Jelani Thurman
American football player
256
APPEARANCES
2
PODCASTS
Aug 28, 2026
speaker_16UNKNOWN
"... to be back."
Jelani ThurmanGUEST
Well, I, I feel like that's great to hear from your head coach, especially at this high of a level.
Jelani ThurmanGUEST
You hear your, uh, head coach praising you, giving you good, uh, pats on the back in team meetings.
Jelani ThurmanGUEST
That's, I just feel good me being up there, uh, me, letting my team see me do good, showing extra efforts.
Jelani ThurmanGUEST
But it is some things I gotta, I gotta come in to play and make some big plays.
speaker_16UNKNOWN
How do you think you're-
Jelani ThurmanGUEST
you're-I feel like everybody has their own journey for real, and how they go about it is different.
Jelani ThurmanGUEST
But I feel like he's taking it on the chin, and I feel like he's taking it well.
Unknown podcast
Press Conference (Steve Sarkishian) August 69 Massive
Aug 6 · 5h 24m
speaker_103UNKNOWN
Who can step up, who has started to step up in your eyes to replace some of the people you lost last year?
Jelani ThurmanGUEST
I feel like we've, we've had leaders from last year that came back, and I feel like we got new guys that stepped up into their roles in their rooms and around the team that are becoming leaders.
speaker_103UNKNOWN
But, uh, what was it like to kind of see a guy that you worked with for the last couple years go through that and what did that feel like from the sidelines?
Unknown podcast
Press Conferences (Jim Harbaugh) August 6 Elite
Aug 6 · 5h 24m
speaker_136UNKNOWN
Is he kind of a leader of your room? How would you describe y'all's room?
Jelani ThurmanGUEST
Uh, like, like we came in, we're Live Wednesday, everybody's a leader in their own way.
Jelani ThurmanGUEST
But I feel like in the tight end room, the two older guys, the two guys that's setting the standards is G and Pat.
speaker_136UNKNOWN
So like-
Unknown podcast
Press Conference (Jim Harbaugh) August 6 Massive
Aug 6 · 5h 24m
speaker_137UNKNOWN
You understand what I'm saying?
speaker_137UNKNOWN
Has, have you talked to Air about that too? I mean, a little bit about, you know, it's, a lot of times you come into college football, it's not instant.
Unknown podcast
Press Conferences (Jim Harbaugh) August
Aug 6 · 5h 24m
speaker_80UNKNOWN
It seemed like you played quite a bit in that game against Minnesota.
Jelani ThurmanGUEST
I was a part of that at the beginning, and then some other guys came in who could get the job done just probably a little bit more better than me.
speaker_80UNKNOWN
You understand what I'm saying?
Unknown podcast
Press Conference (Jim Harbaugh) August
Aug 6 · 5h 24m
speaker_49GUEST
stride in the last year? Of course,
Jelani ThurmanGUEST
it was one thing that I highlighted when I first got here, At high school, I didn't do really too much of it.
Jelani ThurmanGUEST
I was more of a catch and wide receiver, but what you got to do is you got to get better at it.
Jelani ThurmanGUEST
What's the thing you learned about blocking? Blocking? It's all about leverage.
speaker_20PANELIST
plan was to come
Unknown podcast
Press Conferences (Dan Lanning) August 6 Massive
Aug 6 · 5h 24m
speaker_121UNKNOWN
-to be back.
Jelani ThurmanGUEST
Well, I feel like that's great to hear from your head coach, especially at this high of a level.
Jelani ThurmanGUEST
You hear your, uh, head coach praising you, giving you good, uh, pats on the back in team meetings.
Jelani ThurmanGUEST
That's-- I just feel good me being up there, uh, me- letting my team see me do good, showing extra efforts, but it is some things I gotta, I gotta come in to play and make some big plays.
speaker_121UNKNOWN
What does that mean to you? Like what is toughness to you, and how are you more tough this year?
Jelani ThurmanGUEST
Toughness? Uh, I feel like for the tight end unit this year, we made a, we made a stand as a tight end unit, be the toughest team, be the toughest unit on the team no matter what.
Jelani ThurmanGUEST
Offense, defensive side, be the toughest unit 'cause we have to do, I feel like the most.
Jelani ThurmanGUEST
Like he said, run routes like a wide receiver, block like a D-line-- I mean O-line, sorry.
Unknown podcast
Press Conference (Dan Lanning) August 6 Elite
Aug 6 · 5h 24m
speaker_27UNKNOWN
What, what have you been doing to-
speaker_32UNKNOWN
Probably have a whole new starter.
Unknown podcast
Press Conferences (Dan Lanning) August
Aug 6 · 5h 24m
speaker_91UNKNOWN
... to be back.
Jelani ThurmanGUEST
Well, I feel like that's great to hear from your head coach, especially at this high of a level.
Jelani ThurmanGUEST
You hear your, uh, head coach praising you, giving you good, uh, pats on the back in team meetings.
Jelani ThurmanGUEST
That's-- I just feel good me being up there, uh, me, letting my team see me do good, showing extra efforts, but it is some things I gotta, I gotta come in to play and make some big plays.
speaker_91UNKNOWN
What does that mean to you? Like, what is toughness to you, and how are you more tough this year?
Jelani ThurmanGUEST
Toughness, uh, I feel like for the tight end unit this year, we made a, we made a stand as a tight end unit to be the toughest team, be the toughest unit on the team, no matter what.
Jelani ThurmanGUEST
Offense, defensive side, be the toughest unit 'cause we have to do, I feel like, the most.
Jelani ThurmanGUEST
Like he said, run routes like a wide receiver, block like a D-line-- I mean O-line, sorry.
Unknown podcast
Press Conference (Dan Lanning) August
Aug 6 · 5h 24m
speaker_132UNKNOWN
... to be that.
Jelani ThurmanGUEST
Well, I feel like that's great to hear from your head coach, especially at this high of a level.
Jelani ThurmanGUEST
You hear your, uh, head coach praising you, giving you good, uh, pats on the back in team meetings.
Jelani ThurmanGUEST
That's-- I just feel good me being up there, uh, me, letting my team see me do good, showing extra efforts.
Jelani ThurmanGUEST
But it is some things I gotta, I gotta come into play and make some big plays.
speaker_132UNKNOWN
What does that mean to you? Like, what is toughness to you, and how are you more tough this year?
Jelani ThurmanGUEST
Toughness? Uh, I feel like for the tight end unit this year, we made a, we made a stand as a tight end unit to be the toughest team, be the toughest unit on the team no matter what.
Jelani ThurmanGUEST
Offense, defensive side, be the toughest unit because we have to do, I feel like, the most.
Unknown podcast
Press Conference (Jason Moore) August 6 Elite
Aug 6 · 5h 24m
speaker_140UNKNOWN
... from this time even a year ago?
Jelani ThurmanGUEST
Honestly, over the spring and summer, just honestly, I feel like I've toned up my body a, a lot, and I gotten stronger in the weight room.
Jelani ThurmanGUEST
But I've also gotten a little bit faster, so I can get in and out of, uh, breaks a little bit better.
speaker_140UNKNOWN
The, the, the mind part of the game, you know, the-
Jelani ThurmanGUEST
We-- I say, like, the tight ends, we come in here five o'clock every other day to do a walkthrough, more film.
Unknown podcast
Press Conferences (Malik Hartford) August 6 Elite
Aug 6 · 5h 24m
speaker_43UNKNOWN
Who are some of the leaders on the offense?
Jelani ThurmanGUEST
Um, obviously, he's the quarterback, so he takes on that leadership role and, um, I think we just have a, a good amount of leaders, uh, you know, throughout the offense.
2 HRS 50 MINS LATER
speaker_94UNKNOWN
Who are some of the leaders on the offense?
Unknown podcast
Press Conference (Malik Hartford) August 6 Massive
Aug 6 · 5h 24m
speaker_44UNKNOWN
Who are some of the leaders on the offense?
Jelani ThurmanGUEST
I mean, he's been doing it for a while, and I, it's someone that everyone trusts, um, is gonna do his job at a high level.
Jelani ThurmanGUEST
Um, obviously he's a quarterback, so he takes on that leadership role and, um, I think we just have a, a good amount of leaders, uh, you know, throughout the offense.
2 HRS 50 MINS LATER
speaker_93UNKNOWN
Who are some of the leaders on the offense?
Jelani ThurmanGUEST
I mean, he's been doing it for a while, and I- it's someone that everyone trusts.
Unknown podcast
Press Conferences (Malik Hartford) August
Aug 6 · 5h 24m
speaker_22UNKNOWN
If we can step up, who has started to step up in your eyes for a place like what you brought us?
Jelani ThurmanGUEST
I feel like we've had leaders from last year that came back, and I feel like we have new guys that stepped up into their roles and their rooms and around the team that are becoming leaders.
speaker_8UNKNOWN
What did you pick up from all of that, especially in a championship run, you know? And they were counting on you.
Unknown podcast
Press Conference (Malik Hartford) August
Aug 6 · 5h 24m
speaker_26UNKNOWN
who has started to step up in your eyes to replace you?
Jelani ThurmanGUEST
I feel like we've had leaders from last year that came back, and I feel like we have new guys that stepped up into their roles and their rooms and around the team that are becoming leaders.
speaker_10UNKNOWN
What did you pick up from all of that, especially in a championship run? And they were counting on you.
Unknown podcast
Press Conferences (Seth McLaughlin) Elite Edition August 6
Aug 6 · 5h 20m
speaker_2ADVERTISER
Visit SpinQuest.com for more details.
Jelani ThurmanGUEST
And so there's always been like, "All right, God lets me show my talent, shine a little bit." Like, even when I had the knee, so I had the knee, right? A lot of people don't know, like, I didn't get hurt again whenever I got, you know, got cleaned up.
Jelani ThurmanGUEST
And then, um, came back later the next year, and I g- and I played the first few games and I, it just feel, there was a lot of scar tissue in there.
Jelani ThurmanGUEST
I could've played the whole year, but I got it cleaned up so I can feel like me.
speaker_62UNKNOWN
Are you, are you concerned that the, you have that label of guy who can't stay on the field?
Unknown podcast
Press Conferences (Quincy Porter) Elite Edition August 6
Aug 6 · 5h 21m
Bill LandisCORRESPONDENT
Who can step up? Who has started to step up in your eyes for a place in the world?
Jelani ThurmanGUEST
I feel like we've had leaders from last year that came back, and I feel like we have new guys that stepped up into their roles and their rooms and around the team that are becoming leaders.
speaker_7CORRESPONDENT
What did you pick up from all of that, especially in a championship run? And they were counting on you.
Unknown podcast
Press Conferences (Garrtt Wilson) August 6 Massive
Aug 6 · 5h 25m
speaker_72UNKNOWN
Where can you definitely see where you've progressed as a tight end, you know, all that that means from this time even a year ago?
Jelani ThurmanGUEST
Honestly, over the spring and summer, this off-season, I feel like I've toned up my body a lot, and I got stronger in the weight room, but I've also got a little bit faster so I can get in and out of breaks a little bit better.
speaker_72UNKNOWN
The mind part of the game, you know, the –
Jelani ThurmanGUEST
We – I say, like, the tight ends, we come in here 5 o'clock every other day to do a walkthrough, more film.
Unknown podcast
Press Conferences (Garrtt Wilson) August
Aug 6 · 5h 25m
speaker_10UNKNOWN
step up? Who has started to step up in your eyes for a place in the world?
Jelani ThurmanGUEST
I feel like we've had leaders from last year that came back, and I feel like we have new guys that stepped up into their roles and their rooms and around the team that are becoming leaders.
speaker_11UNKNOWN
What did you pick up from all of that, especially in a championship run, you know, when they were counting on you?
Unknown podcast
Press Conference (Faheem Delane) August 6 Massive
Aug 6 · 5h 25m
speaker_57UNKNOWN
Who can step up? Who has started to step up in your eyes to replace some of the guys you lost last year?
Jelani ThurmanGUEST
I feel like we've, we've had leaders from last year that came back, and I feel like we got new guys that stepped up into their roles, in their rooms, and around the team that are becoming leaders.
speaker_57UNKNOWN
Uh, what was it like to kind of see a guy that you worked with for the last couple years go through that and now working alongside him?
Unknown podcast
Press Conferences (Nate Roberts) Elite Edition August 6
Aug 6 · 5h 23m
speaker_31UNKNOWN
All right, thank you.
Jelani ThurmanGUEST
And so there's always been like, all right, God lets me show my talent, shine a little bit.
Jelani ThurmanGUEST
Like, even when I had the knee, so I had the knee, right? A lot of people don't know, like I didn't get hurt again whenever I got, you know, got cleaned up.
speaker_31UNKNOWN
Like knowing that when you're out there, you're very productive, how much confidence does that give you that really all you need is, is an opportunity, you know?
Unknown podcast
Press Conferences (Faheem Delane) August
Aug 6 · 5h 25m
speaker_54UNKNOWN
And, uh, what was it like to kind of see a guy that you've worked with for the last couple years go through that?
speaker_57UNKNOWN
The, the, the mind part of the game, you know, the-
Unknown podcast
Press Conferences (Mylan Graham) Elite Edition August 6
Aug 6 · 5h 24m
speaker_6UNKNOWN
who has started to step up in your eyes for a place in the world?
Jelani ThurmanGUEST
I feel like we've had leaders from last year that came back, and I feel like we have new guys that stepped up into their roles and their rooms and around the team that are becoming leaders.
speaker_2UNKNOWN
What did you pick up from all of that, especially in a championship run? And they were counting on you.
Unknown podcast
Press Conferences (Malik Hartford) Elite Edition August 6
Aug 6 · 5h 24m
speaker_1UNKNOWN
up, who has started to step up in your eyes for a place in the world?
Jelani ThurmanGUEST
I feel like we've had leaders from last year that came back, and I feel like we have new guys that stepped up into their roles and their rooms and around the team that are becoming leaders.
speaker_6UNKNOWN
What did you pick up from all of that, especially in a championship run, you know, and they were counting on you?
Unknown podcast
Press Conferences (Lincoln Kienholtz) Elite Edition August 6
Aug 6 · 5h 23m
speaker_10UNKNOWN
Who can step up? Who has started to step up in your eyes for a place in the world?
Jelani ThurmanGUEST
I feel like we've had leaders from last year that came back, and I feel like we have new guys that stepped up into their roles and their rooms and around the team that are becoming leaders.
speaker_27UNKNOWN
What did you pick up from all of that, especially in a championship run, you know, and they were counting on you?
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