Dezmon Patmon can't tell his favorite Mike Leach stories – at least not publicly – but the former Washington State and current Colts wide receiver did share one about a sword.
Which, if you knew of Leach's "pirate" persona over the year, makes a lot of sense.
"I think we had lost a game and he had brought in a real pirate sword," Patmon told Colts Media's Larra Overton. "Because he's the pirate, you know? He brought in a real pirate sword. He was like, you can't swing your sword all limp — you got to get your base. He just has all these weird sayings and all these things that fell back on being a pirate."
Leach passed away earlier this month from complications due to a heart condition. He was 61.
Widely credited as one of the most revolutionary and impactful offensive minds in college football history, Leach was also known for his one-liners, quips, tangents, soliloquies and stories. Patmon, who played for Leach at Washington State from 2016-2019, remembered Leach having a 30-minute conversation with his grandfather during a recruiting visit.
"He'll just go off and ramble," Patmon said. "The Leach you see on interviews where he'll talk about a funny story or something, that's him 24/7. Some people put on a show — no, Leach is just like that."
Patmon caught 119 passes for 1,578 yards with 13 touchdowns over his final two seasons at Washington State, and credited Leach's pass-happy offense with providing him the opportunities to get to where he is now.
"That's the GOAT, that was the Pirate," Patmon said. "He was an offensive genius. I loved playing for him. He was my first offer so I kind of have to thank him for being in the shoes I am now."
Thursday's practice report
