10/10/25 - Bengals Pep Rally

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Good afternoon, everybody, and welcome to the Bengals pep Rally Show live from me on the Rhine Eatery here in downtown Cincinnati. I'm Dan Hord with Dave Lapham. We are here until six o'clock tonight as we get you set to the Bengals and Green Bay Packers coming up on Sunday at lambeau Field beginning at four twenty five in the afternoon. Linebacker Orren Burks will be our guest later

My son Sam has excellent taste in broadcasters and his favorite is not his dad. It's our guest Kevin Harlan, who will be on the mic for CBS this week. Kevin, we got quite the plot twist this week with the Bengals acquisition of Joe Flacco having a Cincinnati assignment this week.

What was your reaction?

Stunned? But it makes sense. He knows the division. He is a quarterback who has seen everything. He's reached the highest of highs. He's had some difficult moments, but he continues to go on. You know, Dan, I thought at one time that after he had signed the big contract with Baltimore and had won the Super Bowl, and he I know, he's a family man and all that, and I thought, you know, I could see him finding other

Why not?

I'm it shows aggression and I think every fan would appreciate that.

Let me take it a step further. Kansas City is two and three and playing the Lions this week. The Texans, with their division titles the last couple of years, or two and three, they go to Seattle this week. The AFC in general appears to be wide open, doesn't it.

I agree, Dan, you're on it, and I I would say that that these are one but that's it's a week to week league, and it's clearly a year to year league, and teams you think have got every answer at every position in every way are stumbling a bit. And now we see that how strong front offices and personnel departments can be in trying to, you know, grab a stronger hold of the rudder. And clearly the Bengals are doing that. Other teams are trying to find their way.

If they were so inclined to look.

For a punch, a burst, a spark on offense, green Bay did it with Micaeh Parsons. I'm not saying that Flacco's going to have that same kind of kind of movement, but listen, he clearly brings a different dimension to that position with a guy that clearly still wants to play. So I applaud with the Bengals of and I love that in the middle of a season, when you think you've got everything just kind of proportioned the right way,

To their roster. It's so intriguing to me in so many ways.

We're visiting with Kevin Harlan.

Joe Flacco's NFL debut is on opening Day two thousand and eight against the Cincinnati Bengals.

Do you remember saying, look at the big man run. Well, now that you've said it, yes, I do. I do remember that, And you know he is.

His career speaks for itself, not in terms of legendary Hall of Fame status, but he's won a Super Bowl, he's led winning teams, he's proven he can play in this league. He surprised people this stage of his career what he can still do. He's incredibly engaged, and I think in the locker room, and this is again nothing against who has been starting for Joe, but you're always

There might be a Ferrari commercial in your future based on that engine.

Uh, wrapping up, Let's of.

Any other car I should My son is a Ford dealer. I probably should have at Ford anyway. The point is is is if there's a new guy with the hands on the wheel, and that's that's pretty exciting.

I think at the stage of the year.

Let's discuss the Packers. They opened the season with dominant wins over Detroit and Washington. One of their offensive linemen said we might go undefeated this year, and then they lost to Cleveland in Week three. What is your view of the Packers and the problems they present for Cincinnati this week?

So I do their preseason game, so I've seen him throughout the summer and this is pre Parsons arrival, and I thought they were a strong team then and the general manager came out Dan and he said the Packers and he said, he said, We've got to start thinking in terms of championships and not just winning records and getting into the playoff. We need to think now in

In the league of Cleveland.

We know Cleveland's got the defense and they had the Packers number and probably a loss like that early in the season was good for them to not think. You know, hey, I read what the lineman said, and he was and I'm sure they're going, oh my god, don't talk again. Please don't open up mouth. You cannot say in this league. It is such an unforgiving league. And these are pros on the other end, regardless of what record or history says.

Coming up Sunday at lambeau.

Field, did the Micah Parsons trade change your view of the Packers' ability to win a Super Bowl title?

Well, I think it's stunned the league because he's a fifth year player at the very height of his powers, and its dominant and as forceful a one man guy is you're gonna find on any defensive unit in the league. Like he changes a game. Offenses now tilt toward ever you know wherever he's gonna be with extra blockers, going away with the play call and checking it off at the line. I think he changes how play to play,

We're visiting with Kevin Harlan.

For those who don't know, your dad was an executive with the Green Bay Packers. You spent part of your childhood in Green Bay. What are some of your fondest memories about being around lambeau Field as a kid.

I've got one right off the bet that I've told a couple of times already this week. When I was a ball boy for the Packers in the early seventies and we'd have our lunch break during training camp, I would sneak up the stairs into the press box at lambeau Field, the old lambeau Field, and go in the

One of the things I admire about you is that you don't rest on your laurels. Are you on a never ending quest to improve as a sports broadcast?

Well, like you, we have a same I think spirit in this business. Dan, As your accolades would say that if you do rest and exhale, there are younger broadcasters that are just salivating to be in our seats. Right is the voice of a team. You're a voice of a major college and an NFL team. There are not many of those guys in the business. You're one of them and have done it so well for so many years. And so I never take this job lightly. And I think it goes back because it's not that we're scared

So I'm scared.

I read I read a quote by Scully one time, the great legendary Dodger broadcaster who said, fear drives me a lot. I never want to let my listeners down. I never want to let myself down by not being fully prepared, but into the game and staying ahead of the posse, in other words, making sure that they find no reason to really attack my work. And that's what kept him going. And I read that as a young broadcaster. I said, that's a good model to live by, and so I kind.

Of have that totally rings true. Leave it to Vin Scully to nail it. Final question for Kevin Harlan. I'm sure you've heard this one before, but I've never heard your answer. If you could call a sporting event that you've never had the opportunity to do and probably won't have the opportunity to do, what would it be.

Well, I've had the chance a couple times to do Major League Baseball. When I was in my twenties and doing the University of Missouri and the Chiefs on radio Saturday Sunday back to back like you do with the

And I do.

And it's great for delivery development and voice development and cadence and all those things. But doing a game on radio baseball on radio some random Wednesday night, maybe in July, and describing as the shadows are growing, as the sun is setting, and describe because you've got time between pitches to describe what's going on. In football, man, you got doing doing doing doom and in basketball, so like you're

Where it was on the floor.

Those things, to me, that's why get into broadcasting, the challenge of doing that the right way.

You are listening to the Bengals pep Rally Show presented by Just Bared Chicken. We are live at the on the Rhyane Eatery here in downtown Cincinnati. Dave Lapham and I are here until six o'clock tonight. From five to six we will be joined by Bengals linebacker Oron Burke. So if you would like to meet Oran, get a picture, get an autograph, you can do so today here at the On the Rhine Eatery at the intersection of Court and Walnut. It is the food hall above the downtown Kroger.

Chilly time for some fun facts with rookie linebacker Barrett Carter born in Chicago but raised in Swanee, Georgia, near Atlanta. Barrett, I read an interview where you said, all I want to do in life is make my parents proud.

Tell us a little bit.

About them, what they did or do for a living, and what you admire and respect so much about your folks.

Yeah.

So my mom, she's an interior designer. Slash do it all mom, slash everything Mom, she really does it all. But she's an interior designer, helps, you know, design people's houses, and you know, people will just hire her and you know, give her money and tell her, you know, just make my house beautiful.

And that's what she does.

Then my dad, he's a financial advisor, a wealth manager. So he's really my personal financial adviser. So it's good to keep that in house. But what I really love and admire most about them is just how supportive they are. Like with my sister and I, they really just let us figure our own lives out. Like they didn't force

I do the same with my older sisters. When did it become clear that you stood out among your peers in sports?

Hm hmm.

I would say my eighth grade year in football.

Like I played football just always because it was so fun, and I was also like the biggest one on the field, so I was just I guess I was naturally I don't want to say the best, but I was pretty good. But then my eighth grade year, I was just I was pretty dominant and that after that year, it just really showed me that I can maybe do something with this.

Freshman year, I know you played offense early in high school and then got switched to linebacker, and reportedly you were devastated by the change. Have you grown to love linebacker?

I have, and it was I literally wanted to quit football. But the next day when I got I switched, I was running back receiver. I switched the linebacker, and I was almost quit football. Then the next day I got my first scholarship offer. So I mean, the Lord works in mysterious ways. But I've grown to love this side of the ball so much, and I love how.

How hard it is.

Like you know, I'm not saying playing offense is easy, but you know, when you ain't playing defense, you have to react to whatever the offense is doing and you don't know what they're running, and all you can do is go off of your preparation, your studying and your film and just you know, just your God given ability. But I love that defense, that challenge and how precise you have to be and how on point you have to be with your keys, and I embrace that challenge.

So I love the side.

Of the ball playing linebacker. You attended North Quinn at high school. That's the alma mater of a Bengals fan favorite tight end, CJ Uzama. Did you hear about CJ? From coaches and teachers and have you ever.

Met I don't.

We've met before because he came in and spoke to us, but like surprisingly, we actually lived in the same neighborhood. We lived in the same neighborhood back in Georgia, but just growing up in Swanee, you always heard that name, and you know, you always wanted to strive to be like those older guys.

Who paved the way.

And I just have so much respect for him is what he did in the league and how he always came back to his community and just gave his time, his knowledge, and his wisdom back. And you know, I hope that I can be something like that and more just keep giving back what was instilled into me. So CJ will always be a legend in my eyes, a big brother and you know, a great a great man to look up to.

You were one of the top linebackers in the country your senior year of high school. You could have gone anywhere. Where did you visit? Who I visited?

Clemson obviously, Georgia, Alabama, Auburn, and Ohio State.

So those were like.

My final final five, and I ultimately chose Clemson just because it was the right fit for me. You know, I was looking for a place where I can you know, grow in all areas of life and you know, not just talking about football, but all areas. And you know, I can truly say I walked into Clemson aboard and I came out of man.

And that's all that I was looking for. And you know, the football stuff is going to handle itself.

But so what I did, what I was able to compensatere was is a blessing and I wouldn't trade those four years for the world. But yeah, those are those are my finalists. And the place that I was visited.

It certainly worked out well. You were in some great teams at Clemson. Your team made it to the College Football Playoff last year. What was the best part of your overall college experience.

I'll say, I'll give one on the field and won off the field. I'll say this is going to be surprising. My junior year, at worst, we were four and four, Like at one point, we were four and four throughout the year. And if you know anything about Clemson, anything about their fans, they're very passionate about that team, and being four and four in Clemson is not not a

And I cried after that game.

I cried after we won the Gator Bowl and it was just such a special win for you know, we were four and four and we rallied and we finished off the season nine and four, and it was just

And that's what I did.

And so I came back and I graduated, and that was such a big accomplishment for me.

Since twenty twenty, college football players have been allowed to wear the number zero. You were the first player to do it at Clemson.

Was that a big deal to you?

Honestly, I didn't realize it was a big deal until, like I got to Clemson, because I committed to Clemson and I texted coach Shwiny, like what single digit numbers do y'all have available? Because I were number one in high school, so it was just what I was used to and now he said zero's only thing. I was like,

I'm the first number zero. So it was special.

And I hope that you know that's just a legacy at Clemson, just for decent players to wear that number and just keep carrying on that tradition. So I hope that you know that's that's that's gonna become a thing at Clemson.

We're chatting with Barrett Carter. You were a fourth round picking this year's draft. Describe the moments leading up to the pick and then the feeling you got when the phone rang.

The most stressful, nerve wracking time of my whole life, because the whole process is so like you don't know anything. Like you can you can get all these predictions, you can talk to your agents and acts like what are they saying whatever, But until you get the phone call, you don't know what's going on in that draft room. So I mean, i'd be lying to you if I told you all if I thought I was gonna go fourth out. I thought I was gonna go earlier. But

All right, a few.

Wild card topics to wrap things up. It looks like you did a ton of community service when you were at Clemson, particularly with schools.

Why I remember, I was, you know, that little kid and seeing the older athletes come in and read to us and spend time with us, and I just thought.

That was the coolest thing because I was, I was, I just admired that.

I admire that, you know, they took the time out of their day when they could have.

Been doing anything else and they came to spend time with us.

And I made a promise to myself, like when I get to that, when I get to that age, I'm gonna get back and I'm gonna I'm gonna be that figure that those kids look up to and those kids love, and you know, whatever it may be, but it's just a it's a promise that I made to myself, just I'm gonna give back my time. I'm gonna get back to nowe I was instilled into me and I'm gonna I'm gonna do that for.

Us rest of my life.

If you could swap jerseys with any player in NFL history, who are you swapping jerseys with?

Probably ray Lewis.

Just he's someone that I grew up just admiring and watching, especially when I switched the linebacker, Like a big thing for me was the mindset and like the mentality that you have to have to play that position.

He's just epitome of that.

Like he's he doesn't matter who you are, He's gonna go after you and try to try to hunt you.

So I would say ray Lewis.

And I actually talked to him last last year in the summer. Coach Sweeney put me on the phone with him, and it was I was just so starstruck. I didn't know what to say. But he's someone that I grew up Washington and grew up admiring. So I would say ray Lewis.

All right.

Final fun fact for Barrett Carter. This one's kind of deep. If you could meet anyone in history, living or deceased, who would that person be?

I would say, I have two, so I have to give an athlete and a non athlete, I'll say Lebron James because that's just that's my that's my guy. I grew up watched, Yeah, Lebron for sure. Lebron James and Denzel Washington. He's my favorite actor. I just watched both or all three Equalizer movies and that just made me love him even more so. Lebron James and Denzel Washington. Denzel is so good, so good, so good, the best.

Not that Lebron isn't. But I'm really with you and Denzel.

You can't go on with either, so I'll say those two.

This has been great. Really appreciate your time. Best of luck the rest of the year.

Yes, say thanks for having me.

You are listening to the Bengals Pepper Ally Show live from the on the Rhine Eatery here in downtown Cincinnati. Dave Lapham and I are here until six o'clock tonight. We're obviously having some minor technical problems. We'll have that ironed out shortly. In any case, if you'd like to come out and meet Orrin Burks, the Bengals linebacker, will be our special guest. Between five and six, we are headed to Lambeau Field on Sunday. It'll be the first

Jerry, you are a Packers assistant coach for nine years. Now you are going back to Lambeau It can't be just another game for you.

Is there anything in particular you're looking forward to?

You know what?

Being there for nine years I have When I say friends, they're like family, meaning there's still guys there that I work with, but more importantly, our kids grew up there. So we have a cabin in Eagle River, Wisconsin. We will always call that home now regardless of where we live at. So it'll be great to see all of my neighbors and friends. And then you know what's cool is my son is getting his first collegiate start at linebacker against the Badger Saturday night. So I'm gonna try

Green Bay is the smallest market in the US that has a professional sports team. It's a city of about one hundred thousand people. As a Packers player or coach, do you feel like you're in a fish bowl a little bit just because there's such a spotlight on the Packers?

I would say, you know, maybe for a player. As a coach, I'd say no. I think people are very welcome, the welcoming, and they treat you as one and especially if you're a normal person, if you you know, there's not too many people that walk around meaning you know, and think that they're better than you. So when you act like that, that's when you stand alone. But for a player, I could see people knowing who you are.

We're visiting the Bengals defensive line coach Jerry Montgomery. Let's talk defense. Seems a little odd to say, maybe after the opponents scored thirty seven points, But I thought the defense played pretty well last week against the NFL's number one offense. You forced five punts. Nobody's forced more against Detroit. You got to take away in the game, what was good last Sunday, what wasn't up to your standard.

We're taking the right steps each and every week. You know, they were average and I don't know if it was like four point nine or five something or carry. And if we don't give up the one big run, we keep them below two, below three, we give up the one big one.

You know.

So like we're building a mindset and a culture from a run game a standpoint, and you know, you got to earn.

The right to pass rush.

And so I think those guys, we're doing that and we're getting in them some longer down in distance, more than they've probably had all year.

But you know, so it starts there.

So you're just building a culture and identity and you know, guys are playing hard. No one's quitting. You know, we got to eliminate the mistakes that are happening. And it's football. Things are gonna happen. It's just like, you know, you can't let them compound. But we're heading in the right direction. We're nowhere near where we're going to be, but you know, hopefully people are seeing the change and the guys are working extremely hard.

One negative has been opening drives opponents have scored touchdowns in for the first five games. Has there been a common denominator? Is there something that stands out on those opening drives?

We talk about that every day.

I don't know if it was Cleveland and then Minnesota, but you know, you got penalties that extend drives. One of those drives, there was three or four third down penalties. Uh, some you know are questionable, but like, if you know, we can eliminate some of those things. We're off the field, you know, but uh, once the guy's settled down, it's it's been you know, pretty good and then then there's

Let's discuss some individuals. Trey Hendrickson had two sacks last week. He's got four in the first five games. It's your first year coaching him. What stands out?

Yeah, it's it's important to him, you know, he he wants to learn about, you know, the offensive line and what they're doing. You know, he's he's invested in in playing the run, and you know, he knows, like, you can't get to third down if you can't stop the run. And so I think he's really putting an emphasis on those details. But like, you know, it's important to him.

Him, you know. So it's it's it's neat to be around, you.

Know, a pro.

Josephosai and Miles Murphy each had a sack last week. What are you working on with them at this stage of their development?

Consistency, whether it's in the run game. They both had opportunities, you know. You know one of the sacks that Miles got, you know, Joe created it because he was able to penetrate the B gap and then Miles played off of them. So it's not just a selfish individual, Hey I'm gonna go win. I mean he did a selfish deal by penetrate, penetrating the B gap and allow Miles to get a sack. Right, So, so all those things are a part of it, but just being consistent, whether it's the run game, open field,

You are demanding and it's fun to watch, and I get the sense from everybody that I've talked to that they like being pushed. Is that what you're looking for from the guys that you have on your D line?

I want I want guys that it's important to being out there. It's important. Learning the process and learning what your opponent does is important. If it's not important to you for those things, then like you don't love the game. Like the best guys I've been around, right, and we're going to Green Bay, Kenny Clark was one of the best to ever do it. But it wasn't that he was like super Ubertalent. He loved football, and like, I got a room full of guys that, like you know,

BJ Hill is the leading tackler among the guys up front. What have you enjoyed about coaching BJ?

Yeah, you know, he's smart, same thing. He's another guy who's done it. He's been productive right in the past, and we're teaching him a little bit different ways.

Of how to do it.

But you know, he's adapting and he's doing it, and he's playing good ball for us, and we need him in there and he's been stout in the run and we need him to continue to do that.

You haven't had Shamar since week two. I thought he got better every day at training camp from watching practice. What did you think of his camp and the first two games that he was able.

To play, Yeah, like a roller coaster, right, like a guy that hadn't been here all off season or all training camp, right, and then and then he showed flashes of like why he went where he went, and so it's it's a work in progress, but like when he gets it, when it all clicks for him, the tools are there, I see, like a great player in this league for a long time.

Right.

And so he's going through a process right now through.

This injury, Like he's how to try to be a pro with rehab and all that. So, I mean everything he's doing right now is new and it's all a process.

For so final thing for d line coach Jerry Montgomery. The big news this week is obviously the acquisition of Joe Flacco. You've squared off against him a handful of times in the NFL, including Week one this year. What do you think Joe Flacco brings to the table.

The guys played a lot of football.

I mean, I tell the story I told him when I saw him last night, Like we were at Northern IOW when he was at Delaware, he beat us to go to the National Championship game. We were the undefeated team. We had like nine sack opportunities, but we fill down his body like six of those, right, so we get those nine sacks. It's done. But veteran experience. The guy's got He's massive, right, he could see it.

He could make it.

All the throws and you know, even the picks that happened our game. I mean those were tips into flections right like the balls were and I think they've had eleven drops there. I mean, he's gonna have some great weapons, but he can make the throws. Veteran leadership. The guys won the Super Bowl, like, so he's done it, and it'd be nice to see what he can do.

We're going to get our opportunity soon. Cherry, appreciate your time enjoying the trip back to Green Bank.

Yeah, thank you very much.

That is Bengals defensive line coach Jerry Montgomery. We just heard him talking about quarterback Joe Flaco, and we will hear from the Bengals new older quarterback when we come back, Joe Matt with the Cincinnati Media, so the first time today we'll hear his comments. In just a moment, you are listening to the Bengals pep Rally Show presented by Just Baared Chicken. We are live at the on the

This is Bengals pep Rally presented by Just Baared Chicken on the Bengals Radio Network.

Paycor.

Paycor is proud to be the official HR software provider of the Cincinnati Bengals. Ketterering Health Best Care for the Best Fans. Kettering Health, Official healthcare provider of the Cincinnati Bengals. This is ESPN fifteen thirty, the official home of the Cincinnati Bengals.

And this is the Bengals pep Rowley Show presented by Just Bear Chicken live from the on the Rhine Eatery here in downtown Cincinnati. We're getting getting set for the Bengals and Green Bay Packers coming up on Sunday at four to twenty five. We'll see if the Bengals can snap their three game losing streak and get back on the winning track with a new guy at quarterback. It's only the sixth game of the year, this will be the bengals third different starting quarterback. Joe Burrow of course,

That's what we can hope for in any case.

Joe Flacco has practiced now three times since joining the Cincinnati Bengals, including earlier today after a Friday morning practice, he met with the Cincinnati media for the first time. Let's hear a few of the more interesting things that Joe Flacco had to say.

Crazy business. You know, you have to be ready for anything. That's that's kind of what it was. Definitely didn't have this on my list of things that were going to happen.

That that's this league.

And and and I'm a player, uh, I think most players would say the same thing. I mean, you know, I like to play football, and if that's in Cincinnati right now, then you know, I'm all for it. I think in this kind of environment and in this situation particularly, I think honestly I can get in trouble kind of think and I know everything. I think the best way for me to do is is just keep simple, keep it simple.

You know.

I think a lot of the times when you're when you've played a lot of ball, and when you've been around a lot of ball, you know, you can you can get to the point where you overcomplicate things and you're just you're just making things harder on yourself. Uh So, honestly, I think my experience in this in this regard is is uh going to help me in the sense that

Lap.

Joe Flacco has been getting a crash course in the Cincinnati Bengals playbook. I don't think Zach Taylor has been getting much sleep this week. They try to feed him as much information as they possibly can. The good news is he just prepped to face the Green Bay Packers, so Joe Flacco can concentrate a little bit less on that than he normally would and devote most of his concentration to try to pick up this offense and be able to play at a solid level on Sunday.

Yeah, and I think I think he feels like he's going to be able to do that. I think he feels like he's going to be able to help the Bengals. He's been in a legal a while, been with a few franchises. They've run multiple offensive philosophies and configurations and formations and personnel and motions and change of formations. You know, he's been exposed to all of that. I and you know he's got all of that to work to pick from,

He started the first four games of the year for Cleveland. Then the Browns turned to rookie Dylan Gabriel. Obviously, Cleveland is in rebuilding mode. They want to see what they have with the two quarterbacks that they drafted. I don't know that we'll see Shador Sanders anytime soon, but they certainly want to check out Dylan Gabriel first. Flacco didn't play particularly well for the Browns. He acknowledged that earlier today. There are circumstances there. You don't have a lot of

I agree, And I think the coaches looked at that tape and said, hey, he's still got a lot of gas left in the tank. I mean, this guy can still play. He can still throw it with the best of them. And that's the thing. He's always had a Howartzer hanging off his right shoulder. You know, the dude has a canon. There's no no question about it. And it's not like you know all over the place. He's controlled. When he throws that football down the football field. He

Yep.

I mean he makes reads and right now the ball is out and if you're a receiver, you better get your head around because that ball could become And so I think that's going to be an interesting part of practice for the for Joe Flack and his wide receivers is make sure that they know that all of them didn't play every single snap and the ball could be coming.

All right, We're gonna take a time out when we come back. Why we owe punter Ryan Rico an apology. This is the Bengals pep Rally Show presented by Just Bear Chicken. We are live at the on the Rhyane Eatery Orin Burkes will be our guest at five o'clock here on ESPN fifteen thirty. Welcome back to the Bengals pep Rally Show presented by Just Bear Chicken, Live from the on the Ryan Eatery, our Friday afternoon home throughout

Here's what I mean.

So it's a free kick now for Cincinnati, and they elect to have the punter do it.

Ryan Rico. No long snap, he just has the ball in his right hand.

He'll step into it and punt it before reaching the twenty yard line.

Here comes his punt. Oh, oh, my.

Bad punt, straight up in the air like he was punting in a silo on It's fair.

Caught at the forty.

Six a twenty six yard high fly ball by Ryan Rico.

One forty nine to go and the Lions will have it at the Cincinnati forty six. The law was fought outside the setup zone.

By rule, that's an unsportsman life conduct penalty on the kicking team.

It'll be the receiving team's ball half the distance from the spot of a kick at the ten yard line first down.

Wow, man, that's the most severe penalty I've ever heard.

God, are you kidding me?

All right?

So, what the heck just happened?

I watched the TV coverage of the game after I got home. The guys on TV had no idea what happened. Now I know what happened. That was an on side punt right after the safety. When the Bengals did the free kick from the twenty yard line, they were trying to punt the ball straight up in the air. So that was intentional by Ryan Rico, hoping that the Lions would Muffet, maybe have some sort of blocker that's not used to catching the football Muffet and the Bengals could recover.

You don't see it a whole lot because it can only happen after a safety and in those situations, you're really just trying to put the other team in a difficult spot.

Maybe they didn't practice it as much as they should have. With that, you got to.

Land it in between the thirty and the forty five yard line. They're able to signal fair catch, which can make it more or less confusing for them, but really you're just trying to give your guys time to basically go crowd the returner, hope they're gonna muff it, and so yeah, it was basically you just get that thing up as high as possible and try and put the returner in a difficult position. Unfortunately, it went long and so it made it easier on them.

It kind of takes the pressure out of that.

But in those situations, you're like, Okay, what do we have and what can we do to make it difficult for him?

It went to the forty six, so you went one yard too far.

Yes, one yard shorter, and it's like, wow, that was perfect. Unfortunately, that's how the special teams goes a lot of the time. Close just isn't quite good enough.

Did you even know that there was such a thing as an on side punt?

Yes, yes, it happened a couple times last year. We've watched the film on it several times. It is one of those situations that you're like, oh, like, when are we ever going to be in there? But I feel like Darren has done a great job of talking us through it what the goal is, and unfortunately I just got to be able to execute it better.

So Lap, I'm ticked off at myself that I didn't recognize that was an on side punt because you told me years ago that Don Shula, as the head coach of the Dolphins, pulled one off against the Bengals in your playing Sure.

Did, and I was a rookie and Don Shula. The punt just like a kickoff. Once it travels ten yards, it's a free ball anybody's football. But if you touch it, if you're the return team and you touch it and don't take the possession of it, secure possession of it, and the kickoff or punt coverage team balls on. It's

It, right.

What's different now from when you played is that back then there was a total element of surprise. I remember you telling me, Yeah, there were guys on the sideline saying, what just happened? You can do that, Whereas now, because of the dynamic kickoff rule, whenever you do an on side kick, you have to tell the opponent otherwise their coverage team would be way down the field. So the Lions knew an onside kick was coming. You still have the element of surprise.

In how you do it.

They probably not accustomed to seeing a punch try to kick it a mile up in the air, but they do know that some sort of onside kick is coming, right.

There's a trick element to it, you know, some kind of element or surprise when it happens when it's not declared. I've seen players think that the played the kickoff, just miss the punt, just missed the ball, whift on the ball, you know, either a total whiff or a partial whiff or whatever, and just caught a little piece of it. So, yeah, it's special teams one third of the game. Darren Simms will tell you that it's one third of the football game.

I love when obscure things happened. There was that game last year where just before the half a guy made a fair catch and they were able to take advantage of the rule where you can attempt the field goal with nobody up front to try to block it under those circumstances, and it worked. But these are the types of things that you might see once every twenty years. Yeah, like an onside punt.

Absolutely, you know, and Paul Brown, we did that when he was head coach. Signal fair kit right for the half. Last play of that first half, signal fair catch went for like a fifty eight yard field goal, as I recall, something like that, fifty seven to fifty eight yards and just missed it, barely missed it, but made a heck of a run at it.

All right.

It's a Friday, that means Friday Night Stripes presented by Ohio Catt is coming up tonight, celebrating high school football across the region with games, giveaways, and who Day Spirit. Catch the Bengals in your community. You can learn more at Bengals dot com. We're gonna take a time out. Coming up next, Bengals players react to what the front office did this week.

This is the Bengals pep Rally Show. We are live at the on the Rhine Eatery.

Orenburgs will join us in about thirty minutes here on ESPN fifteen to thirty lab in the Ballman Back on the Bengals pep Rally Show, live from the on the Rhine Eatery here in downtown Cincinnati. Come out and join us. We're here until six. You can meet angles linebacker Orrin Burkes. He'll be here in about twenty five minutes or so for the final hour of our show.

Let's get to the news of the day.

It is the Kettering Health Injury Report, brought to you by the Kettering Health Network. A few guys to keep an eye on on Sunday in Green Bay. So Jamar Chase was at practice this morning. He was there for team meetings, but he wasn't feeling well, so they sent him home early. He's listed his questionable. I think he's going to play. I'm not too concerned about that one happen.

What do you think?

I agree with you, Dan, I think he's definitely going to play. You know, I think hopefully fluids, rest, rest, Yeah, getting a good, a really good night's sleep, and in not overdoing it the rest of the week physically because he is a worker now, he's a worker bee and he'll be in the weight room. He'll he'll be doing all kinds of things, treadmill. I mean, he's just always looking to improve his body. So take it easy, rest up, and get ready to kick the packers' asses.

Make it butts please right Shamar Stuart did some practicing this week, but he's listed as doubtful for Sunday. I don't think we're going to see Schamar back yet with that ankle injury. Hopefully next Thursday at home against the Pittsburgh Steelers, Shamar Stuart will be in action. There's a concern at left guard. Dylan Fairchild is dealing with a sore knee. He didn't practice on Wednesday, he didn't practice on Thursday. He was limited at practice today, listed is

That could happen.

But if fair Child can't go, You've got two good veteran options in and Patrick, you.

Do, you have two good veteran options Patrick. You know, even though he's practicing, the fact that he, you know, is still hasn't been activated as such is a little bit of a concern, but not much. I mean, I think if he's if he's practicing and going full go at practice, he should be okay. He should be ready to go.

Is another.

He's an interesting story. I mean, he's played a lot of football. He's been in multiple offenses, all different kinds of experiences, different teammates, working with different centers and tackles, knowing what that's like, getting up to speed where you're on the same page with your techniques and the fundamentals and everything that goes with it. But it doesn't happen overnight. And he has not had many snaps with any offensive

Jalen River is at right guard, and then either Fairchild if he can come back, or Reisner or Patrick at left.

Guard right correct and you know it's going to be when you have three you don't have one. You know, that's the thing. If you're getting three guys ready to play, and there's there's nothing wrong with it, I don't. I don't think there's you know, the Bengals should receive the merits and they're grading for preparation for the court during the course of the week, for having multiple guys ready to play the left guard position, and you know, guard

So the Bengals made a dramatic move on Tuesday with the acquisition a veteran quarterback Joe Flacco, and then announced on Wednesday he will be the starter this Sunday against the Packers.

Why did they do it? Why did they do it?

Now?

Well, I think it's pretty clear Jake Browning was really struggling. If you heard him in his postgame news conference on Sunday, it sound like sounded like his confidence was shot. It's understandable that the team would think, well, man, we know he can play, but we can't really afford to let him break out of a slump. We've got to do something ye to try to stay in the race because the AFC is a jumbled mess. The Ravens are one

Mike KASICKI credit to them for understanding, you know, the talent in this locker room, and.

You know, just giving us.

The uh the opportunity to go out there and you know, be really uh competitive here and see where we can kind of go in these next I would say four or five weeks leading into that bye week, and uh, you know, I honestly have an opportunity here to play two games in five days or whatever the heck it is. So that's a great opportunity to you know, when you're in a slump, we'll go win two in five days and that'll that'll that'll help turn it around.

So great opportunity for us and a lot of excitement.

In the locker room, all right.

So I think Mike Kasicki set it up pretty well there. The Bengals have a very tough game coming up on Sunday. Green Bay is an ex excellent team.

Yep.

They've got a big home field advantage at Lambeau. Even if Joe Flacco plays great, it might not be enough to beat the Packers. So let's just say that the Bengals don't win on Sunday. After that, three straight home games Thursday night game against Pittsburgh. Thursday home games are a big advantage, yep. A home game against the Jets, the only team that hasn't won a game home game against the Bears. The Bears are getting better, but they're not good yet.

Right.

You could lose on Sunday, win those three games and be over five hundred five and four going into your bye week.

And more than halfway halfway point of the season, basically five and four steal in the thick of all of it. And I think that's what they're they're thinking, at least that, you know, I fully expect them. I'm not saying they're gonna go up there and beat Green Bay. They're a heavy underdog, you know, green Bay should be favored, and they are. And like you said, Dan, the biggest reason lambeau Field Man. That place is tough. It's a tough

Speaking of Packers fans, when my son was born, just for the fun of it, I decided to put him on the Packers season ticket weight list.

Can he's still waiting.

We were living in Boston at the time. Who knows where he would be when the age came that he'd be able to buy his tickets. I just thought, what the heck, who knows, Maybe he'll be living in Chicago by then. Sure, so I put him on the wait list. Sam is now nineteen years old. Every year you get a postcard that updates you where you are on the list. We got it maybe three or four weeks ago. Nineteen years into his life, he is eighty eight thousand, one hundred and twenty four people away.

That's unbelievable.

Last year the list dropped by one thousand and seven and seventy three. So at that pace, another fifty years from now, approximately when he's almost seventy years old, he'll be able to get tickets. Historically it takes about fifty years to get your get your person spot on the list.

Man.

So Sam, he'll be about my age when he's able to try to secure and procure.

Unless there's some good years between now and then where a bunch of tickets open up.

Yeah, I'll tell you it's that that place is, you know, it's it's a unique place to play, There's no doubt about it. And when you're a Packer fan, you're a Packer fan for life. Like the like those lists just that you recited, just confirmed Dan, I mean it's crazy. My in laws by marriage, Dave's mother and father in law live up there, and many it's Green Bay Packer tickets are impossib That's like, you know, that's the number one item on everybody's wish list, gift list for Christmas.

All right.

Coming up next, one of the number one things the Bengals are going to have to do on Sunday to have a shot at beating the Packers is handling number one. Micah Parsons A Marius Mims talks about that challenge when we come back.

This is the Bengals pep Rowley Shell live.

From the on the Ride here in downtown Cincinnati on ESPN fifteen thirty. Welcome back to the Bengals pep Rally Show presented by Just Fair Chicken, live from the on the Ryan Eatery the Food Haul above the downtown Kroger. Come out and join us. We're here every Friday between three and six. Actually, I should amend that some weeks it's going to be two thirty to five thirty based

He got paid, boy, sure did.

Bengals faced him last year when he was still with the Dallas Cowboys. Cincinnati won the game. A Marius Mims was the primary guy that had to block him. Michael Parsons didn't have a sack and didn't have a tackle in that game. I've talked to a Marius Mims this week so about about trying to handle miche Micah Parsons again.

Yeah, I mean, I think Michael's the best d N in the NFL other than Miles Garrett. If you hasn't, he's just the guys who I haven't played against. The don't be a challenge at always, especially on the road. It's gonna be a game worse about me again, honestly, just just doing what coaches telling me in practice, and you know, how can you know, trying to mutralize them as much as possible and knowing you know, he's gonna make his fair share of plays, you know. I mean,

Into like the whole game.

So, like I said, boy against a great player, not one of the best players on defense, and ever, I mean, I think he's a good Like I said, you know he's a good player, but I know he's a good player. But I said, I'm ready for the challenge. You know, like I said, last year, he was with another team last year who played in Dallas, and this year is gonna be in on Green Bay, so it's gonna be fun.

Do you gain confidence from having played him and having held out?

I feel like, you know, in this league, gotta have accomplish against everybody because if not, you will you will get killed in this league. Like I said, there's too many good guys. If you're not confident in yourself first, then I feel like, you know it's gonna You're gonna be in the world of trouble is billing and os

Lapp, tell me what the week was like in your playing days when you knew you were going to be blocking me and Joe Green or Cray Culp, one of the elite players.

Of your era.

Yeah, that's a good question, Dan, I remember vividly, not a whole lot of sleep, you know. I mean, you think about it all the time, every waking moment. You're thinking about how am I going to counter his best move? You watch, you study film back then, tape today, and you study it and study it and study it some more and try to find tells. Tells are something that

All right, Well, take a time out. Coming up next, Joe Flacco explains why he is still playing at the age of forty. This is the Bengals pep Rally Show presented by Just Beared Chicken live from the on the Ryan Eatery on ESPN fifteen thirty. On first and goal from the five, Flacco looking to pass his throw caught in the middle of the end zone by Cedric Tilman for a Cleveland go ahead touchdown.

Joe Flacco gives the old fish pump have to throwing that pass in the middle of the field, realizing that his receiver caught it for the touchdown, good route run by Cedric Tilman. Flaco had his eyes on him the whole way and delivered a strike.

That was Back in Week one, Joe Flacco threw for two hundred and ninety yards in that game, again Cincinnati. Fortunately, the Bengals came away with the win, thanks in part to some poor kicking by the Browns a rookie kicker Andre Schmidt. But in any case, wasn't Joe Flacco's fault. He played well and now he'll look to play well in a Bengals uniform this Sunday and beyond until the return of Joe Burrow. Joe Flacco a former Super Bowl MVP.

Here's what he had to say.

I just feel like I have like a lot to offer to a football team. I feel like I've put in a lot of work my whole life to get to this point in just terms of playing in the NFL in general, and I have a I hopefully will have a long life when I'm done. But you only get a chance to play in the NFL once, and I feel like I've worked really hard, like I said, to be a guy that gets to play in the NFL, and I don't want to take that for granted.

I still like I can play the.

Game at a high level, and I want to be able to look at myself in the mirror when I'm fifty years old and be able to say that, you know, I gave it everything I had.

Lap.

When I hear those words from Joe Flacco, I'm reminded of something you told me about your first offensive line coach, Tiger Johnson, who told you when you were just starting out, do this as long as you can.

Yeah, that was his advice. So you know, it's like, do this as long as you can. You're never going to find anything like it. It's the most unique way to make a living that there is out there. When you're a professional athlete, you're blessed and you're very fortunate and very lucky. You understand that and take full advantage of it. And I think Joe Flacco doesn't want to retire too soon and then be watching games say I can still do that. I can do that better than him.

It looked like his career might be over two years ago. He was on the couch for much of the season, and then the Browns were desperate in late November they reached out to him. He wound up starting a few weeks later and had this incredible renaissance where he threw for three hundred plus yards in four straight games, led them to the playoffs, won the Comeback Player of the Year award. I think that reinforced his love of the game and his desire to keep on going until nobody will give me a deal.

I agree, Dan, because he realized five straight games three hundred yards or more passing, I can still play, and everybody in the league now knows that I can still play. So I mean, there's going to be a lot of people out there that would like to have my services, you know, and I'm going to be paid well for services rendered. I still you know, I made a lot of money for my family. I've been very fortunate in that regard, but there's nothing wrong with making more.

You know.

I might as well go out there and do what I can do better than most people can do until I can't do it anymore. That's what it boils down to. You know, he wasn't done. He wasn't done playing. He wasn't done enjoying the locker room with his teammates. You know, there's something to be said for that. Like Tiger also said, Man, this is unique. Boys, You're never going to experience anything

Man, when he takes the field on Sunday, he will become the first forty year old to ever play for the Senseinnati Bengals, the oldest player in franchise history before Joe Flacco, long snapper Clark Harris, who is still in a Bengals uniform at the age of thirty eight.

Two hours in the.

Books, one hour to go Orrin Burks will be here momentarily. This is the Bengals pep Rally Show presented by Just Baar Chicken, live from the on the Rhine Eatery on ESPN fifteen thirty.

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It is a Friday afternoon here in the Queens City. The work week is just about done. The happy hour is underway, and we've got a lot of football to look forward to. High school football tonight, bearcat football tomorrow at noon at home against UCF, and of course the Bengals heading to Green Bay to take on the Packers this Sunday at four twenty five. You're listening to the

Thank you guys for having me, happy to be here.

Thank you for showing tell us about that Super Bowl ring. Did that baby look when you opened up the little box and got your first look at that ring?

Yeah?

Well, the ring ceremony was the weekend before we started camp, and I had the ability to go to Philadelphia and you know, experience that with my teammates for one last time, and you open the box and just taken away by how big big the ring is, how the details that they put into it, and you know, just the journey to get to that point.

So it was definitely a special moment.

Yeah, the journey is special. And I never I played in the Super Bowl as a player, but never won it. But and I remember how crestfallen I was, how bitterly disappointed I was in the locker room, and just an unbelievable feeling just kind of swarms you, you know, all over you. But I do remember that same season winning the AOC championship game and going in that locker room and how celebratory it was, and it's like, man, it

Yeah, you're definitely on a high. Just you know, all the emotions and you know kind of comes to you in stages. You know, you're kind of in shock right after it happens and you don't know what to what to expect, of what to think. But I feel like

Amen.

That's up.

We're all hoping for no doubt.

I mentioned it's year eight for you in the NFL or and in the previous seven you've been on playoff teams six times. Wow, you have been on winning teams year after year after year. Do you feel blessed that that's been the case.

Yeah, definitely.

I have a very fortunate path, you know, starting with Green Bay, going to San Francisco, and then finishing with with the with the Eagles last year missing the playoffs. Only my rookie year have I think five NFC championship games, two Super Bowls in a row. Like it's It's unheard of in anybody's career. So I don't take anything for granted.

So your quarterback is forty years old, That to me is mind boggling, and I'm like, you got to be kidding me. He can still come and play in the National Football League at a high level, not just play, but play in a dominant type level of performance at the age of forty years old. I mean, there's no

He looks pretty good, doesn't he.

Yeah.

I think immediately he just brings a sense of poise and experience. You know, he's seen probably every look you could think of in the game of football. Yeah, just throw into a lot of great receivers in this time. But again, just his poise, the way he handles the huddle. Huddle, even just his first week with a new offense, it seems like he's been in this offense for a while. From from a deepest perspective, so excited to see what he does this week.

I saw the news break on social media. Jamar Chase said yesterday that t Higgins called him with the news. Jamar said he thought it was BS, but then he double checked and it turned out to be true. How did you learn that Joe Flacco is now your teammate?

Yeah, I was actually in the in the locker room getting some recovery in on the off day, and you know, reading reading through social media, and I see it pop up, and you know, there's a couple other guys in the locker room at the same time, so all of our heads pop up at the same time. We're like, WHOA, what the heck is going on? So it's just one of those moments. I feel like for fans, they think we get the inside scoop beforehand, but a lot of times we're finding out at the same time as the

That's that's the thing I think that's impressive about him step in and be a good teammate and do his job. Guys that I've talked to, both coaches and players with the Bengals and other teams, say that this guy is ego lists. You know, it's not all about Joe Flacco. You know, he's not. He's not looking at teammates and saying,

Yeah, I've had a few encounters with him, but every one of them has been, you know, a great delight just really getting to know him as a person. And the way that he leads as a quarterback is gonna be different from somebody else, you know, But like I said, the experience that he has, he definitely, you know, carries that in his professionalism and his poise and excited to see how it turns out for this weekend in Green Bay.

He played against him before. Anything stand out from those previous meetings.

Yeah, he can.

He can definitely deal the ball and get the ball out when he needs to. He is on time with all of his reads. You know, we just played the Browns not too long ago, so you know, matching up against this guy now he's in our locker room is always a crazy thing in the league where you know, at any point in time and he could be in your locker room, you can get traded, you know, this crazy stuff that could happen. But excited to have him on board.

He's playing against Green Bay Packers his second time.

Yeah, this year that he's.

Played three weeks, three weeks that he's played against the Green Bay Packers, So he knows what he's going to be looking at. He knows what the Green Bay Packers have defensive and they have a good, solid defensive football team everywhere. They've got sound NFL players. But you know, you're in a shitch situation where this this game is important.

Yeah.

For him, it's just getting into rhythm. You know, in this new offense. He could almost write this scout of report. You know, like you said, he played him a couple of weeks ago, so he's very familiar with their personnel. But it's it's a familiar with our defense, you know. I know he's putting the time in extra meeting with the coaches and the players to be at his put

Our special guest today here in the Bengals pep Rally Show is linebacker Oran Burks. We are live at the on the Ryan Eatery here in downtown Cincinnati. When we come back, well, listen back to one of the key plays that Oron made in the playoffs last year. Helped the Philadelphia Eagles win a Super Bowl title. This is the Bengals pep Rally Show on ESPN fifteen thirty.

Welcome back to the Bengals pep.

Rally Show, presented by just Baar chick In. We appreciate the Bengals fans are with us here this afternoon. We're getting you set for the Bengals and Packers coming up at lambeau Field this Sunday at four to twenty five. The Bengals looking to even the record at three and three before coming home for three home games in a row against the Steelers, Jets, and Chicago Bears. Our special guest this afternoon is Orrin Burks. As we mentioned earlier, he captured a Super Bowl ring excuse me last year

Keyshawn Nixon is deep and we're underway another game in the National Football League postseason. Nixon will take it on the far side. Outside of the numbers to the twenty on a diagonal twenty five and he is smashed and he lost the football. It's inside the thirty and recovered by the Eagles. Or and Burks knocked it loose.

Boy, what a hit that was.

Or In Burkes just laid an unbelievable shot on Keyshawn Nixon to knock that ball out.

Holy count.

That's quite a way to begin the playoffs by forcing a fumble on the opening kickoff that your team recovers to begin the road to winning a Super Bowl.

Describe that play.

Yeah, it's special.

You know, before the game, I told myself that I wanted to have a game, a play that was going to change the game. And you know, what better way to set the tone for the playoffs and than the force funball and the kickoff.

So obviously a lot of a lot of emotions right after that.

I probably blacked out, didn't know what happened afterwards, but uh, you know, really just wanted to it force like the physicality that we wanted to have the whole throughout the whole playoffs. So that really set the tone.

That play like that, in the physicality, like you talking about, that's contagious to the rest of your teammates.

But when you.

Force the turnover on special teams on the first, very first time the ball is in play, the balls kicked return man's returning the football, Arren Burks knocks it out of his possession, puts a big hit on him. You changed the game. I mean, the whole dynamic changes now all of a sudden, they're they're behind the possession. You guys have an extra possession. They're never able to catch up unless you have a miserable, miserable day of turnovers yourself.

Out of him.

Man, Yeah, I mean honestly, right away I was like, I hope I don't get a flag off of this, which was you know, it would have been worth it in the and then but uh, you know, I've just made a great wrap tackle and our offense goes and scores right away, you know, again just to start ahead. And then at the end end of the next half we start with the ball against. Yeah, that's that's a big, big piece intended.

You get the ball to start the second half, and you've basically got it to start the game as well because of your play. It's unreal.

Yeah.

So you were a key special teamer for Philadelphia last year and a valuable part of the linebacker rotation as well. But then in the postseason, na Kobe Dean gets hurt, you move into the starting lineup. You start the last three playoff games, including the Super Bowl. You played great, also forced to fumble in the NFC Championship game against Washington. So what did it mean to you to be thrust into that role when it mattered most and deliver?

Yeah?

For me, always prepare like I'm a starter. You know, never know when your opportunity is gonna come. And you know, throughout my career, I've been a still harder special teams ace and you know, I kind of up and down. And for me, I just have so much joy in the process of learning about myself.

What is going to prepare me to be the best.

When when I get on the field, and uh, just really enhancing my room, the people around me. That's always been, you know, something I take great pride in, uh. And you know, to have the opportunity to play in the postseason. I have a ton of respect for Nakobe and the way that he led the team this past year.

Uh.

And you for me, a lot of it was doing him him him justice, you know, for him to go out.

It is really tough to have a great year.

Uh.

But I wanted to put my best foot forward for.

The team, uh, to add value where I could, and uh, you know it just led to even more of a special you know, super Bowl like having that that role, you know, going throughout postseason. Uh and knowing that it was mostly special teams, you know, throughout the whole year.

But I knew I was gonna be ready when my opportunity came up.

Heck of a heck of a thing to be on a super Bowl winning team. Man, that that's some memory that will be there forever for sure. Let's go back to maybe even high school and maybe even earlier than that. What coach was it that taught you the fundamentals the techniques necessary to be able to compete in the game of football? I mean, who was that that I saw?

Oh?

This guy, man, he's a specialmen.

This kid's gonna be able to play.

I have to do everything I can to just teach him as much as I know about the game.

Who is the guy?

Yeah, there's a couple I was actually a late, late starter to football. I played basketball, baseball, soccer, and I didn't really play football until my freshman year of high school. And that was really just to hang out with my friends. You know, going into you know, high school, you want to gather as many friends as you can, and sure.

A lot of them were playing football.

So I loved being competitive in athletics and just naturally thought i'd be a wide receiver. I was a tall guy and played safety as well, and I you know, moved all over the ball on defense throughout my time in high school. But one coach in particular, I would say Jerry Pinoni. He was my coach basically my junior year on and he just really instilled just hard work, running to the ball, like all the fundamentals that you need in terms of mentality that you know, really kind

Absolutely, she reached out here. Yeah.

Yeah, we keep in contact probably once year, at least once a year or so. But yeah, he's doing a great jobs. Cool.

Yeah, he played college football at Vanderbilt. How heavily were you recruited and why did you choose Vandy?

Yeah?

I ended up with I think it was like fifteen offers, but ultimately got it down between UVA and Vanderbilt's very similar schools.

Yeah, academics was very important.

My sister she played softball and ended up at Stanford for so for our family, you know, academics was something very important being a student athlete. So ultimately take the leap of faith coming out of Nashville. Didn't really know anybody down there, but fell in love with the campus, the culture, and the guys there, and that was the best decision that could have made for me. Met my wife there. She went to Belmont and played volleyball there right across the street. And volleyball.

Yeah, volleyball.

Nice shoutout the volleyball Vanderbilt actually just got a volleyball team as well. But yeah, it's it's what we call home. That's where we are during the off season. So I have a ton of love for Nashville right down the road only four hours and this is the closest.

We've been, you know that. Yeah, with the NFL team.

So you got to be excited by what Bandy's doing now.

Absolutely, the guys are rolling. The guys are rolling. You got a great quarterback in Pavia and coach Lee. I really just just believe what he's doing. He's building this program the right way, and the guys are inspired out.

There on the field.

So when did you move from receiver defensive back. I mean, did you just keep growing and filling out and all that.

Yeah, I was actual, I was a skinny guy all the way through. I was receiver in safety, and then my junior year I played like outside and they even had my hand in the dirt for a little bit playing defensive end, and then moved back to inside and

Just find a way to make a play.

You're a smart football player. The intelligence factor, I know is something that the Bengals were attracted to. You've played all these positions and these different defensive scheme addicts and everything. What did you study academically? What was your What was your major?

Yeah, it was a human organizational development major, which is basically our business degree. At Bandy, we didn't have an undergrad business school there, so that was that was what I pursued and did a corporate strategy minor as well, So that's definitely the business business route at Bandy Good.

Yeah.

Yeah.

Have you given much thought to a life post football?

Uh?

Yeah, I mean I always just want to be prepared whenever that time comes, but milking the league out for as long as I can, but do a little bit of real estate on the side, some business and things like that, but just definitely focused on, you know, making the most of.

His career right now as long as you can.

Man, I'm telling you, that's that's what Paul Brown and my first line coach, Paul Brown, Tiger Tiger John said, make them take the uniform off back player as long as you can. There's no doubt, There's no question about it. So you ever thought about coaching, I mean, I think you would be like an unbelievable influence on young players, a positive influence in terms of your football IQ and your overall ability and versatility and everything you've done in the game.

Yeah, I think I definitely can see myself coaching in the future. On what level that is. I have a ton of time to figure that out. And sure you know, definitely, right when I finished retire, we plan on taking a year off and you know, seeing what our family looks like, maybe traveling and pursuing those dreams. But you know, down the road, I definitely can see myself coaching.

You've got two rookies in your room and Demetrius Knight and Barrett Carter. How much of a mentor ship role are you playing with them?

Yeah, those guys have been great, a great group of rookies. They came in with the right mindset. Obviously the athletic ability, but I've been really impressed with the way that they've been able to pick up this defense and really take accountability for it. They're making all the checks, making like

The task at hand.

And I think we have a great group of character guys that want to see each other succeed. And that's not the same across the league. You know, there's definitely some times where you're like you get a little jealous here and there, but I really feel that we're truly positive with each other, trying to, you know, instill wisdom that you can help them become a better players and they can help us as well.

So it's a it's a circle.

Another thing I remember as a young football player in the National Football League was how these athletes are such freaks. I mean, they're freaks of nature. And I'm like, I don't know if I can do this. I mean, I don't know if I could hang with these guys. These guys are just it's amazing. I know, I didn't close my eyes. How did he get from there to there?

Man?

How did he move so fast?

And I mean it was like Isaac Curtis are one of our wide receivers. This guy ran, you know, like a like a nine two or nine three hundred meters or whatever the heck it was. I mean, he was on last guy that didn't make He was an alternated on the Olympic team sprinter, and he would just I'm just run by people and catch the back half of the football. You had sticky fingered hands, like glue on his hands. Just a dominant, a dominant at his position group.

You know, what are they doing in workouts? Did you?

Did you have any of that? Like when you were a young player in the league. It's like, man, this guy, I mean, I know, I've watched him. I knew he was good, but I didn't realize he was this good.

Yeah, I mean just coming into the league with Clay Matthews, you know, Aaron Rodgers, obviously, Boktiari was a great left tackle.

Yeah. We had a ton of.

Guys out there in Green Bay and just seeing what they could do at a high level. I was like, all right, I gotta step my game up, you know, saying so I watched exactly what the bets were doing at Mercedes.

Lewis was a great example.

He tight end that played in the league for a long time. Yeah, I literally just watched what he did. He was getting in the song and he was cold plunging. He was getting extra work with the trainers, and I was like, all right, he's been playing in the league for a long time, so I'm going to do exactly

You figure out you know, all right.

I have to have massage, massage on this day so I can feel my best for practice. Yeah, it's just a process of figuring out what.

Works works best for you.

Linebacker Orrin Burks is our gasty obviously started his NFL career with the Green Bay Packers.

That's where the Bengals are headed.

This Sunday, we'll talk about the return to Lembo Field. This is the Bengals Pep Browley Show presented by Just Their Chicken from the on the on the Ryan Eatery Here on ESPN fifteen thirty. Dave lap Book broadcasting from

The Green Bay Packers.

Defensive line coach Jerry Montgomery spent nine years working for Green Bay, and I asked Jerry earlier this week about returning to lambeau Field.

You definitely feel the history.

It's an unbelievable place to work and unbelievable place to play a football game. You walk through the tunnels and you fill it. It's neat even practicing there. There's an air about it. So and what's cool is when you pull in and you see now it's a little different now because people have tore down those homes and built massive places across the street. They're big tailgate places. It's just it's a really neat environment. It's probably as close

Did you feel the history when you played for the Green Bay Packers?

Absolutely everything you said is spot on. It's just a special place, especially for me to start my career. There a historic organization very much like the Bengals, and you definitely feel that sense of pride. Even just going to the grocery store on a Wednesday, you see everybody in Packers gear and that's consistent every single week.

They just love football there.

I categorize it as a grown ups college sound almost. It's just that kind of feel just going through a neighborhood and then opens up in Lambo's right there. So this will be my first time coming back to Lambero as an opponent. I've played them almost every year, but they've always come to us, so this will.

Be my first time going back, so that's got to be special.

Absolutely, absolutely look forward to it. You know, I guess this one's way off the wall. I guess in terms of it's not football related. But people love to be part of the Green Bay Packer organization in any way, shape or form that they can. And some, just like a stadium worker, does their job and does their job

Yeah, there's a there's a lot of people that I'm looking forward to seeing.

Yeah, when we get back, even from you know, the guy that does the headsets, you know on the sideline and the equipment guys or a lot of them are still there, so it be a lot of familiar faces. So looking forward to to catching up with those guys.

Cool.

That's one of the cool things about the league is when you're in it long enough, it's a lot of familiar faces. Everybody bounces around. But like like you said, Lambeau Is is just it's just one of those historic places that, yeah, everybody just loves to be attached to.

Green Bay is the smallest city in the US that has a major professional sports team. It's a city of about one hundred thousand people. Are you instantaneously recognized as a Packers player.

Yeah, let's say you stand out. You stand out a tall, black athletic, like a guy you probably probably playing the Packers out there. But yeah, it's it's a great town. Everybody is very very kind, even to your families while you're out in public.

But I enjoyed my time there.

When you came to the Cincinnati Bengals, I know you would probably you know from a distance seeing guys like study watch tape. Back in the day it was film, I'd watch film with guys you're watching tape, Jamar, Chase T Higgins, Mike Sicky, andre Yosi Vash, these guys that can really cause problems for a defensive football team. Are you expecting your offense to really go up there and make a statement? You know, say to the Green Bay Packers,

Yeah, that's definitely my expectation. It's interesting, this is you know, as long as I've been in the league, this is my first time being on the AFC side, so you know, I've kind of seen these guys from AFAR, but not necessarily every year matchup. It's been kind of like sporadic throughout, but going through camp and you know, seeing those guys up close to the way that they work their work ethic and how they get off releases for tomorrow or

So it's it's been fun to see them up close.

You were there when Jordan Love was drafted. He had to wait his turn for three years before becoming the starting quarterback, but I'm sure you practiced against him. What are your impressions of Jordan Love?

Yeah, I mean, he's he's grown so much in his in his time in the in the league, and I just knew he was gonna be ready when the opportunity came, just the way he carried himself. It's obviously a unique situation to step in two as a first rounder and you know you're you're behind one of the greats, Aaron Rodgers. He's gonna be a gold jacket guy in the future. But just the way that he handled himself, his intention

I know when I played, there was like a sense of responsibility to the community because the Bengals were such a big part of the community. You know, tried to put the community in the best light possible, traveling all over the different parts of the country, playing games representing a city Cincinnati. Same thing with the Reds and they had their big run with Pete Rose and Johnny Bench and all these all these great players did the green Bay Packers, they they have to have a very unique

To do so. Yeah, I definitely feel like that's that's part of the equation.

I think green Bay is very specific and they're the only team that's community owned.

You know, they have a president, not an owner.

You know it looks a little bit different in terms of organization, structure and all that kind of stuff. Yeah, definitely a sense of pride and you know the city

Aaron Burks is a Bengal now a key member of the Cincinnati defense. We'll talk about how the defense has been improving in recent weeks when we come back with today's special guest.

This is the Bengals pep Rally Show.

Presented by Just Bear Chicken, live from the on the Ryan Eatery on ESPN fifteen to thirty. Welcome back to the Bengals pep Rally Show presented by Just Bear Chicken. We are live at the on the Ryan Eatery with our special guest, Bengals linebacker Oron Burkes. So, last week against the Lions, you look at the final score, Detroit scored thirty seven points. This might seem strange to say, but I felt like the defense actually played pretty well. You forced five punts. No team has forced Detroit to

Yeah, I think our resilience was on display, you know, tough situations and feel wise, but everybody just bought in, Like there's a feeling on the sideline that nobody was giving up where you know, that's what you want to see. You want to see a team that's willing to fight for every blade of grass, and I definitely feel like that's something that we take pride in and you know, every week we'll continue to get better in the defense.

Al Golden's big believer in the two cheese, turnovers and third down. I mean, he wants to get off the field. He wants three and outs. He wants as many of them as he possibly can get, not let their offense get in any kind of rhythm, any kind of timing, feel good and about themselves whatsoever. And then he wants to take it away. He wants to limit their possessions. You can take one less possession that they have. One more that you have could be the determining factor in

Yeah, well, one, he has a linebacker background, so you know, selfishly, that's always what I kind of look for in the DC, and they kind of can see things from my perspective, Ye, you know, make my job a little easier. But I think he's very detailed. He expects a lot from us. The standard that he said, like you said, turnover is a third down and especially the red zone is really important to him as well, I feel like you.

Get what you emphasize.

So for him, like he's been trying to get us to punch the ball out, take the ball away with picks and interceptions and any opportunity we can do to give offensive back the ball in a great position.

That's what we're looking to do. And I feel like.

That's slowly starting to become our identity, you know, over these last couple of games, kind of color rhythm and hoping to, you know, take it to the next level. And that's that's what we're we're looking to do every single week.

Your position coach, Mike Hodges isn't much older than you are. Is this the youngest guy that you've played for in the NFL?

I think so, yeah, he might be yeah, I think so, yep, he's that different.

Not really. We have a great working relationship.

I feel like he's very like he's a young guy. He's firing, he's passionate about what he does. He's a great communicator, and I feel like with the young guys in our room, he's been able to coaching him up into a fashion where they can go out there and play fast and not worry about making mistakes, and you know, all the kind of things that come up being a rookie. He's kind of helped them step into their own So for me that's refreshing, you know, because you know, I

You know, you hit on a point, young players, young coaches, young players. That's pretty good dynamic, I think, you know, I mean I think that, Uh, I mean, there's not a player on the roster with double digit years experience.

You know.

It's well, now there is yea, yeah Flackel, Yeah, exactly forty year old Joe Flackell. But uh, it's it's amazing how young the roster is in terms of I mean every position group.

You know.

It's like, I think, I think that's a plus.

I really do.

I think, particularly as the season wears on, the grind of the season, you know, and I think I think guys will recover more quickly with the with the youth. What do you think?

Yeah, I mean, being an old guy myself, now, it's kind of funny how you know, I can't believe you're an old guy. It is actually insane to me that, yeah, because they call me unk and all that kind of that's crazy. I'm thirty years old. It's it's not that serious. But I'm thirty years old.

Great man.

I appreciate it. I appreciate It's just funny in this profession that that's considered old. You know, any job you just kind of get right.

I embrace it. I embrace it.

But yeah, we have a lot of a lot of young guys with a lot of you know, passion, and they're coming from the college where, uh, every week they're just like hyped up and ready to go. So you know, we're feeding off that energy and I definitely feel like that's going to help us a long one.

All Right, we need to take our final time out. When we come back, we will play America's favorite game show, Baby.

We call it Know Your School?

Yes, sure, I have questions about Vanderbilt University. You must get at least three correct to be a winner. We'll put Oran Burkes to the test when we come back. This is the Bengals pep Rally Show Live from the on the Ryan Eatery on ESPN fifteen thirty and the Bengals pep Rally Show presented Just Bear Chicken live from the on the Ryane Eatery here in downtown Cincinnati. You want to thank our special guests or in Burke's for coming out in a Friday afternoon and spending an hour with us.

We've got a few minutes left on the show.

That means it is time to play America's favorite game show. We call it Know Your School. I have five questions about Vanderbilt University. He must get at least three rights to be declared a winner. I see that your wife looks quite amused. This quiz is coming up. Are you ready?

Orn Burks? Question number one.

Name the former US Vice president known for his climate change activism who graduated. You are correct, Al gore Go, but graduated from Vanderbilt Law School. As the rest of the question, you are one for one. Question number two, the last consensus all American at Vanderbilt earned that honor at linebacker Zach Zach Cunningham is correct.

I'm not even I can't even get the whole question out.

All right, We've ever.

Had three questions left to get at least one right now? If you get this one, then you go for the perfect score and bragging rights for eternity. Question number three, the most famous building on campus didn't answer right away, features a large clock tower and is frequently a hub of campus activity.

So it's on alumni Lawn. I'm blanking on the name of the actual building, but I can picture it.

Yeah, you're right about alumni lawn. That is correct. Kirkland Hall. Kirkland Hall.

All right, so it's not a perfect score, but you've got two left to be a winner. Question number four, Oh tarn with the buzzer in the background. Question number four, who is Vanderbilt University named for?

Cornelius Vanderbilt?

You are correcting, Oh, business magnate Cornelius Vanderbilt, who made a one million dollar gift in eighteen seventy three. I was worth a lot of money back then. Still pretty good back then. Cornelius had some dough. Yeah, he was like a railroad guy. He had it going on. Yeah, all right. Final question is kind of an easy one. I should have come up with a tougher one, but

Of all time in twenty nineteen.

The correct answer is Jay Cutler, you got four out of five.

No, your school absolutely wrong. Crowd is IM proud.

I want to give him four and a half. He knew everything about that.

He kind of knew Kirkland Hall just a blank.

He had haul Kirkland. That was a storm missing ingredient.

One of the questions I often ask, which is frequently a stumper, is what is the name of the main library on campus? Do you know the answer to that?

At Vandy Main Library? I don't know. I didn't spend the time there, so I was. I was in Study Hall. It was all the way across campus.

Here's why I didn't ask. It's Central Library.

Okay, yeah, it doesn't even have a good name.

Yeah, cral Central Library, central Library.

Yeah, we had our own study area.

So well, clearly you did well not only in school but at football and now in the NFL. Eight years, my man, that's quite an accomplishment. Hopefully you've got several more in you lap played ten years in the NFL plus two more in the USFL back when it existed. So, like we said at the very beginning, play as long as you can.

I played for the President of the United States Donald Trump on the New Jersey General. I could see you as president. Get in the politics I.

Would give.

All right, Well, let's see, let's start with beating the Packers. Yeah, number destroy them, go back to Green Bay and another team's uniform and leave Lambeau with a win.

There we go.

Hey, we really appreciate you coming out and doing this. You have congratulations on a great career to date, including a Super Bowl wing a ring rather and we hope you're wearing one with the Bengals logo on at the end of this year.

It all right, let's hear it. Let's hear it. That is going to just about do it.

For our show today, we want to thank our engineer Mike Mills, who comes out generally sets things up really early. That wasn't the case today, but Mike got here in time. He came to the rescue for our show. We want to thank the folks here at the on the rhyne eatery want. We want to thank Nikki from the Bengals who's helping us out today. Most of all, thank you to the Bengals fans for coming out and being part of the show. Love you guys, Appreciate you guys, and

Inglespip Rally presented by Just Bair Chicken on the Bengals Radio Network. Pay Corps. Pay Corp is proud to be the official HR software provider of the Cincinnati Bengals. Ulti Viper, Ulta Viper, the official WiFi and Internet provider of the Cincinnati Bengals. This is ESPN fifteen thirty, the official home of the Cincinnati Bengals.

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