Inside Duke Sports Interviews Super Bowl Champion Thad Lewis

DURHAM, N.C. – The most recent episode of Inside Duke Sports with Kevin White had a familiar name as one of its guests when former Duke quarterback Thaddeus Lewis joined the show.

White and co-host David Shumate caught up with Lewis, the newly named assistant wide receivers coach for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, about his Super Bowl title, how he got into coaching, his tenure at Duke and much more.

Fans can listen to the full episode HERE or read the full transcript below.

DS: Great to have Thad Lewis with us now. Of course, everyone knows what he did here at Duke but working with the Tampa Bay Bucs, just won a Super Bowl and recently was named the Assistant Wide Receivers Coach. Served on last year's staff as a coaching intern with the Tampa Bay Bucs. Of course, a lot of time in the NFL – played with eight franchises over the course of seven seasons including six starts. At Duke had more than 10,000 passing yards that's still six all time in the ACC and was twice an all-ACC selection. Thad, thanks for jumping on.

TL: Man thank you guys for having me. Appreciate you.

DS: We'll get to the Super Bowl in just a second. Are the rings out yet? I guess that takes a little bit of time to get those situated and nothing to show off today but getting into coaching. I mean we know what you did as a player here and what you did in the league of course, but when did it come about that you wanted to transition over into helping another guys?

TL: When I tore my ACL in 2016 and I was trying to make that come back in '17 I wasn't feeling normal, and it wasn't the same, so I tried to figure out what I wanted to do. And I thought about it like what have I been doing since the age of five – football. And on top of that, that knowledge that I've gained playing different teams and different coaches you know being cut on and off practice squads on rosters I was like 'man I have a story to tell'. I have a lot of knowledge I could share with these guys. So, I think I wanted to be in coaching and impact in a positive manner.

KW: The whole coaching fraternity is amazing unto itself. And when you think about the sport of football it becomes even, I think even more finite and focused and just this last summer you joined the Tampa Bay Bucs as part of their Bill Walsh Coaching Fellow Program. Tell us about the program and how you got linked into the box. How did that all happen?

TL: Ah, man, that's amazing. So that program right there is for a lot of minority coaches or even just guys that just want to get into coaching and see how it's done on the highest level. That's the way to get in if you don't know anybody you, actually go. But I went to a Coaching Academy down in Tampa that the NFL put on and Usama Young, my former teammate told me to come to it. And Bruce Arians spoke there and because I was present that day and I was put on his mind he called Byron Leftwich and that day they said they wanted to hire me. COVID hit so it kind of pushed things back but then they got it done and so that was a great experience for those guys to give me an opportunity.

KW: But when I think about your career, gosh I mean what an amazing run you had. Amazing, amazing run here at Duke and then at the next level you had an opportunity to be part of a number of franchises for like almost a decade, I guess. You had a pretty long NFL career. Well, what was it like seeing the game through so many different coaches' eyes and maybe how did that prepare you for your post playing career as now a coach?

TL: I tell you what, learning all of those offenses, I can learn an offense really fast. But you know just seeing the coaching philosophy of different coaches and things like that you know sometimes you're going to agree, sometimes you're not. So, taking the things that I like from different coaches and incorporating them together. Seeing their different philosophies, seeing how they taught, their mechanism of teaching, seeing you know how they come up with play concept their run game concept and things like that. Incorporating it altogether and just getting into coaching, it helps you out you know. Because the only thing is that concepts are the same, the blocking schemes are the same it's just a different language. So, my hardest language to learn in class at Duke was Spanish, but I did it I got it done so now I can learn football language when I go in different other things. So, it's just learning the language.

DS: Puts it all into perspective. We're visiting with Thad Lewis of course a former standout here and now an assistant coach in the NFL with the Tampa Bay Bucs. So, you get to Tampa a couple of months after this 40-year-old quarterback comes to town in Tom Brady. What was it like to work with him? Kind of like having a coach out on the field I would think.

TL: Man, it was amazing because you have to remember I played against him twice actually. You know in my playing days. And he remembered that one specific game right when we played Alabama, I mean Texas A&M in a game in Atlanta. We played Tom Brady a couple of days before you guys played that game and he asked me the first time he recognized I was in the room 'how did I throw the ball in the rain that day?' And I was like what? Like Tom that was like seven years ago, you know. But that's just the type of player he is you know. He sacrificed so much, he remembers everything, he wants to be great at everything. And just in case he had a rain game I'm pretty should he asked me that question so he could be prepared. That's what I learned about Tom Brady. Being around him and seeing how the greatest of the greatest sacrificed a lot and that's one thing I learned for sure.

KW: Thad, yeah maybe go a little deeper. I mean you've played quarterback at the highest level and you know what it takes to succeed under center in the NFL, but you just shared a room with Brady this past season. Specifically, what allows him to have the success he's had for more than 20 years?

TL: Two of the factors that I'll tell you and give you them. Sacrifice is one. Right, that's one. And what he puts into his body nutrition-wise and the way he takes care of his body is two. Those were you know – obviously every quarterback puts some time in and they watch the film and this and that. He doesn't eat sweets; all he drinks is water. You know what I'm saying. He gets rubdown every day. He doesn't believe in ice. The muscles should be loose and relaxed never should be tight and dense. So, all those quarterbacks that are trying to use bands. He don't really use weights, he get into the pool and things of that nature and you see how he handles his business and you watching it's like ok. Because he gets on our coaches like, 'you shouldn't be eating all those sweets'. He's very meticulous of what he eats and what he puts into his body and everything he puts out in his training regimen even when he's warming up, he tells me, 'hey Thad, I'm gonna fire my feet right here give me a clap call so I can react'. That's just little things I've seen, like hey I might be moving in the pocket, having my feet firing, but I see somebody I have to react really quick but that's just how he is and that's with everything. And when it comes to like the sacrifice, the ultimate sacrifice he does he does not drink during the season.

KW: Wow. Interesting. Very, very interesting. Thad congrats are in order this week. This past week it was announced that you will be taking over the team's Assistant Wide Receivers Coach position. Who delivered that news to you what did it mean? And by the way as I said before we went on live here, now that you got Tom Brady figured out and you helped him, now you're going to help this other cohort of players on the team but seriously who delivered the news, what did it mean to you?

TL: Man, it meant a lot to me. Bruce Arians actually delivered the news just how he delivered the news when they kept me the whole year. So, after training camp, the last day of training camp, he called me in the office and said, you did a great job kid, you exceeded our expectations, we're keeping you the whole year. So, after we came into the office on a Wednesday and Antwaan Randle El got the job with the Detroit Lions, he called me in the office again and said kid you were a part of this, you did everything. I'm hiring you as our Assistant Wide Receivers Coach, basically to get you crossed trained and I can start cross training. He said, because you apart of this and we're going to make sure we do everything in our power to make sure you're the best coach there is and I was excited and just for him to tell me that. And then it was off to the boat parade. So, I had a great intro to the boat parade.

KW: The cross training comment computes. That makes so much sense in terms of your career development. I love that. That's terrific.

TL: Yes, no doubt.

DS: Now you said you were on the boat parade. Before I get to the next question. Did you have an angle when the Lombardi Trophy went flying across the water?

TL: I didn't. I didn't have that angle, but I saw the video. Hey, I tell you what, only the GOAT could pull it out.

DS: Speaking of congrats, let's talk about the Super Bowl. You and Ross Cockrell, couple weeks removed now there's the immediate excitement, but time to process it. What does it feel like to be a champion?

TL: It's amazing. A surreal feeling. It's one of those things you see it on TV all the time and you just like man I wish I was there with the confetti falling down and things like that just to be a part of it. It was amazing I wanted to cherish every moment and I tried to take as many pictures as I could you know. Because you never know when you're gonna get back. And you never should take things for granted and we made it to the pinnacle of sports. And to do it with a fellow teammate of mine that I always knew would be special from his freshman year, when he intercepted me, and he was on scout team. And I was like, who is this kid? So, just to do it with him and I couldn't have done it with a better person in Ross. Just to see how much he's been through in the NFL as well and we both had long careers, been in so many places. But just for us to finally see it come to fruition all the hard work you put in; it was amazing.

KW: That is. Well by the way, you're amazing. Really, really proud of you. You and Ross, but what a great run you've had and now this new this new chapter is going to be exciting to watch you emerge in this coaching game. You're gonna be brilliant.

TL: Appreciate you Dr. White. Appreciate you for sure.

KW: Thank you, man.

DS: Thad, I do want to ask you this before we let you go 'cause I'm always curious. David Cutcliffe's ability to develop quarterbacks that succeed at the next level is always there, but now you've been a player and a coach in the league. What is it about the way David Cutcliffe works with quarterbacks that, that makes guys so good and so ready to excel in the NFL?

TL: His system. He gives you free range to what guys want to do in the NFL. Once you hand the keys over, once I give you the keys to the car, I'm giving you the keys to basically carry the team and to make sure everybody is safe to do everything. You have to know how to work everything in his car and so once you're in his system for so long you're gonna know how to work everything in that car. You're gonna know how to get people lined up. You gonna be able to think for others and that translates into the NFL, because now quarterbacks can make the mic points. You know when you're hot. You know when you're picked up. You can point it out. You can talk to people. You could tell them what they doing and because you have command of that system being his offense you are able to translate over into the NFL. You obviously have to play fast in the NFL is a very very very fast game but playing fast in his system is because you have to process so fast carries over into the league. And that helps you out a bunch.

DS: Fascinating. Good stuff. Well enjoy the little bit of downtime you have here. I know the NFL is 24/7 365, but we appreciate you coming on.

TL: I appreciate you guys having me. And Dr. White it paid off.

KW: You're the best, man.

TL: I said in your office I was trying to get on plan B. You looked at me and said listen, if plan A don't work then you come back to see me."

KW: You're in a supersized plan B.

TL: Right. Right. So, that's awesome. This is awesome.

KW: Only the best my friend.

TL: Thank you.

KW: Thanks for being on with us.

TL: Thank you, guys, for having me.

DS: Thank you. That's Thad Lewis, we will have more in just a moment.

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Inside Duke Sports Interviews Super Bowl Champion Thad Lewis

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