“I play the drums,” the San Jose defensive back said. “And my teammates know it, because we went to bar and I played behind a live [R&B] band once. They let play a couple of songs.”

“I also played the keyboard and I can still cut a couple of songs. I’ve always played an instrument since I was young,” he added. “The drums were my favorite so I stuck with that from third grade until I graduated high school. But the only time I sing is on [the game] ‘Rock Band.’”

He’s joined by his fellow SaberCats in playing the video game: WR/LB Jason Geathers a.k.a. Stick Man, DB Clevan Thomas, DB Omarr Smith a.k.a. O.D., and WR James Roe a.k.a Big Noonie.

“I’m a lead singer. But Clevan will try to take over the mic from me,” laughed Floyd, a.k.a. Jam on It. “It’s a game so everybody has to sing a song. And, man, James Roe can get down over here.”

“We are like brothers off the field. We do everything together,” he added. “Go out to eat, go bowling, shoot basketball at Dave & Buster’s. We do it all. We get mad at each other, praise each other, uplift each other. We just got a nice relationship.”

San Jose’s ‘band of brothers’ has again advanced to the American Conference Championship contest and will face streaking No. 6 Grand Rapids, which has won five straight, on Saturday afternoon.

“We know their team is playing with high confidence right now,” Floyd said. “We just want to go in and execute things that we practiced this week. Go in and play with intensity and try take care of our home field. I think we have one of the best crowds in San Jose. They’re really supportive. We hope they just come out on Saturday at 12:30 with all of their support as we go on in our journey to the ArenaBowl.”

Floyd has had a consistently outstanding third season in the AFL and with the SaberCats. For the first time since 2000, the San Jose team interception leader was not Smith or Thomas, as Floyd snared 10 interceptions (for 153 yards) during the regular season. He also recorded 79.0 tackles, 15 pass breakups and three forced fumbles on his way to earning All-Arena honors two weeks ago. In last weekend’s divisional win against Colorado, Floyd recorded 11.0 tackles, one pass breakup and a crucial interception returned for a touchdown (only the second time in San Jose postseason history).

“He’s in the top percent of athletic players I’ve had the joy of coaching. He has size, speed and he’s smart,” San Jose head coach Darren Arbet said of the 6-2, 196-pound defender. “But most of all he works just as hard in practice as he does in the games.”

Floyd, who acknowledges his knack for ballhawking and his willingness to learn, has had many “teachers” during his time with the SaberCats.

“When I came here to San Jose, there was a player by the name of Barry Wagner. He actually took me in and he showed me the ropes,” he said. “Terrence Joseph taught me angles and how things operate in the league. After those guys were gone, I relied on Clevan and Omarrr to teach me more about the game. They also taught be about how to stay humble. They’ve been a real big asset to me.”

Floyd began his arena football career in 2004 with af2’s Tennessee Valley Vipers, he earned af2 Ironman of the Year and first-team all-league honors the following season and then signed as a free agent with San Jose that fall.

“It was a big learning curve, jumping from af2 to the AFL. The speed was faster, the talent better and you have guys that actually know the game,” he said. “You have to be more technique-sound in the AFL, rather than playing against guys are that new to the sport in af2.”

Born and raised in Monroe, Ga., he’s the son of Janice Floyd, who was both a mother and father to him (“especially in his teenage years”) and his younger siblings Marcus and Andria. He credits Ms. Floyd for making him the man that he is today...even if she made him stop playing football when he was a kid.

“I had a routine where I kept putting my equipment in this chair [in our home.] It was just a habit,” he said. “But she told me that if I kept putting my equipment in that chair, she’s going to make me quit Pop Warner. Well, I ending up putting in the chair again and she told me I couldn’t play.

“She taught me to be disciplined in whatever you do,” he added. “Taking it away from me made me want it more. But I got into other sports.”

He picked up football again his freshman year at Monroe Area High, where he was a four-sport star. And he never put any equipment in that chair again.

“Oh no, you know, once you get to high school you actually have your equipment in the locker room, so I could leave it there,” he said.

Floyd chose West Georgia, where he was a three-time American Football Coaches Association (AFCA) All-American and still holds the school record for career interceptions (19) and the all-time punt return yards record (982). He graduated from West Georgia with a degree in Finance and eventually found arena football.

Floyd and his wife Kanani, who were married this past offseason, reside in Decatur, Ga. Although Mrs. Floyd lives in Georgia, she typically flies out to San Jose or elsewhere for her hubby’s games.

“She’s one of our biggest fans and one of our biggest critics,” Floyd said.

While his family will be watching – maybe critiquing – the game on ESPN inside the home of Louise and Charlie Gober, Floyd’s grandparents, he’s hoping the experience can be even more real for them in two weeks.

“We gotta win this game and have them come to the ArenaBowl,” he said with pride in his voice. “Then they can see me play live with San Jose for the first time.”