Follow CFL

© 2024 CFL. All rights reserved.

TMI: Henoc Muamba’s pre-game playlist may surprise you

CFL.ca
@kcostabile1

If Henoc Muamba wasn’t playing football, he says he would be wanting to work with me!

I feel like this is starting to become a trend when I ask players around the league what they’d be doing if they weren’t playing the game they love – James Wilder Jr. also said he’d want to do my job when he hangs up his cleats.

I think my job is safe for now, especially from Muamba, who doesn’t look like he’s going to be calling it quits on football anytime soon. The Alouettes linebacker is fourth in the CFL in tackles (23) through the first four weeks of the season, showing exactly why he’s one of the most dominate players at his position.

The 29-year-old’s first language is French, his most embarrassing moment was in his first year of university and his favourite memory so far in the CFL was when he was drafted by the Winnipeg Blue Bombers.

One of my favourite questions to ask the players is about their pre-game playlist. Everyone’s is so unique and I’m always interested in hearing about what each of them listens to to get ready for the game. What does Muamba listen to? Classical music. Amazing.

If you missed some of our chat on the CFL’s Instagram story, the rest of it is below for this week’s TMI!

Kristina Costabile: Tell me something that fans might not know about you.

Henoc Muamba: Playing in Montreal and it’s not the first time. I’ve lived there before and French is my first language.

KC: Do you have any pre-game superstitions or routines?

HM: Oddly enough, I don’t. I don’t have any superstitions. I’ll do anything and everything. I actually like staying quiet. Before things are going crazy I like being quiet. I like classical music. It’s different, huh? I like classical music. It kind of calms me down because I can’t get too hyped, too soon.

KC: What kind of classical music?

HM: I go on Spotify and listen to anything. It calms me down.

KC: What is the first thing you have to do on a game day?

HM: Eat. (Laughs) But I can’t eat too much. If I do…. it’s always been a challenge. I still throw up before games. I’m passionate about the game so I have to always watch what time I’m going to eat. Sometimes I’ll be playing in the first quarter and I feel my food still in my throat. I love the game, I’m passionate about the game, still get butterflies before games.

KC: What’s the optimal window to eat so that you don’t get sick?

HM: It’s weird. It’s been eight years that I’ve been playing professionally and still haven’t figured it out yet. Sometimes I eat too soon and in the first quarter I’m like, ‘my stomach is empty!’ Sometimes it’s like, ‘this is too late!’ It’s just been something I’ve always had to deal with. Funny enough, my first year playing football, I threw up in the middle of the field in my high school. It’s a challenge but I still haven’t mastered it yet.

KC: What is one of your most embarrassing moments?

HM: I was in university. I think I was nominated for defensive player of the year in my conference and I was All-Star. I was running, it was a specific play. We were playing Saint Mary’s and I was going to make the tackle on this quarterback that was running. And I was like, ‘I’m about to get it, I’m going to take him out! I’m taking him down!’ (We were) one-on-one and it was not fundamental to start with and I kind of dove, and don’t ever do that! Don’t leave your feet to tackle! But I dove and I had no more power and he just ran me over. I was on my back like five more yards and my teammates were coming around. And now the other team is chirping me, ‘you’re supposed to be an All-Star!?’ My teammates were coming to the rescue like, ‘man, he slipped! He slipped!’ To this day they still asked me, ‘so, what happened?!’

KC: What is one of your most favourite moments in the CFL so far?

HM: Definitely when I got drafted. It was a surreal feeling. I remember it like it was yesterday. My whole family, we flew down to Winnipeg. We were in a hotel. The team brought us down there. It was a big celebration. It was amazing. It brought the whole family together. We enjoyed our time and it was definitely one of the highs.

KC: I know you’re a big superhero fan, are you watching any superhero shows on Netflix right now?

HM: I have one episode left of the last season of Super Girl. The Flash I have two episodes (left). It’s been rough (to watch). I’ve got a five and a half month old now so it’s kind of hard. But I have to watch it so I can tell her about the stories and what’s coming, right?!

KC: Speaking of your little one, what’s fatherhood been like?

HM: It’s been the greatest, hardest thing I’ve ever had to do. It’s been super tough but I’m glad I’m doing it, trying to raise a daughter with my best friend, my wife. She’s really holding down the fort. She’s a warrior and she makes it a lot easier that I’m sure it could be.

KC: If you were not a football player, what would you be doing?

HM: I’m interested in broadcasting. Probably be working with you! I do a lot of motivational speaking as well. And I’m interested in business as well.