Jordan Fuller Talks Sports Psychology, Getting Stronger, and Family

Even the questions that he gets asked over and over, like ‘what is it like playing with Jalen Ramsey and Aaron Donald?’ or, ‘what was it like to intercept Tom Brady twice in the same game?’

“Yeah I get it asked a lot,” he laughed. “It's all good though.” 

Fuller has dedicated a good portion of his offseason to his mental training. Of course, when you are in the early stages of your career, you need to get stronger physically. But he also realized that the mental fortitude needed to be as much of a focus.

With the high-stress nature of football, there is a yin and yang to the mental approach of the sport. He explained how going too far on one end can be costly. 

“Get into your zone. Having enough stress so the adrenaline is pumping, but not too much to where it paralyzes you. You wanna get there on command. I’m not there yet, but I am trying” Fuller says.

ONE37pm: Which way do you lean, the pumped up side or chill side?

Fuller: “I’m a thinker, so I’ll be on the more stressed side. So sometimes I need to scale it back. Understanding that nothing is good or bad, don’t make judgments in the moment cause it wastes time.”

Fuller dove deeper into those early judgments. 

“Living with regret. That’s what I hate. The way I approach workouts, games… I hate that. Why wouldn’t I give it my all? That’s what motivates me. Coulda, woulda, shoulda, I hate that” he explains.

Fuller’s awareness is really impressive. He understands his strengths and accepts some of his weaknesses. But his biggest focus is changing HOW he views his weaknesses.

Fuller: “My strengths… I’m smart. I’m consistent. I try to be a good teammate and be another coach on the field. But a lot of times, people won’t see that with the naked eye. There are a lot of things I will bring to the table. Maybe I’m not the quickest or the strongest… there are a bunch of other guys who have that on me. But talking to the psychologist, he reversed that thinking. At Ohio St., as a Freshman, it was a really big jump for me. That might have scarred my thinking a little bit. Thinking like, 'man, these guys are way better than me.' My thinking didn’t make sense. I just got in my head sometimes. 

ONE37pm: You make it sound really easy, but there is no way that is the case. Changing your thinking also means changing years and years of habits. So how do you rewire that process?

Fuller: “The other thing I am working on is being present. A little bit of meditation to center myself. Taking a few deep breaths and understanding that a lot of my worries aren’t real or things I can control.”

Needless to say, Jordan Fuller does not sound like your typical 23-year-old. 

ONE37pm: So many people talk about the cliche “welcome to the NFL” feeling or moment. But since you came from Ohio State and your entire family is full of superstars…was that still the case for you? 

Fuller: “In training camp, it might have happened. I was playing with the ones (starters)… blah blah blah. But then I got a pick or something and I said, ‘yeah, I am supposed to be here.' 

Then we played the Cowboys, with a ton of big names. But then like the first play of the game, I made an assisted tackle with Jalen Ramsay on Amari Cooper. I feel like God sent that knowing that I needed it. Once you get that first hit, you’re good.”

ONE37pm: When you do these interviews, and you do 1,000’s of them, what do you want to be asked? 

Fuller: “Honestly, I want to be asked about other people that I care about. Whether it is my family or a teammate who had a great game. I don’t want to be like, 'look at me.' 

I am big on family. The people I am close with... My dad played at TCU. My brother was drafted by the Falcons, and he is one of my best friends. He’s into coaching, and I’ve gotten to watch him grow. Obviously, my mom is one of the best backup singers of all time. My little sister has grown into her own. My brother married into the Holiday family, if you know Jrue, Justin, and Aaron. I’m living rent-free because of Jrue and Lauren right now. She’s the real superstar. Real deal. Great, great people. For real. 

They’ve poured so much into me. It’s been really dope. Being surrounded by excellence has pushed me further. They are the reason why I am so motivated. I definitely think I have the best family in the world.”

That’s the kind of person Jordan Fuller is.