A soccer player turned kicker, Josh Lambo spent three years with the Aggies from 2012 to 2014 before going on to kick in the NFL. On Friday morning, Lambo spoke to TexAgs Radio about his time in Aggieland, his professional career and much more.
Key notes from Josh Lambo interview
- I'm officially done with football. I retired earlier this year. My feet were hurting a little too much. I just finished a two-month road trip with my dog. We went all over the country. I'm just enjoying it.
- I don't anticipate missing football. I miss soccer more than anything, though.
- I started playing soccer when I was four in a YMCA league. Both my older brothers played soccer, and because I was playing with them, I was always playing with older kids. My development occurred quickly, so when I went to my own age group, I was making saves left and right. Everything was easy for me. I got identified by the United States National Team U17 team, and they moved me to Bradenton, Florida. I eventually got drafted by FC Dallas and played in the MLS.
- I had a visit with Everton and a few other clubs. My first Premier League trial was when I was 12 and with Manchester United. A local coach really wanted one of the Manchester United guys to see me. I did well enough in about an hour to impress them. I met Tim Howard when I was up at Manchester United's practice facility, and now I'm lucky enough to call Howard a friend. Back in 2003, everybody was at Manchester United. They had so many good players. It was prime Manchester United.
- Tim Howard was my role model for several reasons. My U17 goalkeeper coach was Howard's coach when Howard was a kid. He was immense for me as a kid. He has been an inspirational guy for me and has become a friend. He stands out above others.
- I played in the MLS for four years. I got put on loan to a second-division team in my third year. I was 19 and was enrolled in an online school. Dallas released me after I got my associate's degree, and I didn't get too many offers that were attractive to me. I thought it might be time to get a big boy job. I told this plan to my mother and told her I probably needed to go to college. She was living in Madison, Wisconsin. She jokingly said I should learn to kick field goals and play for the Badgers to live with her again. In April 2012, I reached out to someone to help me transition to football. I realized I could do it and worked throughout the spring and summer to create a bio and highlight tape. I didn't even need a scholarship because I had an Adidas contract that provided reimbursement for college tuition. I sent that stuff to 30 different schools, and only Texas A&M responded. My video had a clip of me hitting a 70-yard field goal. Thank goodness for David Beaty.
- When the first day of school rolled around, I was enrolled at Texas A&M, and they put me in as a walk-on.
- I was aware of how lucky I was to have a second chance in a second sport. I carried that chip on my shoulder, knowing what it was like to be told you're not good enough after being paid for your trade. That stayed with me throughout football. I knew what it was like to be a professional athlete, and I wanted to get back there. It was a motivating factor for me at A&M. I knew how to get there and was then armed with the drive to get back.
- The only pressure that exists is the pressure that you put on yourself. That said, there is more pressure on a kicker. As a kicker, as long as your line protects you, you should always make that kick. You're out there because the kicker should make that kick. There is a lot more riding on every situation for kickers. As a goalkeeper, you're busy for all 90 minutes. As a kicker, you might only have one kick to make in the entire game, and you better make it.
- Working on the speed-ladder drills, I was pretty good. I was a shorter goalkeeper, so to make up for it, I worked with a lot of fast-twitch muscle movement. I worked my butt off in the gym when I was at A&M. That work is probably what got me an invite to the NFL Combine. I thought that was a prank when I got that email.
- The Ole Miss game was a really cool night for me. It was like the third game I played. Before that night, I had only had three field goals under my belt. It was a close game, and we were coming back. Johnny was doing Johnny things, and all of a sudden, it's up to me. There was a timeout or something. It took a while for me to take the kick. When it came off my foot, I wasn't really confident. I peeked up. Saw it go to the middle and saw it take a jump to the right. Obviously, it went through. It was cool to celebrate at the end of the game.
- As a kicker, I was getting my second chance. I thank all of my coaches for giving me that second chance. I remember battling Taylor Bertolet every week for the starting kicker position. I thank him for making me better, and that was a special relationship as well. I'm very thankful for my time at Texas A&M.
- My last year in Jacksonville was something I hadn't experienced, and I hope nobody else has to, either. I remember when they announced who would be the head coach. It goes to show that nobody is bigger than the team. It's sad that those kind of people can still be hired. It's sad that people can value winning that much over safety and common respect. It's sad that's how I exited the NFL. It's not how I would have chosen to leave Jacksonville, but I'm still thankful for my time there.
- When I started with the Chargers in the NFL, I had a lot of negative thoughts, and that led to a lot of misses. Once I learned how to talk to myself rather than listen to myself, that's when I went from being a guy who got cut to being an All-Pro. I made that jump, and it's a very practical thing that helped me do it. I just want to share with whoever wants to listen. We're in control of our thoughts, and I've figured out how to do that on a daily basis. I want to get that out. It helped me be an All-Pro, and I want to help others become an All-Pro in whatever they do in life.
