By Matt Phillips​

 

One of the newest additions to the Chiefs roster Eric Kush agreed to chat to Arrowheads Abroad's Matt Phillips. Enjoy!

 

​​Matt : So the offseason draft process is now over, are you relieved that it has come to a close?

Eric: Absolutely, now that I know where I will be for the start of my career I can focus on learning the system and giving it my all with the kansas city chiefs. I can relax knowing where my wife and son will move out to after camp.

 

​​How did you find the whole process from leaving college up to being drafted, it certainly sounds a busy time for you guys?

​It has its fast times and slow times. Right after the season you hurry up and go off to train, then it slows down while you wait to see what all star games your playing in, then it speeds up during that game, then it slows down after waiting to hear about the NFL combine, then after that you wait again for your proday, then you wait again for pre-draft visits and private workouts. After all this waiting then rushing, you have to wait again for your phone to ring on draft day.

 

​As a 3 year starter at Cal PA, do you think you'll miss studying and playing football there, and what did you major in?

I will miss CAL U it was a great 4 years I spent there. iImet my wife at school and raised my son for the the first year there. I will certainly miss all the great people ive met and spent time with.

 

​Did you enjoy attending the East West Shrine Game & Practices? Your lower leg injury sounded painful, but you got back out there still!

​I very much enjoyed my time at the shrine game. iI was a great experience for me to play against better competition and get more looks. The most important thing about the shrine game isn't about playing football though, its about being "more then just a game". Igot a glimpse at what its like for children who have had to overcome serious obstacles, and see their joy doing simple things I can't even imagine not being able to do, like playing baseball or football, things we take for granted because we are healthy.Hearing some of the kid's speeches about their struggles being a double leg amputee but still wrestling and playing basketball made me tear up. I had to fight tears the whole time thinking how lucky I am for my health and my sons health.

 

​​Just what is it like to make visits with NFL teams and was it a nerve wracking experience?

​It's a great experience that helps you realize that this is actually happening and you're not dreaming. It's very nerve racking till you get there and realize its football, you've been playing for the last 9 or so years. You start to relax and be natural and just be yourself.

 

What is it about playing Center that you enjoy the most?

I like to be in command out there on the field. I enjoy making calls and making sure the offensive line is going in the right direction.​

 

What were your expectations once the draft started, did you follow it closely and how did you celebrate being selected by KC?

​Well you hear a lot of things from a lot of people, you get an idea of where you could be drafted. for me i knew if I was going to get drafted it was going to be late rounds. Even though you know what round you could go in, you still dont know if thats how its going to shake out, anything could happen and you brace for that.Once i got the call from kansas city I was ecstatic. My family screamed around me, and we went and got a bottle of wine I purchased in December to celebrate with. As I was opening the bottle I read the label again "arrowhead springs". 4 months ago I had no idea where I was going to go or who I was going to play for.I happened to have stopped at arrowhead springs for a wine tasting and bought a couple bottles for celebrating with after I got signed. When I read that wines label again I felt as if it was meant to be and I'm going to where I was supposed to.

 

​You must have a very busy schedule ahead of you now up to Mini Camp?

Actually the week leading to rookie mini camp is my least busy stretch. I just go back to school to workout in the morning and spend time with my wife and son. its a nice relaxing stretch until I leave for kansas city, then it takes off from there.

 

​It must be such a big complement having guys like Andy Reid and John Dorsey scout you heavily, select you and have the great things they are saying about you? Were you aware how much KC were scouting you other than the visit?

​You really don't know. you get phone calls form teams all the time checking up on you and seeing how you are doing, but you never know exactly what they are thinking until draft day.

 

​How do you feel about all the scouting reports, websites, articles giving almost daily evaluations of potential raftees in the run up to the draft and do you find that helpful, a distraction or something that motivated you - or did you ignore all the draft media out there? Seems player's grades go up and down so often now.

All the "scouting reports" online don't mean anything and never will. What matters is what real NFL scouts and coaches think. I try to stay away from that stuff, its a huge distraction to waste time on when it doesn't matter a lick anywayAway from all the serious football questions!

 

Have you ever visited the UK and what were your experiences?

I never have, but maybe someday I will. I hear a lot of great things about it.

 

​Would you like to play at Wembley Stadium for the Chiefs in the International Series?

​Playing abroad would be a great experience for me. I think its a great opportunity for the NFL to try and spread to other countries to get american football globally recognized.

 

​Away from football, what do you like to do to relax, have fun?

I like to spend times shooting guns, trap shooting or just going to a range and testing my accuracy. I also have a jeep wrangler that i like to drive through the woods.​If you could recommend one place in the US for a British person to visit where would that be?​Anywhere with a shooting range! Nemocolin woodlands in Pennsylvania is a world class resort that has just about everything imaginable. I recently went there for my honey moon, one of our favorite activities was going through their trap shooting course.

 

​Do you have a favourite NFL team that you have followed?

My new favorite NFL team is the kansas city chiefs! growing up in Pittsburgh, so you have to be a steelers fan or face being heckled everyday.

 

Do you follow or have you played any British sports, such as soccer, rugby, hockey, cricket? Do you have any favourite teams?

I tried playing soccer back in 4th grade but it wasnt my thing. Being a football player at this level you have to have a certain amount of desire to hit people and be physical. I didn't find that in soccer and may be why I didnt enoy it. I can definitely appreciate the fans of soccer though, craziest of any sport.' Green street hooligans' was one of my favorite movies. When I rarely talk about soccer I like to scream Manchester United with a british accent!

 

After only following Eric ( @ErickKush64 ) on Twitter for a couple of weeks you can already tell he is a fans man. Definatley worth the follow guys. I wish him the best of luck and am looking forward to watching his career progress.