Ex-NFL linebacker Jonathan Vilma is going from motivating teammates to … restaurant owners?? Damn straight — ’cause the Saints great teamed up with Gordon Ramsay to try and save a local business!!
The Super Bowl champion gave a football coach-esque pump-up speech on the upcoming episode of FOX’s “Kitchen Nightmares: Road to Super Bowl LIX” … having a sit-down with Bonnie, the owner of Iberville Cuisine & Oyster Bar in NOLA, to help her get ready for the thousands of football fans making their way to the area for the Big Game.
The 42-year-old — who is co-owner of “Vilma’s” in the Big Easy himself — said the duty of being in charge of an eatery is very similar to the head coach of a football team … and his words will have you ready to run through a brick wall.
In an exclusive clip to TMZ Sports, Vilma poured his heart out as he told Bonnie his exact approach to success … saying, “When people go into your restaurant, they know there is a standard.”
“The food is going to taste awesome; the food is going to be fresh; the atmosphere is going to be great; the ambiance is going to be great. That’s what people are going to go for.”
He added the best thing he learned during his time in the league is that any great organization has its own set of rules and guidelines that help set them apart.
“If we don’t have structure, if we don’t have guidelines, if we don’t have discipline, we have no chance,” Vilma said.
You can tell Bonnie — who revealed she is a Saints fan — was taking his advice to heart … keeping intense eye contact with the current FOX Sports broadcaster throughout the pep talk.
The episode airs Tuesday night on FOX … so Who Dat Nation can tune in to see if Vilma’s words end up working wonders!!