olympics
that they could have as a goal.

I mean, it's unbelievable.

'cause even when I was first starting
to play basketball, the WNBA was

like just about to be formed and to
be playing a sport that you don't

have this dream of, you know, that so
many people don't realize, like for

little boys, they get to be like, oh
yeah, I wanna go to the NFL someday.

I wanna go to the NBA someday.

To now know that there are all
these kids, boys and girls that are

playing flag football that will now
have this Olympics thing to look

at on the global skate stage is so.

Amazing.

And I think it's gonna be a really great
opportunity, of course for the NFL to grow

its brand internationally, like to grow
football internationally is incredible.

But from a specifically like flag
standpoint, I have grown to love it

here because first of all, so Florida
was the first state to sanction Girls

Flag as a high school varsity sport.

Um, they're very big into it
here, and man, the Buccaneers are.

Part of just the groundbreaking efforts
on really supporting it and promoting

Girls Flag that, especially Darcy Glazer.

Kasowitz is our, one of our owners
is just so passionate about this.

So the Bucks host, the largest
girls flag football competition

in the country every year.

Girls flag football preseason classic.

The seventh annual one was
this year, hosted a record,

115 teams across 20 counties.

It was wild watching how many of these
teams that are here from Florida and

other places, we also used a bunch of
other flag events throughout the year.

I have watched these girls and the
passion they play and their skill

level, and I'm like, man, I cannot wait
for this to be highlighted thinking

that some of these girls I'm watching,
like these are gonna be some of the

people that are on this Olympic team.

And I am just so excited for women to
have this as a goal to be looking at.

And also, I love this is
this, this was amazing to me.

So the Bucks were the first to
create an academic scholarship

back in 2020 for girls who play
organized football and are passionate

about pursuing a career in sports.

And we now it's called the
She is Football scholarship.

And a, a big part of it is this idea that.

There have been all these studies showing
that there's a huge correlation between

female participation in sports at the
youth level and success later in life.

94% of female executives have participated
in sports, but girls drop out of

sports at twice the rate of boys.

And so the Bucks really look
at it as, man, like our mission

is to keep girls in the game.

We have all this programming,
accessibility resources that we're

trying to use our platform to create.

These opportunities to develop
these future leaders of tomorrow.

And I feel like now the fact
that the Olympics and the NFL and

everyone is just getting on this
flag football train for, for both

men and women is going to be so fun.

And we have just loved being on
this ground floor of this new sport

that is just sweeping now, not
just the nation, but the world.

And then like, come on, we're
all dreaming of the NFL guys.

We're excited to, to maybe play.

Right?

I mean, I, I, I'll be
interested to see like.

There are people who have been
dedicated to playing flag football.

It is not a guarantee that it's gonna be
a team full of NFL players, that there's

a whole lot of these flag football players
that this is what they've been doing.

So that to me is gonna be so fun to
watch is how many NFL guys are in a spot?

How many are people that have
already just been playing flag

and the strategy behind it.

'cause I, I just, I think it's
gonna be a blast to watch.

Clif Marshall: I gotta ask Casey,
as we finish up here, tell me about

your Tampa Bay Bucks this year.

Tell me about the team, the outlook,
and just, uh, even a little bit

about their draft class that
they're bringing in this season.

I.

Casey Phillips: man, let me tell
you, I am fired up about this

year, and I'm not just saying that

Sam Acho: I was gonna say,
because if, if you weren't, if

you weren't, could you tell us.

Casey Phillips: I get it.

I get that.

I work for the team.

I am not just saying that, first of all,
I mean our whole starting offense is back.

That is almost unheard of in
the NFL to bring literally every

single offensive starter back.

And then now of course we keep, you
know, losing our offensive coordinators

to these head coaching jobs.

'cause you know, they've been doing
a great job here, which is awesome.

But man, how nice that even though
we lose our offensive coordinator,

we get to promote one from within.

So you get to keep that consistency
and that continuity, which, you

know, baker Mayfield was like,
thank goodness that poor man has

had more coordinators than any.

I mean, it's unreal.

Um, and so to have Baker have that
confidence and continuity to have the

whole offensive line now that have
all played together for a whole year.

That run game that went from almost
worse to almost first last year.

No reason to think it's not gonna
look just as good this year.

So everything offensively we saw
that was clicking last year, and

then now defensively you bring
in Hassan Reddick, which I think

is gonna be really fun to watch.

And um, I'd love to hear Sam's
thoughts on what that might bring as

a, as an outside linebacker himself.

But you know, I mean, Todd
Bowles, like he can dial it up

no matter who is playing for him.

That man loves to scheme.

And I mean, Vito ve is
dropping in coverage randomly,

like you just don't know.

You never know what Todd
Bowles is going to do.

So the defense, I think that's
gonna be interesting to watch.

You know, maybe seeing guys like
you, you still have lavante there

in the middle, holding it down after
all these years playing it just

like, I mean, defying father time.

And then to see, man, how's it gonna look?

When we got a young, younger guy coming
in next to him, maybe in Sier Dennis.

We got a couple people fighting
for some of those spots.

Um, and then our draft class,
you, you brought them up.

I cannot say enough amazing things
about our first round draft pick cca.

He is, lemme tell you, someone
you should have on your podcast.

The man is, uh, definitely very
passionate about his faith.

And I, I don't know how many times
in my whole career I have heard

scouting staffs talk about players,
like they talked about a mecca.

Just that they were like
this kid, I mean, so mature.

Head on the right way, like
plays the game the right way.

That they were just like
this, we gotta have this guy.

'cause even when you look at the
fact that it was not the position

of biggest need, that's where, you
know, they were just like, no, this

guy, like, we believe in this guy.

And I think for him to get to come
in and learn under Mike Evans and

Chris Godwin, I mean, good grief.

Like you cannot ask for
a better masterclass.

That.

So that's gonna be a blast.

And then man, I, I think that
they found some gems on defense.

I think that the back to back corners
that we took, um, Paris and, and Morrison,

I think I'm really excited about them.

Especially Jacob Parish has already
like, already made a couple picks,

already had a guy, a couple people
in practice being like, okay.

And then Morrison I think is a steal, just
'cause he had health issues last year.

He, I think he'd have
been a first rounder.

I think he'd have been like,
I think we got a steal.

Being willing to wait on this, you
know, health stuff that's going on.

I mean, we got Walker who I think
is another, again, I'd love to

hear the outside edge rush, your
thoughts you have over here.

But I mean, the guy had
about a a billion sacks.

In college, just so productive.

And so I look at kinda these mid round
and I've watched that Jason line and

his staff, they have been able to build
through a lot of these mid round picks

over the years really effectively.

So I think that they, they felt like
everybody expected 'em to go defense

first round and I think they felt
like they got to still get this guy,

they couldn't let pass while still
addressing the defensive areas that

they felt like they needed to do.

So I, I think that there is no reason
for us to not feel like, I mean,

there's no reason we shouldn't be.

At least as good as we were last year.

And I feel like there's a lot of ways
where I'm like, man, we're, I think

we, I think we feel really great
about it and it's gonna be a fun year.

And just the comradery.

The, the guys on this team, it's unreal.

I mean, they all would die for Baker.

Like they would run into
oncoming traffic for that man.

And that is a cool thing
to have in a quarterback.

And I think that just the
way, the offensive line,

they are never not together.

They are, they move as a blob, as a unit.

And those are the two things you want
as a team when you're offensive line

are best buds and always together.

And that they would literally take
a bullet for their quarterback.

You're gonna go a long way.

Sam Acho: That is so good.

Dang.

Now we see why Casey does what she does.

It ain't just it.

Oh my good.

I mean, and so much insight.

I mean the, and I think that's one of the
things that people don't realize is like

you're a part of the fabric of the team.

As much as it's, yeah,
players and coaches.

It's like you are, you are like, you
travel with the team, you're in the

locker room, you're in the facility.

And so this insight that you're
providing, I mean, I've listened to the

stories about Ekka Buka and, and his
and, and, and kind of his background.

You remind me of Benjamin Morrison, right?

Who would've been a first round
pick without, if not for the injury.

Uh, I'm getting excited now.

And also, by the way, I think
y'all haven't lost the division

since I got there, right?

So like the last four or five years.

And so, um.

Man, I'm, I'm hyped now.

Cliff, we need to go, uh, you know,
everybody to put, put the pads on again.

Put the jersey on again.

Uh,

Casey Phillips: do it.

Sam Acho: Yes.

So before we go,

Hmm.

I think what I wanna do right now, I
know we had the Cliff notes earlier,

but Casey, you've shared so much, you've
dropped so much gems, so many gems

in Casey's corner, but as, as many of
gems of you've dropped, cliff, if you

could just kind of recap again for us.

Some high level lessons that
you've learned, some cliff notes

for everyone that's listening
before we, before we say goodbye.

Clif Marshall: Yes.

I think my takeaway from hearing Casey's
story, obviously, and again, it's full

of passion and purpose, but it's, it's
literally how she has fought the good

fight and how she's gonna finish the race.

But it's more importantly about
life being 10% of what happens to

you and 90% of how you respond.

As she's talking about her autoimmune
disease, as she's talking about

her ACL, as she's talking about
many setbacks that she has faced,

she still has a smile on her face.

And joy in our heart.

And what I love more than anything
is how this podcast started.

You guys talking about being
the salt and the light.

And Sam, that's exactly what you are.

That's what you were in that locker
room in Tampa Bay with the Bucks

and Casey, that's exactly what you
are each and every day as well.

And that's why I believe the two of
you guys connected and hit it off there

in Tampa Bay and Casey, that's why
you're on our podcast this afternoon.

Casey Phillips: Awesome.

I love it.

Yeah.

And thank you guys so much for having me.

It's, it's been an, an honor and
a, and a blessing and, and just so

cool to Cliff, get to meet you and
Sam to get to chat with you again.

And it's just been so cool for me to
watch you and on your just incredible,

uh, meteor rise over the years and
every time you, you pop on my tv,

I'm just like, ah, look at Sam.

He's crushing it.

Just absolutely crushing the game.

So, uh, just so excited for you
and, and what you've been able to

accomplish since you left football.

Sam Acho: Well, I appreciate it.

Well, Casey, I'm learning from you.

I'm learning from you,
watching you walk with.

Watching you walk from before I even
knew I was gonna go and t do tv, I

saw you and I'm seeing you walk in
integrity when no one is watching.

And that to me stands out so
much more than all the likes and

retweets and, oh, I got this scoop.

You walk in and with
integrity, cliff said it.

You are salt and you are light.

Right?

The salt of the earth,
the salt of the world.

Like you preserve the taste of things you
keep like in an industry that's decaying.

You are keeping it from decaying your
salt, your light in a dark place, not

just in a locker room, but in media.

Look at where, where media is going.

Media is a really dark place.

And yet you are a light.

So it's no wonder where, why so many
young people are looking to you for

advice and you're a young person in
your in, in your own, right, right.

We're not saying you're old, but
so many young people are looking

to you because they're like, man,
they know light when they see it.

You can't deny light, right?

You taste salt.

You can't, you can't, you know that taste.

And so really from me to you, thank
you for being salt and light, even

when I didn't even know that this
was, this is what I was going to do.

You're still leading the way and
being a guide for not just young

women or young men, but people who
are currently in your industry trying

to learn how to do it with grace.

And so thank you Casey for
joining the Sam Macho Podcast.

Uh.

I mean, I, I do wanna give
you space for the last word.

If, if, if, uh, if you'll, if you'll
allow me, I wanna give you space to,

to kind of share the last word with us.

Casey Phillips: Oh man.

So much pressure on the last word.

No, I just think, um, I think that
it's amazing to just realize that.

As long as we really do, like
I said, work like it depends on

you pray, like it depends on God.

Like everything is going to work out
and be better than you ever imagined.

And I say that as someone who
had things happen to me that

are not what I would've planned.

Like I would not have planned to
have autoimmune issues and, and

all these different things in the
way that I sometimes hate that it

might affect, you know, my husband
and my family are, are different

things, but like I know for a fact.

That everything really does, like God
can use everything for good, even if God

does not cause the bad thing to happen.

Like he can use all of it for good.

And so whatever people are
going through know that.

If you choose to conti, you know,
pray continually, give thanks in all

circumstances, that God's gonna be able
to show you the ways that that thing can

be used for good and that you can help
other people and make a difference in the

world, maybe because of that hard thing.

Sam Acho: That's so good.

Well, on behalf of Casey Phillips,
cliff Marshall, I'm Sam Macho.

Thank you so much for joining
the Sam Macho Podcast.

Make sure to go to sam macho.com.

To find all the resources for this podcast
and also hear more about Casey's story.

We'll see you next time.