Bengals Pep Rally -- 12/19/25

Well.

This is Bengals pep Rally presented by Just Beared Chicken on the Bengals Radio Network Paycor. Paycor is proud to be the official hr software provider of the Cincinnati Bengals. Kettering 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.

Happy Holidays, everybody. Welcome to the Bengals pep Rally Show presented by Just Bear Chicken. We are live on ESPN fifteen thirty and as is the case every Friday afternoon, we are broadcasting from the On the Rhine Eatery. It's the food hall above the downtown Kroger that's at the intersection of Court and Walnut. Lots of inexpensive eateries here at the On the Rhine Eatery, there's a full service bar as well, plenty of seats. There's a parking garage attached.

Hubbard, and he is the jet at Bengals legend. There's there's no question about it. Iconic plays in Sam Hubbard's career with the Cincinnati Bengals. The fumble in the jungle when he recovers the football two yards deep in the end zone and goes one hundred and two yards to pay dirt, serpentineing his way down the football field from about midfield into the end zone. And then the two point conversion that that was deflected and blocked and Sam

We are six days from Christmas. I know there are plenty of people listening that are like me. They've still got lots of shopping to do. If you've got a Bengals fan on your Christmas list. Here's what you do. You go to the Bengals Pro shop at the stadium between now and five o'clock. You pick up it can be an inexpensive item, mini football, mini helmet, pennant, something

No question.

You'd have a bigger place in heart than Santa claus Man. I mean a personalized Sam Hubbard football. That would be huge, That would be on everybody's mantle for sure.

So Sam will be here from five to six lap and I are here from now until six as we get you set for Sunday's game. The Bengals playing their final road game of the year one o'clock on Sunday against the Miami Dolphins. This might be the biggest temperature swing for a team from one game to the next

And you know, guys that I talked to after the game, they talked about how miserable they were during the course of that football game physically, I mean very, very tough to deal with, and then you know, you have to be tough mentally as well to realize that you've just got to keep playing. You got to continue to play. You've got to continue to put forth the best effort

It was.

It was very, very cold, to say the least. I did play in that Freezer Ball you referenced in God, I've never ever experienced that feeling and never want to again. I mean totally numb. My entire body was totally numb, and I've never never come close to experiencing that again for sure.

I know guys that we've talked to over the years that say playing in the Freezer Bowl changed their you know psych or not psychology, their physiology for the rest of their lives. They felt colder in cold weather for the rest of their lives. Some guys had serious frostbite in that game. So I guess despite going out there in short sleeves, you were a little bit lucky in the sense that you did not suffer long term effects.

Yeah, it did lower my thermostat though being from New England, I've tolerated cold. You know, I had a cold, you know, single digits teens. I mean, but man, that that wins. The wind was whipping off the Ohio River and it was just it was ridiculously brutal, there's no question. And uh yeah, I mean, guys, it changed changed a lot of lives, changed guys' lives, the way they they they handled, uh, they handled temperatures and weather conditions. It's not an easy thing,

I never met the late great Phil Samp, the original radio voice right of the Bengals, your first broadcast partner with the Cincinnati Bengals. If I had the opportunity to tell to Phill, I'd want to know if he left the window open for the Freezer Bowl.

He did, Yeah, we did. We opened the window.

Well, you're on the field, But I wonder if he opened.

The right for that game. He did.

He's he's a window open guy, Yeah, he's he's. I want the natural conditions. I want to experience, but the players are experiencing.

And we weren't allowed this past week. They insisted that the windows remained cold or closed because they were concerned that the pipes are going to burst.

Yeah, I mean, I wonder, Uh, I guess, I guess they if they had that concern back in the Freezer Blell days They totally dismissed it right away.

They didn't give it a second thought.

Yeah, the pipes at Riverfront Cares go ahead, exactly exactly. All right. Well, it's been an eventful week, to say the least for the Cincinnati Bengals. It started early in the week when our friend and colleague Paul Danner Junior, does a great job of covering the Bengals for The Athletic, wrote a story about the job security for people like

I couldn't agree with you more, you know, and I think most NFL coaches and really most organizations look at it as you know, you may have signed a three year contract, but it's it's year to year anyway. I mean, if you absolutely crap your breeches and you prove that you you know, why why did we even do this? You should not be coaching a head coach in the National Football League. There's no question about it. You're in way over your head, You're drowning, and you're not going

Yeah, I think a few things come into play. As you said, I do think that Mike feels that way about the contracts that he gives to his coaches. I think the fact that his dad got fired in Cleveland despite winning all of those championships and disrupted all the lives of the coaches, the families, the assistant coaches, etc.

Absolutely, I mean, I agree with you, Dan, if the defense can somehow under the guidance and leadership of Al Golden be fifteen sixteen. In terms, I'm talking about points loud. You know other things yardage, pit yards, passing, yards, rushing. Those are circumstances that are dictated on a week to week basis. They're different. I mean, from one week to the next, it could be a totally different dynamic that

Sixteen, go with average instead of mediocrity.

Yeah, yeah, right, that sounds better. You're right.

It's a passing grade that average. So yeah, if they can get to fifteen or sixteen, you know, I think the biggest thing that they have to do on a weekly basis is cause turnovers create turnovers. If the Bengals can be on the plus side of the turnover ratio on a week to week basis, with Joe Burrow at quarterback, giving him more possessions than the opponent has, you're taking possessions away from the opponent and giving him to Joe Burrow. I think he can beat anybody.

Earlier this week, Zach Taylor talked about his confidence in his ability to get this thing turned back around in the right direction. Joe Burrow discussed the topic as well. Let's hear from the head coach and his quarterback.

I'm confident we're going to make the best decisions for

I'm very confident we're going to get that.

Don I think we have great coaches. I think we're consistently putting good positions to make plays and do our best. Obviously, there's good games and bad games, just like players have good games in bad games. But I have a lot of confidence and everybody that's putting together the plans for us weekend and week out.

That's not to say that.

Changes don't need to be made saying personnel or people. I'm just saying, you know, what we've been doing hasn't worked the last couple of years, so you know, we have to think outside the box and get creative about where we go from here.

All we want to do is win and bring championships here in Cincinnati, and we'll do whatever it takes to put it specific words on how that's going to look. That's all for us behind the scenes to work through it and make sure we do all that. But I have absolute confidence that we have the right people and the right setups to make this happen, because we've proven it and we'll prove it again.

We haven't been where we want to be the last three years. A big part of that is the injuries.

On my end, I've.

Played one full season. I've played four games this year. It's hard to make an impact on a season when you play four games, So that's an emphasis. Obviously, you need to figure out a way to be available for everybody here, and so as far as what I can control, that's something that is on top of my mind for me.

As Joe Burrow just said, we haven't been where we want to be over the last three years, and that's obviously the case. But I do want to point out one thing to me, this is a two year failure, not a three year failure, because at twenty twenty three, that team was going to the playoffs and had a chance to go a long way in the postseason when Joe hurt his wrist. When with seven games to go, they went on the road and beat San Francisco, they

Failure, yeah, absolutely, and the common denominator is adding twenty twenty three as well. The inavailability aren't availability of Joe Borrow. I mean you know, he's he's he's the key, I mean, the guy when he's at the helm, when he's at the controls, when he's deciding what to do with the.

Football, where to put it, how to distribute it. They win.

They win a high percentage of the time. And you know, any team in the National Football League if they lose their guy, if the Rams lose Stafford, you know, for example, they're going to struggle. I mean, it's not going to be the same. It's just not going to be that way. So if the Baltimore Ravens lose Lamar Jackson, it's different and they're gonna have to make adjustments and do things differently.

I don't know if Mike will be behind his desk next Thursday, Christmas Day.

Yeah, he might be. He could be.

I guarantee you the other three sixty four he's.

There, agreed.

I mean for you know, not not burning up ten twelve hour days. But he's in there. And when he's in there, he is. He is totally and unabatteredly focused on on football and how he's going to improve his football team. He lives, breathes, sleeps, eats, football.

And he probably will be there next Thursday as well, because there's a game a few days later. Right, all right, we're gonna take a time out. The Bengals made a roster move today. We'll tell you about that when we come back. One guy in, One guy out. This is the Bengals pep Rally Show presented by Just Beared Chicken. We are live at the On the Rhine Eatery, the food hall above the downtown Kroger at Court and Walnut. We're here until six o'clock tonight, and Sam Hubbard will

What I was doing well before the first time I got heard. You know, I feel like I was pretty good in the running, I was pretty stout. My body was one hundred percent, you know, nothing lingering. I was getting more familiar to playbook. And then you know, injury happened. Came back for another two games, and what another injury happened. So you know, just sucks. You know, just gotta keep your head on right, you know, keep you just know

Hopefully next year is a better year for me.

Well, next year's almost certain to be a better year for him, because he's been heard so much this year. It's funny how that's happened to the Bengals first round pick so many times over the years. Happened to Tyler Riifford, happened to Will Jackson, there have been others. Hopefully Shamar comes back healthy. He's with the team throughout everything in the offseason as a normal training camp, and we can see just what this guy is capable of doing.

Yeah, absolutely, because like you said, you know, almost like a throwaway comment, keep my feet under me, you know, I just gotta keep my feet under That's what it's that's been his problem. His problem is he's been hurt so much. I mean, he's been injured more than he's been healthy. He's been unavailable more than he's been available to the team, and it's frustrating to everybody, him in particular.

Out of the ground.

I mean, it's amazing. But he just man and to boot he's got. I mean, the coaches, his teammates, they all talk about his football like you. He understands the game. He understands the game at a very high level. You know, he's not just some schmoe off the street that's you know, let me go play some football. It's it's very, very frustrating,

He's got at least three years left on that deal, so hopefully we see the real Schamar Stewart next year. Then there's the case of Chris Jenkins. Last year, the second round draft pick broke his thumb just before the start of the season. Played a big chunk of the year with a giant club on his hand. That's hard to do when you're playing defensive tackle. He's played reasonably well this year. I think he's certainly a guy where

The part that I did see was just his football IQ really starts to take shape with all the experience he was scanning so understanding how the alian's playing, different calls they're making. He was doing a good job communicating with the D line. Thinks he was becoming aware of that was giving everyone a better chance of succeeding. So I think that element is critical that you see really

Lapp.

I don't know what kind of ceiling Chris Jenkins has. I don't ever see him being a pro bowler. I could definitely see him being a very valuable rotational defensive tackle, no drop off you know from if he's not a starter from the guy that he's you know, playing behind, or maybe as a solid starter. That's who he feels like to me two years into his career.

I think that's fair, Dan, I mean, I think he's a guy that could have seven eight year NFL career on a rotational basis as a defensive tackle going in there. And it's funny you talk about the football IQ. We talked about Shamar Stewart with his Chris Jenkins with his I can tell you that, like when Zach was talking about how Jenkins will, you know, make calls based on what he's hearing the offensive line communicating that's high level. Mike Reid did that, He's drive me nuts.

Me he'd be he'd he'd you.

Know, we'd make a call, you know, I made the call for the calls to the offensive line, I'd make a call. He'd counter it. You know, It's like we're playing chess, you know, and he'd make his move, his his counter move, and then there's not a whole lot of time, you know, to do anything else as the play clocks winding down. So having a guy with that kind of football intelligence as well as physical ability. I mean, Mike Reid was like that dude was so damn quick.

And we are going to hear from another person like that when we come back. The Bengals did not score in last week's lost to the Baltimore Ravens. We'll hear from a member of the tight end core about that when we continue. You're listening to the Bengals pep Rally Show presented by Just Bear Chicken, live from the on the Rhine Eatery, the food hall above the downtown Kroger at Court and Walnut. We're here until six o'clock tonight. Sam Hubber joined us at five on ESPN fifteen thirty.

And anytime you get shut out in a big game like that, you definitely go back to the drawing board a little bit kind of see what went what went wrong, and where it went wrong. So yeah, I think I think for all those guys, especially with the talent that we have in the room, putting up zero points is just it's unacceptable for us.

I think the Bengals were inside the thirty two yard line five times and did not score, which is highly unusual. Mitchell Tinsley dropped a touchdown pass on the very next play, Joe Burrow threw a pick six, Andrea Yosi vash dropped about a forty yard pass. Jamar Chase, who rarely drops passes at least since his very first training camp, had a couple of drops last week. Joe Burrow made some highly unusual poor decisions terms of protections and some of

Right when you get shut out. Nobody did well and you did a good job of so many different components, so many different players had issues, made big mistakes, didn't execute the way that they needed to execute. And Joe Burrow, as you mentioned, dan very forthright, very honest, and look the way I played. If I played for any team in the NFL last week, they wouldn't have won the football game. All thirty two teams would have come up on the short end of the stick. The way I played.

Miami's defense is middle of the pack. They're thirty two teams in the NFL. They're tied for sixteenth and points allowed, so smack dab in the middle. Their defense had been playing well of late. They gave up twenty eight on Monday and a loss to the Pittsburgh Steelers, but prior to that, in their previous four games, they had given up thirteen, thirteen, seventeen to ten. So four straight games

That's impressive, I mean very impressive. Yeah, Jared Allen and Josh excuse me, Josh Allen. Yeah, Jared, that'd be good. A defensivevent getting after.

The he was a Hall of Famer.

He's definitely a Hall of Famer. He boy, he and Anthony Moon has had some stirring battles, but I digress. Josh Allen is legit. I mean, he's gonna be in the Hall of Fame himself. So you hold that Buffalo Bills offense thirteen points. Job well done, no question about it. Zach Taylor very very complimentary of Baltimore's defense, saying, you know that he just likes the way they're put together. He likes the way McDonald's has structured that defensive football team.

To make one.

All right, we're gonna take a time out. When we come back, we're gonna shine the spotlight on an unsung Bengals hero, a guy that you might not even know his uniform number, but he's playing extremely well. This is the Bengals pep Rally Show. We're live at the on the Rhine Eatery here in downtown Cincinnati, talking Bengals football

Week, shout out you know, coach Daron, coach Ben, and you know the guys in the unit. You know, I'm just the guy who's been lucky enough to have a couple tackles these past few games. But it comes down to film study and just working hard. And you know, I think for a lot of guys, you know, early on you can kind of look at special teams as that I don't want to play special teams. I want to be a defensiveuy. I want to be offensive guy. But it's just as important. It's it's just as fun

A little more special teams world.

And I just thank my film setting things for being able to be in the right place at the right time.

You gotta love a guy like Joe Giles Harris. If you look at the roster laugh, he's listed as somebody with two years of NFL experience. And this comes down to how the NFL counts accrude seasons. Right, He's in his seventh NFL year. He's basically put five years in on practice squads, grinding, trying to stay with a team, doing whatever it takes. Now, guys on the practice squad, it's a good living. You're making six figures. You know, there are a lot worse jobs out there, but you're

He really is, it really is.

And as a former player, I got nothing respect, nothing but respect for a guy like this, because you could have gone on to your as Paul Brown would say, Look, we're letting you go. You know, you almost made it. You're the last couple of three get people we were considering, but it just didn't card cut the mustard. So giving you a chance to go to your life's work, he

Joe Giles Harris is from the New York City area. He went to Duke, where he was the three time winner of the Vincent Ray Award, which goes to the best linebacker at Duke. It is obviously named for former Bengal Vinnie Ray. And it's been cool, cool for Joe Giles Harris to get to know Vinnie. Now, yeah, Vinnie's the team chaplain. Two guys from the New York City area that went to Duke and have wound up in Cincinnati.

It's amazing.

It's amazing how football can be the conduit to relationships that are lifelong. I mean, bonds that are made forever. And uh, I love the game of football for so many reasons. That's right there with every one of them. I mean, you know, I see how guys really feel about each other, how much they care about each other.

Will do anything. And I'm not I'm not.

I guess I'm not saying I'm not, but I guess I am. I'm going to compare it some to the military.

You know. It's it's you're going for all for one common cause, all.

That you do anything, anything for the good of the football team.

All Right, we're gonna take a time out. When we come back, we will talk about the wisdom of Joe Burrow playing in the final three games of the season. Now that the Bengals have officially been eliminated from playoff contention, this is the Bengals pep rally show presented each week by Just Bear Chicken. We are live at the On the Rhine Eatery, the food hall above the downtown Kroger at Court and Walnut, here on ESPN fifteen thirty. Welcome back to the Bengals pep Rally Show Live from the

Anytime you get the opportunity to shove up the pads and put the cleats on and go in the front of the world and prove your worth, prove all the hard work that you've put in, prove that you're improving.

Week to week.

That's what we're all trying to do. We're trying to get better and better ourselves, and we have three.

Opportunities to do that.

You know, when I wanted to come back, obviously you want to make the playoffs and you want to make a run and all of that, but that was kind of tertiary in my mind. I just wanted to get back out there and play and put on a show and try to play well and.

Produce tertiary excellent word excellent. Joe Burrow good vocabula. He busted out the thesaurus while he was rehabbing his toe injury. You know, as long as the doctors say that the toe has completely healed, that he is in no risk of further damage to that. Now that he's come back and he's got this specially designed shoe, yeah, I defer to him. Let him play. If you know it's important to him to play, let him play.

Totally. One agree. Joe Burrow is a football player. Joel Burrow loves to play football. Joe Burrow loves to throw the football. Joe Burrow loves his teammates. Joe Burrow loves his coaches. Joe Burrow loves Cincinnati. Joe Burrow wants to be part of it. He wants to be.

Part of the whole, the whole deal.

You have a guy like that that wants to play, and as talented as he is, he let him play, and if another injury happens, God forbid, knock on wood. You never, you never, you never take anything for granted in that regard. But I mean, that's that's football, that's a byproduct of football. Unfortunately, I think he's gonna play really well. I think He's gonna put up significant numbers, and you know, he loves the challenge. He loves to

I just hurt my knuckles pounding on that wooden chair, so I I think I might have broken something. I agree with you. I think Joe Burrow is gonna play great this week. I mean, when he has a subpar game, and he called last week's game maybe the worst of his career. I'm not sure that I necessarily agree with that, but when he has a subpar game, he typically comes

Totally agree. You know.

I think I think he'll probably have, you know, one of those games where it's like when people are driving home after the football game, it'll be like, can you believe that throw that Joe Burrow made, you know, at the end of the third quarter to Jamar Chase, I.

Can't believe that.

I mean, if you throw that ball one hundred times one time, it may it may be like that, and that's what happened, and he's capable of those kinds of things.

He's he's a special talent, very unique.

This week's opponent is the Miami Dolphins. The Dolphins were on a roll. They had a four game winning streak prior to losing on Monday Night to the Pittsburgh Steelers. They didn't play particularly well in that game, and as a result, they have benched their quarterback. He makes fifty three million dollars a year two a Tongo vy loa. He has been sent to the bench. Rookie quinn ew Ers, the former Ohio State Buckeye, at least briefly at the start of his college career, went on to have great

By Just baired Chicken on the Bengals Radio Network.

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Dan Howden Dave Lapham with you this afternoon live from the on the Ryan Eatery here in downtown Cincinnati, the food hall above the downtown Kroger at Court and Walnut. We're here until six o'clock tonight. Sam Hubbard joins us from five to six as we get you ready for the Bengals and Dolphins coming up on Sunday at one

I think it should be a shock or I guess let's put it this way. It wasn't surprising, but there's always a little bit of shock value when you are benching your starting quarterback, Like that's that's the natural reaction. But I think the playoffs were no longer in the picture. I mean even the trap talking in the in the tunnels over there after the game, like okay, so we're gonna see Queenewers now right, Like it makes the most sense. Don't see what you got with the rookie. There's no

Yeah, that's that's crazy, that's incredible. Oh boy, I wish those numbers were being paid out in the seventies and eighties.

Man. So let's talk about Quinn.

You are the guy who is going to be quarterbacking the Miami Dolphins when they come to Cincinnati to play the Bengals. What what can you tell us about him? What makes him chick? What are his strengths?

So Quinn is very I don't want to say nonchalant because that almost sounds like derogatory, but like this guy who's not going to get too high and not going to get too very even keeled demeanor, confident, hard worker. Teammates, they say he's a playmaker at practice, he's a baller at practice. He's missing off the linebackers, making players, running

You know, I don't know.

Wins losses immateial at this point. I think they're just looking for the possibility of something being there.

Marcel Louis Jacques covers the Dolphins for ESPN. I imagine one thing that Quinn Ewers will spend a lot of his day doing on Sunday is handing the ball off, because that's the strength of the Dolphins offense. Devon a Chan is excellent. He's already rushed for more than a thousand yards this year. The Dolphins recently had a four game winning streak where they ran for one hundred and fifty plus in every game, and the Bengals are last in the NFL at stopping the run? Is that the

Yeah? Absolutely, absolutely, especially after a kount of a disappointing output against Pittsburgh. But the one thing that I don't know if fantasy players everybody's still in, I don't know that they're going to love hearing this. But if you look at it not only just logically, but with what they're also doing at the quarterback position and like going to the young guys, and it's just kind of using

And every team that doesn't make the playoffs is disappointed that they season didn't go as planned, and you know, the fan base starts to get a little restless and they start calling for the head coach's head. How vulnerable is Mike McDaniel. Do you think he's on the chopping block?

I do not know, And I'd be kind of willing to put my state, my name on it here. Yeah, it's a gut feeling at this point, but like if the wins really mattered for his job security right now, Quinn yours is not the best chance to win. And I know he's been saying that. He said that publicly a few times. Like that, I think is what you have to say, because it doesn't sound good when you gotta have pissed off fan base and you're over here saying, yeah, we're going to just see what the young guys got

The next season.

But I don't think that I don't think that Mike is in danger as at this point. Obviously, you know, something dramatic can happen, something drastic could happen over the next couple months or so. But when the ball rolls out in September twenty twenty six, I expect McDaniels the sideline.

It's a really good point. We're visiting with Marcel Louis Jacques, who covers the Dolphins for ESPN. A couple more questions. Let me ask you about the defense for the season. Miami is smack dab in the middle of the NFL and points, but it's been good better over the last five games. Are giving up sixteen a game over the last five. They shut down Buffalo in one of those games. What are the strengths of the Dolphins defense.

I think this secondary, which ironically you entered the season as a question mark. I think it's solidified into a pretty good, pretty good unit. Obviously Minker is not going to play, so that's going to take a hit there. But Dante Trader, fifth Brown rookie out of Maryland, it's a guy that they're excited about, so he's going to get some more run there on Sunday. Russell Douglas is playing at a high level. Jack Jones is playing at

Let me ask you about the Dolphins offense the same way then, Marcel. It's like, Okay, what do they do best offensively? Where's where's their offensive strength? Who's playing at a high level? For offensive coordinator Frank Smith right now?

Yeah?

Will We talked about it before, right Devon h Han is really the team MVP on offense because without him, I mean I know the game the one game that we did see without him with when Jayden Wright went on, but that was against a New York Jets defense that quick before it left its house in the morning, So I would take that one with the great and assault. But he is he is crucial in the run game, obviously,

Hn.

And then and that you know he maybe wouldn't expect is Aaron Brewer the center. I think he's been the best center in the NFL. Although that is a metric that I'm not willing to argue with anybody, So let's just take that real quick. It is. I don't watch a whole lot of center play, but I know that a lot of centers don't look like that. The way they use him as a blocker, as a lead blocker,

Well, Dave Lapham is a former offense watching and so he'll be watching it. He sounds kind of Jason Kelsey like based on that description.

Yeah, it's similar to that. Yeah, yeah, I would think so. I think if he doesn't make the Pro Bowl, it's kind of a it's a disgrace. I think he has been phenomenal this season. Wow, especially, you know, considering when he got here he was labeling injury prone, undersized, underwhelming, and what he's done under mc McDaniel has really been special for the past couple of years.

Marcel, we know Fridays are busy in your world. We really appreciate you covering out some time for us today.

Thank you, of course, thanks for having me.

Thanks very much.

All right, that is Marcel Luis Jah who covers the Dolphins for ESPN. We'll take a time out when we come back. It's this week's fun Fact segment where you get to know the person under the pads. This is the Bengals pep Rally Show presented by Just Beared Chicken. We are live from the on the Ryan Eatery, the food hall above the downtown Kroger At and Walnut. Here

Absolutely.

I mean, all of a sudden, with Sam's autograph on it, that little inexpensive item became priceless.

You know.

It's like now it's like your son, your grandson will be man in high cotton with his buddies. It's like, what what'd you get?

How'd you get that?

So?

Yeah, be smart, get over here and give yourself one before they're gone.

All right again, Sam will be here five to six. Hope to see you here at the on the Rhine Eatery. Time now for this week's fun Fact segment, where you get to know the person under the pads. It is presented each week by Skyline Chili. Time for some fun facts with running back Taje Brooks from Manor, Texas, not far from the capital city of Austin. Describe growing up in Manor and some of the things you enjoyed doing when you were young.

Oh, man, the thing I did the most was just play football, went to school, and then you don't hung out with friends. That was really just the most part. And you know, I was kind of kind of a country boy at That's home too, you know, it's Mayner. Back back in high school, it was a it was a kind of a little suburb. Now it's a lot of play, a lot of things growing out there, so but it was more country when I was out there, when I was, uh growing up and stuff. So it was fun.

I read somewhere that you rode horses growing up?

Was that the case?

And it's it's still the case.

It's it's a little bit kind of the case now, but uh I try to get uh not too much, but uh, yeah, I grew up. I rode a little bit of horses. Uh it was just when I was little. My aunt, uh shout out to her. She kind of, you know, just instilled in me just uh just to do it for fun. And it's been it's been great ever since. But uh it's crazy. It's just uh, I kind of had like a little reaction to like one of like the horse little blanket sheets.

And you know, I always I loved animals.

I uh, when I was little, I wanted to be like a vi visit, I guess a vegetarian, not a vegetarian, uh veninarian, excuse me. And it was just, uh, I love watching like the incredible Doctor Poe shows and things like that, so I just won't see like just the way of living over horse and things like that.

But nah, it was That's just something uh that I cherished the most when I was growing.

Up, tysh you had an exceptional high school football career, running for more than four thousand yards. Way did it start to become clear that the other kids either couldn't catch you or tackle.

You really, I want to say a little league.

And then going into my ninth grade year, that was my first year I was a freshman on varsity ninth grade and you really don't see that happening in a lot of places, and that kind of just changed my trajectory of football. And I'm very thanking for the coach that gave me the opportunity.

Mainneris and far from the University of Texas. I've read that the Longhorns did not recruit you. Was that the case, and if so, was it disappointing.

It wasn't disappointing, But they recruited me a little bit. They kind of wanted me. It was back in twenty Yeah, back in twenty twenty when it's kind of that covid era and they had a guy, which is he's in the league actually right now, so kudos and him.

And things like that.

But they had a guy, and I feel like text Tech was the best for me. Coach Matt Wells. I got recruited by him and and he changed my life forever. And then just the inductive of just Joey MacGuire, just the things that he built there.

It has been great. So uh, I'm glad. I'm gonna take a stake Raider.

You initially committed to Tulsa largely because of an assistant coach named Justin Hill, who is your running backs coach now with the Cincinnati Bengals. Described that relationship going back to the tenth grade.

It was a it was a great relationship. It's still great to this day.

You know, the Jay Hill, he does a great job with just the cult of aspect and then just uh, just being a teacher, a great guy you can learn from. And then just off the field a great a great family man, a great uh somebody you want to be like when you want to grow up and things like that. But the relationship is has been there. I want to say my freshman year I committed to him and in

So it's cool for.

Visiting with TODJ. Brooks. You ultimately chose to play at Texas Tech. As you mentioned, you're gonna be in their Hall of Fame someday you're their all time leading rusher. What did you enjoy most about your five years there.

Man, It wasn't breaking the records or anything.

It was just I want to say, my teammates, the guys that I met there, the guys that I came in with, we built those are my brothers for life. And that was probably like one of the biggest things that I missed about college and things like that. But besides the accolades that I broken things, but that's probably the most important ones.

In addition to your on the field success, you excelled in the classroom. You were nominated for the Campbell Award last year, which is known as the Academic Heisband Trophy. Did your folks put a big emphasis on the classroom?

For sure?

My mom and my dad, they pushed me academically as well as on the field. You want to be the best person in the brain before you get outside and get on the field, you know.

So that's just it's been instilled me at a young age.

My Grandma's also instilled in me just you gotta you gotta be a student before you be an athlete. So just learning different ways just to get better with your brain. That's just something I always honored as and you know, just want to just expand my knowledge more.

The Bengals selected you in the sixth round of this year's draft. Describe that day leading up to getting the phone call from Zach Taylor.

First and foremost, it was just it was a blessing. I can't think enough to the man above. The Bengels got a great guy, a great a great person that's gonna come in and impact the way that he can if any opportunity that he gets.

But nah, that that day was amazing.

I talked to Zach, I talked to Jay Hill, and then shoot, after that, it was it was ready to work.

You know.

They Nothing wasn't handed, nothing wasn't given. It was just come in, learn and just be uh. Whenever opportunity for this herself, be ready for that opportunity.

And I can't wait.

This was a crazy deep draft for running backs. I'm thinking in a normal year you would have gone several rounds earlier. How did that affect you?

I really didn't. Uh, it really didn't affect me. I have I have a great team, great agent within that well and things like that. So they kept me. Uh, he kept me, truly honest.

He's like, man, I feel like you're one of the top backs in this class and you know, your film proves it. You can pass, take and catch the ball great out the backfield and you know, run the ball. That's nothing. But I don't know why he can't question question you about that. So man, that's just uh, it was deep.

But I feel like I separated myself just off pass protection and then catching.

The ball where we at the backfield were the guys draft before you, where you said yourself, Man, that guy is good, but I know I'm better than he.

Is for sure, you know, just the competitor in me just saying that. And then just you know, on draft day I kind of wrote and thought about every guy that went before me, so uh, not saying when we played him, I I just wanna, you know, be the whenever I get my opportunity to be the best back on the field and things like that.

So I just can't wait for that to happen.

All right. Some wild card topics now for Bengals running back Taj Brooks. Who is your all time favorite athlete in any sport?

And why I gotta be one or just one?

You can pick several if you'd like.

All Right, man, it's tough. I'm gonna go Kobe just because the Mama mentality.

I'm gonna go Ray Lewis, just because a guy that's gonna come to work each and every day and giving his all and someone that's that's gonna embrace you and you know, makes you want to do things that you wanna that you don't want to do, but you're doing. And then my last one is probably Barry Sanders, just a guy that's just very consistent as being playing a running back, being at the plane at the highest.

Level and doing the great things that he did in the NFL.

Man, it's just you always want to put yourself in that role and just want to see yourself doing those great things that he did.

So Barry Sanders was before your time. Have you watched a lot of the clips on YouTube?

Oh?

For sure?

I watch him.

Then you know the Madden you know, I play Madden a lot, so I'm always using him, Watter Payton, you know, just Marshall falk Man.

You can go a list goes down, man.

But I kind of watch those guys on YouTube and just you know, going what they did in the NFL and just try to see how my game can imprint and how I can take things from their game.

So we're visiting the t Brooks For the last three years, you put on a free football clinic back home for kids. More than three hundred attended this past year.

Why do you do that?

I do it just it's a blessing first and foremost for the kids, and you know, just so it's been free. It's something that I love, you know, giving back to my community, giving back to where I came from. And you know, you always want to get back to your hometown because they're going to support you no matter what, no matter if you're an NFL, no matter if you're you know, a college coach to day, no matter whatever

We know you're a good running back, we know you're a good student. You rode horses as a kid. But where do you allow to at?

Uh?

To be honest, I'm not a good singer. I will not I sing.

I sing to myself sometimes, but it's just myself and probably my girlfriend. But besides that, I'm not a.

Great singer at all. That's probably the one.

What do you like to splur?

John Man?

I don't know because I haven't. Man, I'm not I'm a big I'm not a big spender. It's just it depends like I kind of left my big spending probably in my college days. But now it's just more of just I don't know, man's I don't really splurs a lot. Second contract, probably buy a home back home, you know, by a home, get something set up off of the off season, and you know, get something going with the off season, things like that.

So just buy a home and things like that.

All right, Final fun fact for Taj Brooks. This one's a little bit deep. If you could meet anybody in history, living or deceased, who would that person be?

I want to say one is Nipsey Hustle.

Nipsey Hustle, excuse me, just the way how powerful he is with his voice and the way he carried on his life and his legacy. And then two, probably my brother trolley Man, just to talk to him, see how he's doing up there. He passed away in twenty nineteen during a gun violence accident, So just meet him and just chop it up with him.

That would probably be my two. Like most coming back and just chopping it up, So that probably be my things right there.

Appreciate your time.

Best of let the rest of the year.

Yes, sorry, thank you TOAs Brooks.

Easy guy to root for. A six round draft pick this year out of Texas Tech. Haven't seen much of him during the regular season. He's only got nine carries this year, but that's a good news in a sense because it means Chase Brown has stayed healthy. And one thing I would like to see before the end of this year is for Chase Brown to average seventy three yards in the final three games of the year and get to one thousand.

Love to see Chase Brown get a thousand yards as well. I think he's one of the hardest working players on the football team. I mean he is dedicated to his craft, to his profession, and they have a great room in that running back room.

TODJ.

Brooks another you know, phenomenal kid as well as football player, and Chase Brown, he just he might be as well liked as anybody on the football team. I mean that all he does is come to work every day, keep his nose clean, you know, put it to the grindstone. He is a grinder in every sense of the word. And the kid is a talented best I mean he's got a low center gravity dan. He runs with a good body, lean, puts the football away, doesn't put it on the ground. He secures the pig. He hits the

And again he needs to average seventy three a game over the final three to reach one thousand yards this year. We'll take a time out. When we come back, we will talk about the biggest challenge the Bengals defense will face. This Sunday at one o'clock in Miami, you're listening to the Bengals Pep Rallley Show were presented by Just Bear Chicken live from the on the Rhine Eatery, the foodhull above the downtown Kroger here on Courton Walnut. Come on and join us. Have some great dry rub wings, or

If it creates any hesitation from you on the second level, then that's the increase they need with the speed to have a running back to get explosives. And so it's all a lot of it's I can do window dressing, creating leverage. They'll come back to it over and over again. They'll have the compliments that you now start to overplay it, and they'll come back and hit you with something different.

Pretty good description of what Miami's looking for this week. Number one running back de von A Chan ran a four three two forty at the combine. He was the fastest running back in his class, and that class included Jamiir Gibbs, who ran a four to three six. So a chen can fly. He was an All American in track and it is being a great football player. At Texas A and M. Their number two running back Jalen Wright out of Tennessee, ran a four to three eight.

I mean, that's what it's all. It's all built on false steps. You know, if you if you do, if you overstep by one step, you're out of position because they they've put their foot in the ground and they cut and they because of the sub four to four speed, low four threes, they're gonna make you pay. So it is it's a very very difficult offense to uh to stop, not because it's overly sophisticated. They do a ton of things. It's pretty simple they do. They try to out leverage you.

As for the passing game, they will not have Tyreek Hill. We know how great he is. He was lost in Week four with a pretty gruesome looking knee injury, so he's not going to be back this year. They still have Jalen Waddle, former high first round draft pick and an excellent player. He's got eight hundred and thirty eight receiving yards this year. Da Darren Waller came out of retirement to play tight and he had two touchdown catches on against Pittsburgh, so it looks like there's still something

Yeah, last round, last round of the draft. Now, and you know, let's face it, you're talking Quinn Ewers for the Miami Dolphins. Joe Burrow of the Cincinnati Banks. Come of advantage Cincinnati. Yeah, most definitely advantage Cincinnati, and they just have to make sure that they take care of business that way. You know, don't try to do too much. Just let the game come to you. If you're Joe Burrow and the Cincinnati Bengals, put the pressure on Quinn yours.

Do that.

That's first and foremost, because that's what the Miami that's the DNA of the Miami Dolphins offense.

We're gonna take a time out. It's been a tough year for the Bengals, the record four and ten with three games to go, but there has been at least one very big positive and we'll talk about that next. This is the Bengals pep Rawley Show presented by Just Bear Chicken, live from the On the Rhine Eatery here in downtown Cincinnati. Out of ESPN in fifteen thirty, Dan Orton, Dave Lapham back at the On the Ryan Eerie, the food hall above the Downtown Kruger here in downtown Cincinnati.

Sure, I mean, why not in the season where a lot of things have gone wrong. That's one that whereas in past seasons it's gone very wrong. This year, he can't really point to it as being a detriment. Maybe not a top five unit in the league by any stretch, but they've played well. Anytime you start a rookie at one of the five positions and he not only you know, keeps his head above water, but actually plays well in

Good description from Robert Weintraub. The Bengals did give up three sacks last week. The twenty four to nothing final score had a little bit.

To do with that.

Baltimore had the opportunity to quote unquote pin their ears back go after the quarterback late in the game, but prior to that, one sack allowed in each of the previous four games.

That's what you're looking for absolutely, you're looking for that type of level of performance and the consistency of it. You know, for or four games, to give up one quarterback sack per is good. I mean in today's football times that you're throwing the football, to allow just one quarterback sack is excellent. Really, the other thing you want to bear in mind is not only do you want to keep your quarterback from being sacked, you want to

You were involved recently in a Dine with the Old Line event where the old time sorry if that term offends you, the old time offensive lineman get together with the current offensive lineman guys like you and Anthony Munoz and Max Montoya chop it up with the current guys Orlando Brown junior, Ted Carris, et cetera. How is that interaction between the old and the new.

It's great, it really was.

You know, one thing you realize is there's not that much difference really in how guys approach their craft, how they work, what they have to do to get ready to play football. Understanding you know who they're supposed to block, how they're supposed to block them. It's it's it's a fraternity.

It's a bond.

It's like a bond that is never broken. And it was stands generations. You know, there were three distinct generations of offensive linemen at that function, and everybody interacted pretty well. The stories were flowing fast and free.

Oh you guys all speak the same language.

Exactly, exactly. Yeah, it was fun night, real fun.

You all speak trenches in the trenches, baby, yep. All right, we're gonna take a time out when we come back. Our special guest has arrived. It's going to be with us until six o'clock tonight here at the On the Rhine Eatery. We'll talk to Sam Hubbard in just the moment. This is the Bengals pep Rally Show presented by Just Bear Chicken on ESPN fifteen thirty. Welcome back to the

Yeah, that's true. It's definitely in a different feeling on Monday mornings, like you said, But enjoining, I love being back home in Cincinnati. Still here connected with a bunch of the guys on Tuesday, a bunch of the D line guys, Trey Miles, cam had a little outreach thing. It was good to see some of those guys.

Were you at the game last Sunday? I was somewhere in a suite.

I hope. I did my best to stay with.

How tough was it to play in conditions like that? You obviously played in some really cold games. That Christmas Eve game in New England I think was technically the coldest. Second AFC Championship game in Kansas City was really cold. How did you deal with that?

Yeah?

I always felt the worst for the guys handling the ball, because you know, you do you do the tricks where you have surgical gloves underneath the actual gloves, right, and of course train ever wore gloves. But uh, I think that when you gotta like be dexterous and handle the ball. It's really tough, but you know, the contact feels a little bit more uncomfortable, your helmets frozen solid. Everything's a little bit more of a mental game at that temperature. And uh yeah, it's it's part of the game.

Yeah, it really is.

I played in the Freezer Bowl and that thing was nine below a raw temperature and fifty nine below wind chill.

They still talk about that game. They got brought up a lot on Sunday. Yeah, I mean it it was cruel and unusual punishment. You know, it was it was hard to hard to play the game of football, you know, under those conditions for a lot of the reasons that you talked about, Sam. I mean, you know, the hitting, you could really feel it. And then when you hit the ground the second hit, well moon, the two hits was like the raise what turf burn? Yeah, things much

It on my arm. Yeah, that definitely helps. Yeah too.

But man, when you swapped that thing and it coagulated, but which it stung like heck. Man, when you hit that bear that pair of skin, it was like it's working. I can feel it's working, man, because his hand would slide right off of there. The things you do to try to win football game.

I've played a few games in Miami in Decemmer. It's a nice switch up.

Yeah.

I wanted to ask you that because now they go from you know, ten degrees last week to eighty one degrees supposedly this Sunday. When you went south late in the season, after the weather had taken a turn for the worst in the Midwest, did it completely energize you or you're like, man, it's gonna be warm, I'm gonna go out and feel great today.

No, you definitely feel great.

The turf down there hard or it's natural grass, it's it's a really nice surface to play on. Softer, but you know, it's a hydration difference because the colder gets, the harder it gets, the hydrated, you don't really sweat as much. But you know, I remember being down there getting an ivy at half we played and I think it was double ot and uh what was that nineteen?

Yeah? Actually, yeah, it's the burrow to a bowl.

But yeah, it's it's an adjustment. You got to make sure you hydrate. But it was a nice switch up. I enjoyed it for sure. Yeah, I'm telling you, the going from the cold, the bitter cold, to the to the warmth. I mean your blood thickens. You know it literally does your blood thickens, and uh, you can you can feel it. Did you have many cramping problems when you went from cold to hot like that?

I didn't really, and I know a lot of.

I mean you're a highly conditioned dude. You gotta hydrate.

And uh, I know Jamar is probably pumped about the playing in the heat, right, Yeah, it's easier. I think that they'll be slinging the ball around hopefully nice sunny day.

How long did those halftime ivs take?

Uh, it's it's a you get in there and you scream for an ivy back there, you got five minutes maybe to get it set up, hooked up, do a pressure bag, you miss the adjustments, and then you run out of there. The problem is is when twenty guys

But get it kind of prioritized based on all right, well, these guys are starters. These guys are getting a bunch of snaps. They get them first.

Oh yeah, Well, if you're not getting a bunch of snaps and you're getting.

I V I think I would say something as right, get out of here. I wasn't when I was a rookie, I wasn't necessarily getting Ivis I hear you? You kind of get to earn your hierarchy.

Yep, yeah, I mean rookies and Tiger had a great line and when you guys young buckshee, rookies understand.

You to be seen and never heard you got me never heard.

I mean I adopted that for philosophy. Yeah, I think it's a wise one. Yeah, I agree.

So we've got warm weather to look forward to. This Sunday, the Bengals heading to Miami to take on the Dolphins. We'll be talking about that and much more with our special guest, Sam Hubbard. Sam is with us until six o'clock tonight. We're here at the On the Rhine Eatery, the food hall above the downtown Kroger. If you've never been here before. Great place to come out and get a bite and have a drink on a Friday afternoon. They've got incredible dry rub wings. I'm from the Buffalo area.

Again.

It is the on the Rhine Eatery, just above the downtown Kroger at Court and walnutt. Plenty of seats available parking nearby. There's a garage attached. I would love to see you come out and join us in the final hour of the show. And as we've said earlier, if you've got a Bengals fan on your Christmas list, you can get something signed by Sam Hubbard. He'll do it

Of Best Care for the Best Fans, Kiddery Health, official healthcare provider of the Cincinnati Bengals. This is ESPN fifteen thirty, the official home of the Cincinnati Bengals.

Happy Holidays, everybody. It's a Friday afternoon here in the Queen City. The Happy hour is underway, the work week is basically done, and we've got the Bengals pep Rally Show for you, presented by Just Bear Chicken. Life from the on the Rhine Eatery the foodhull above the downtown Kroger.

Sam Hubbard with the catchon touchdown Bengals.

Sam Hubbard raising.

The football over his head and spiking at ground style after the first catch.

How his NFL career Sam Hubbard's started his career at Moler High School.

Is a tight end? Sam Hubbard is an athlete, Sam Hubbard. That's a great fingertip catch.

It was a great fingertip catch. How about that spike? Was that something that you had in mind or was that completely in the moment.

No, we had rehearsed that one.

Joe was making me do them the routes full speed and walk through pre practice, and then we had to, you know, practice a spike. Of course, I almost messed it up, getting too excited as soon as I got up, but then held it back, gathered ted and the rest of the crew, and I actually gave it a legit spike. So uh it worked out one of the one of the coolest moments ever. I got Joe's jersey.

From that game, nice framed in my basement.

Uh got the ball.

I got the ball too.

Did you expect to be wide open?

I mean normally I was not wide open.

No, no, that's what I'm saying. I'm wondering if you being a defensive linemen lining up presumably to block.

Yeah, no, Joe told me there's gonna be a guy on me, and I don't have the exact breakaway speed.

But uh that was God.

Yeah, the the in traffic catch. But it was a I think Zach was so confident in calling it because it was a third string or second string linebacker.

They didn't really know.

So huh, take advantage, no doubt, no doubt, take advantage of opportunities from opportunity knocks man open the door. So uh, Molar High School, Ohio State, Cincinnati Bengals. You are the Cincinnati kid, the Ohio kid. Are you glad?

It?

Is it something that as you reflect back on it, you even cherished their decisions you made even more to stay local?

Yeah?

I think so.

I think that now you know, the plan since I got drafted was to to always stay local. And you know, I'm here full time and want an opportunity to have the support system and everything that I had. And what makes it all the sweeter is the success. We were able to have here, the energy we brought to the fan base, and you know, if you recall that that run to the Super Bowl, what the city felt like

I worked that back when he wanted back soon. You preceded Zach Taylor. You actually started your Bengals career when Marvin Lewis would the head coach. We had the opportunity to visit with Zach earlier today and I asked him about the impact you made on his career to this point as the Cincinnati Bengals head coach. Here's Zach Taylor, always the guy I.

Could kill, Always a guy that if I needed and the opinion of a player on schedule or vibe of the team, or I knew I could get Sam up there and transparent and as a leader like it was fun for me to see when he finally decided, you know, realize, these guys respect me and I can now talk more. I don't just have to be the lead by example guy all the time, and I think that was more

Pretty cool. But that was cool.

I think he's right.

It was cool.

Were you on him in fact for years to catch a pass?

No, that was pretty cool. I didn't you asked him that. I was definitely you know, in his year, I you know, jokingly because of my great reps as a rookie fullback. I was like, hey, you know, I'm ready, let's do it and go. And you know, when it comes down to, hey, here's the play we're calling it, it's a whole different ballgame. You get much more nervous and you're like, I don't know if I actually want this and drop it right here.

But I got to give credit to Zach. He you know, he did.

You know, he really made that happen and it was it turned the momentum in that game. But Zach, you know, I he did so much for me in my career. Have so much respect for him and how he's handled you know, tough situations from you know, twenty nineteen till now. You know, I can't say enough good things about Zach and how he goes about his business. Also watching you know, he watched my evolution. I watched his evolution from a first time head coach to where he is now.

I think that he's learned.

He's all you know, he journals and writes everything down and really reflect and gets better every year.

So it's cool to be around a guy like that. And yeah, that was cool.

When you're in your playing days with the Bengals Ohio State, who's the greatest player you ever played with? Who is the guy that had the biggest impact on the gaming on you?

Obviously in my time with the Bengals, I would say, you know, Joe had the biggest impact, and that's kind of the obvious answer. But you know, I came into the league watching you know, Aj Green, you know he unfortunately got hurt, but in twenty eighteen, you know, winning games and overtime against Atlanta Falcons, Geno Atkins having ten sacks. You know, you come in and you see these legends you you grew up watching play at a high level and that was like, wow, that's you know, this is

Things you couldn't imagine.

I mean, he's a different player than Aj but a twenty one year old kid watching him do some of these things with joe It's like, wow, this is this is cool to watch. But yeah, I played with a lot of great players, but you know, I think the most special player I've seen is Jamar I mean it's unbelievable Tea too. I mean, wow, some of the stuff they do. They're so different in the way they play. But what great players in the privilege to watch and play with?

What about college? Who would be the guy or guys he might choose from a college career.

So I came into Ohio State, like you said, I didn't know anything about the position, and once I was transitioned to defensive line, they put me directly behind Joey Bosa. Yeah, and I just watched Joey do everything and a lot of the defensive line stuff. I mean, he worked tirelessly, but he's probably the most gifted natural pass rusher like.

Ever I've ever seen. So the way he moved and the way he worked his craft.

If I just.

Followed exactly what he was doing in the drill, like you watch his drill, just try and copy how he does the drill right, if you do it half as good, you're you're doing all right. But I think a lot of players see Joey or have seen Joey in college when you know, we won the national championship. He had twelve and a half sacks. I mean, probably the best defensive player I've ever seen, so still playing. He's having a good year. He's playing really well for the Sales

It was interesting hearing Zach Taylor talked about how he leaned on your leadership, especially once you had established yourself in Cincinnati. Did he call on you often to get input on, as he said, the schedule or the vibe and in the locker room, did he have he come up to the offense and office rather and kind of fill him in.

Yeah, as I went throughout my career, I think he does that with a lot of players. I mean, as the head coach, your job is to assess where the

You are not only a great football player, you were unbelievable lacrosse player as well. Tell us about your lacrosse career. When did that start, how did that start, and did you play any other sports growing up?

In third grade? I played lacrosse. Well.

I grew up doing all the sports like I think every kid should, you know, soccer, baseball, but had to choose between baseball and lacrosse in the spring, and I chose lacrosse in third grade. So third grade starts tackle football and you start lacrosse. And played basketball in the winner and that was kind of you know, the grade school. But I was always you know, my brother's a cross player. I would spend hours outside throwing against the wall and

And I was an okay football player, you know, I did all right.

And then you know, I get to high school and get invited to all these camps and make varsity as a freshman, and I was a lacrosse guy and get the offers early. Was really cool to be viewed as you know, you're such a highly sought after recruit because it's all on the East Coast. You know, it was very really for Midwestern players to get offers and get recruited. So I was, you know, going about my business. Then

You know.

Two years later was when we win state as a junior and I get recruited for football, and I tell coach coach Rodenberg, who was the Muller varsity coach at the time, you know, I'm a lacrosse player. There's only four schools that I would listen to if they came knocking. It was Ohio State, Notre Dame, Michigan and Stanford and as soon as those are the schools, but that's what you give up. That's what I was willing to give

It wasn't.

Athletic directors got to be fired. It wasn't like they wanted me to come play football. I definitely knew that was the vibe, but I loved their lacrosse program, but ultimately decided it was the full ride that I had to go with at Ohio State and had to shift my mindset from being, you know, the lacrosse player to like, I was a solid football player, but now I'm going all in.

So lap and I both went to Syracuse famous lacrosse program. Oh yeah, yeah, most final fours of any school did they for lacrosse?

No?

They come on, they love.

Their East Coast guys. Pat Kennedy I think was the Moller guy that went to Syracuse though, yeah he was. He was still holds maybe the all time goals.

Was there a father son, Pat Kennedy father.

Yeah, yeah, yeah, the father I think coached for a while. I think you might have coached my brother. Then Pat Kennedy coached me and a select travel team. But great players, lacrosse family.

I all right.

In the last week or so, there have been a lot of national stories about Joe Burrow, Where is his mindset, does he want to be in Cincinnati?

Whatever?

You've all heard about it and read about it. Well, Sam knows Joe as well as just about anybody. We're going to talk about Joe when we continue with our special guest, Sam Hubbard. We are live at the on the Rhine Eatery, the food hall above the downtown Kroger. It's the Bengals pep Rally Show presented by Just Bear Chicken on ESPN fifteen thirty. Welcome back to the Bengals pep Rally Show presented by Just Bear Chicken. It's a Friday afternoon here in the Queen City. We're getting ready

I've had conversations with Joe about this over the course of the last five years, and I can tell you this, he really views himself as the change agent there, as the guy who was going to really turn the page for that organization. He used this phrase with me a few times earlier in his career, where he said, the old Bengals are dead.

This isn't the old Bengals anymore.

And he really has had a voice in that organization, in getting Jamar Chase paid and getting T.

Higgins paid, and like you even look at things like the practice bubble right like they didn't have a practice.

Bubble in Cincinnati, Ohio, which sounds crazy, but you know, his presence there I think is part of why they now have an indoor facility. The scouting staff last off season was expanded. That's the first time they've done that in forever. And they still have some more to do in building the operation out, but he's changed that as well. And so I think his level of investment in the Bengals organization and his interest in being the change agent.

There, I think is very very real.

And so I don't think you have to be worried about Joe Burrow elbowing his way out of there now, but it's something that should be on the Bengals radar going forward, and it's something that's on the radar every time he makes one of these sorts of comments with the other thirty one team. So I think Joe is still invested in making it work with the Bengals. I think Joe still wants to be the change agent in Cincinnati.

I don't think we're there yet, but you know, you get a few years down.

The line and this still isn't working, then certainly I think that could that that could wind up happening. And so to me, I look at this as the pressures on the Bengals to keep building aggressively around him, to create championship scenarios for him.

But that's been what it's been since he was drafted in twenty twenty.

All right, So I think that's very fair analysis from Albert Breer from Sports Illustrated. Sam, what did you think when you heard that?

Yeah, I think it was very fair. I mean, and he puts things in perspective. You're right, there is you know, a fixation on Joe from the national media for whatever reason. I think it's because he's such a great player and people you know, love to talk about him or you know,

Bowl every year, but h to you know, focus.

On Joe being you know, anything but the driving force of you know, doing everything in the whole organization, trying to mobilize and as he said, invest aggressively to get there. You know, it's kind of doing the disservice, making a narrative out of nothing. Like everyone in that building is you know, focused on trying to the narrative and uh, you know, we really had some great years where it

Should should make the headlines.

In my opinion, I agree thirty one years. I mean, when you think about that, I mean, what more do you want from the guy? He was a month early from a total toe replacement surgery, and like his dedication to come back just to give the team a chance, and even if they didn't have a chance, just to

I know that I've said over the years, the calendar historically is measured in you know, years BC and AD, But in this case, this is the year six JB because things have changed since Joe Burrow arrived in Cincinnati. Now, maybe not at the pace as some people would like, right, but every year the Bengals have been trying to do something that has made the franchise better, whether it's building the bubble, whether it's rebuilding the locker room, the training facility,

Good absolutely, you know.

And and I think Joe Burrow has as much influence and pull with his organization as any quarterback in the area. I mean, I think I think the Brown Blackburn family, to give them credit.

They listen to them.

Yeah, I mean, they know they know that he he knows what he's talking about, and they know that he's representing the opinion of the football team. Uh, and and he's definitely the leader of the pack. So it, like you said, a lot of the stuff that they've done, Dan, and kudos to them. It's it's tremendous. I mean they've been you know, called penny pinchers, cheap all that for for years and I think, you know, at some point in time, you do get sick and tired of it.

If I'm them, I would be yeah.

But uh, you know, I do think that the Joe Burrow era has many chapters left, and hopefully the final chapter is the Super Bowl.

And there's nothing wrong for the organization to get together at the end of this year, once all of the data is in and say, Okay, why haven't our most recent picks been more successful? Why haven't some of our more recent free agent signings been more successful? It was working in twenty one and twenty two, that hasn't worked quite as well since. And let's fix that because we've got one of the best quarterbacks in the NFL. When you start with that, you've got a chance of doing anything.

Yeah, it is.

It's a it's an interesting recipe, you know, building a building a franchise, building a football team.

Uh, sometimes it's just.

Like one ingredient, one one last spice is all it's gonna take to to get you over the top and take you to the promised Land. And uh, I do think with Joe Burrow at quarterback and some of the skilled players they have offensively, they're close.

Yeah.

I mean that is the hardest part to a lot of teams wish that they had the quarterback part figuring out that very few people on the earth can do what he does. And you know we've got the guy and I Joe, you know, everyone wants him to speak or use his voice, and Joe knows how much his uh you know how with the impact of his word and his opinions, and he uses it to better the organization and the team. And like you said, the ownership values what he says and tries to mobilize on what

Sure, right. When Sam joins us on our radio shows, we like to break down some plays from the previous game. We're not going to do quite as many this week because last week's game obviously didn't go very well for Cincinnati, but we we do have a a few plays excuse me, that Sam has picked out. We'll get to those when we come back. This is the Bengals pep Rally Show.

While honoring our past.

Welcome back to the Bengals pep Rally Show presented by Just Bear Chicken Live from the on the Rhine Eatery. I'm Dan Hord with Dave Lapham, our special guest in the final hour of the show this week, Sam Hubbard. Really appreciate Sam coming out in joining us this week. We'll be back here at the on the Rhine Eatery next Friday from three to six. We tentatively have rookie left guard Dylan Fairchild scheduled to be our guest in

Yeah.

I got to point out Miles Murphy. You know, I said I was with him on Tuesday. He looks great. He told me he was about two sixty five to seven, so a little bit leaner, but you see it in the play speed, like his play speed every week just seems to be picking up and.

Getting those two sacks.

I know.

It's big for your confidence, Kevin.

You know a couple of good games like that early in your career for me, made me really, you know, ascend and start feeling some confidence. And I watched him play. He was using his hands, getting extension, being reactive off the ball. You know, he beat two tight ends like very cleanly. And Lamar is not an easy guy to bring down, so I think if you're looking for a bright spot, you got to look at Miles Murphy and the way he's been playing the last couple of weeks.

He is is athletic on the edges there is in the NFL. I mean, the guy has got superb athleticism, doesn't he.

Oh yeah, the way he moves is unbelievable.

You know.

I remember when you know, first drills he did after the draft, and it was unbelievable how fast he moves because of his size. He's He's a huge dude, and I think that he's really allowing that to translate to increased game speed. And you know, once that all clicks with his with his tools, he could be really really special. And you know, I think that it's really starting to click, and he's starting to string together some nice games, some

One of your strengths was setting the edge in run defense. I feel like Miles, by and large has done that much better this year than the previous two. Does that send out to you?

Yeah, there was a few plays. I remember it played last Sunday a little. I think it was a pitch action out to the flat, and he was about five yards in the backfield setting the edge. And when you're playing that left defensive end, you know you're usually getting the bigger right tackle and the more athletic left tackles on the other side guarding the blind side. But when they're running the ball, you know they usually run to

Josephsai to compliment him on the other on the other edge. He's more of that speed rush guy that you're that you're talking about, but if needed, I mean he can he can to gap and shut that rundown pretty decently. Do you do you like where the Bengals are with their tandem and defense.

Ave end, Yeah, no doubt. I think they're playing well. I think I'm excited to see Schamhar come back, and every rep for him is just gonna be beneficial and his career, So seeing him back out there is gonna be great. And then you got Cam Sample who's just been a great rotational guy, very consistent, and those two guys can't be enough. You have to have at least three starting level caliber defensive ends in rotation at all times.

All Right, we heard one highlight. Let's get to another. The first highlight was a sack on Baltimore's opening drive. Now we're going to go to the Ravens second drive, and the Bengals got to Lamar Jackson again. Let's listen. In the Ravens line up in an eye formation, it's a fake to the left. Jackson runs to the right and gets sacked at the ten yard line by Demetrius Knight. Right, he intercepted Lamar Jackson in the first meeting and the tackle was made at the nine yard line for a big loss.

And I'll tell you this, deja sack he's going to have. I mean, he's not touched, nobody lays a fingernail on him, and he does a great job of containing Lamar Jackson.

It's been a growing process for Demetrius Knight. Rookie thrown right in there in the starting lineup in week one. He had a couple of sacks in the game last weekend of forest Fumble. Your thoughts on Demetrius Knight.

Yeah, like you said, the growth, I put that play on there because I saw a bunch of opportunities early in the season where he or other young linebackers were in the exact spot and they did the fatal era where you jump you leave your feet. He gave Lamar, gave a pump fake and he didn't leave his feet. He let he matched the hand and you fall right into a sack. But as a young player, it's just so easy to jump and as soon as you jump there,

You're right on with Demetrious Knight. I mean, his teammates and coaches all say that he is a sponge. He wants to learn. I mean he's one of those guys that is never satisfied. He's always asking questions, always looking to learn more. Can't have enough of those guys.

Yeah, it's a hard thing to do to be a starting middle linebacker in the NFL calling the defense. Even Logan Wilson his rookie year, we had Josh Bienes, a ten year veteran right that would start and call the defense and hold like kind of hold Logan's hand until Logan blossom.

Into being, you know, the guy.

But to get thrown into that position at that age, it's it's not like you're just you know, rushing the passer or doing something that doesn't have consequences of the ten guys around you. So it's a bit a lot on his shoulders. But I think that next year he'll be a leg up because whenever you go through that growing process, sooner the better.

Sometimes.

Yep, yep, this is the Bengals pep Rally Show. We are live at the on the Ryan Eatery. We're here with Sam Hubbard for about fifteen more minutes. If you happen to be in downtown Cincinnati, now too late, join us, grab an autograph, get something to eat or drink here on the Bengals pep Rally Show. Back with Sam in just a moment on ESPN fifteen thirty. Welcome back to the Bengals Pet Rowley Show, presented by Just Fair Chicken, live from the on the Rhyine Eatery here in downtown Cincinnati.

Yeah, no, I'm pulling for Ted this year. I think he's got a real shot. I'd love to see him actually win it. How's was it Kenny Anderson that wonted?

Kenny, Anthony Munos you want to and Reggie Williams are the three Bengals to win it while they were Bengals. Additionally, Boomersiasin won it after you know, joining the New York Jets. Right another Bengal won it after leaving and it'll come to me.

And whitworth. Oh yeah, yeah, you want it? The year that we played the Super Bowl, Yeah right.

And actually Mendello Williams, a lot of fans might not remember that name. He didn't play that long in Cincinnati, but he also wanted after going to another team. The Bengals have been well represented in the highest honor the NFL gives out aside from you know, MVP Award and on field things. Right, this is the ultimate prize you can get for your all around contribution.

Yeah, no doubt.

But May fourteenth is gonna be our annual fowling tournament. Mark your calendars taken to go on sale. You can follow social media, but uh, we're hard at work closing

Have you ever gone candlepin bowling? I haven't you ever hear of that. No, it's the pins are long and skinny and they have like a ring around them, like a candle.

And they have a place here since I'm very new England.

Yeah, very it's New England. Yeah, we used to go candlepin bowling almost every week.

Really.

Yeah if the ball, the ball is tiny, well they have pins mechanical it's just like a smaller bowling type thing.

Yeah.

And they just opened a darts bar down here.

Is that right ted throughout the first dart?

Yeah?

Yeah, I saw that first dart. I stopped by on Thursday. It's a really cool spot spot all right.

So the Falling Tournament is May fourteenth. That sucker always sells out. It's a very popular event, so check the website for more information and tickets as the day gets closer.

Yeah, yeah, you'll see, uh the save the date for when the tickets go live on the Sam Hubert Foundation social media and we'll do the best to make sure everyone's got a head start.

All right. Congratulations to you for making the community you a better placement. Thanks, no doubt.

We are going to take our final time out. When we come back, we will play America's favorite game show, Know Your School. And we've done this with Sam multiple times in the past, so there are almost only so many Ohio state questions out there. We're going Molar High School. I've got five questions about Molar High School in this Know Your School edition. You must get at least three

Cincinnati Kid, Hob's Gotta Come Bin chase for Andreas and the thirty the twenty Well.

Stop the Mike Turrico call of the fumble in the jungle. Mike was one of my college buddies at Syracuse. He nailed it with the Cincinnati Kid in that call. Just a very memorable broadcasting moment for Mike and obviously maybe the greatest single play in Cincinnati Bengals history. Provided by our special guest today here on the Bengals pep Rally Show, Sam Hubbard. Before we play Know Your School, America's favorite game show. If you thank yous to pass out Thank

Mike Magic.

Thank you to Austin back in the studio at Thank you to George and the folks here at the on the Rhine Eatery for their hospitality, to the ben else we're with us here today, and thank you to the Bengals fans who are with us here today.

We appreciate you guys.

All of you all right. Time for know your school. Five questions about Molar High School, Big Mo. You must get at least three rights to be a winner. Dave Lapham's son, who also went to Molar and is with us today, is not allowed to give you any answer. Question number one, Name the two Major League Baseball Hall of famers who went to Molar High.

School, Ken Griffy Junior and Barry Larkin.

You are correct one for one nice question, the easy then you ripped that.

That was.

All right.

This one's a little bit more difficult. Who was the first principal at Molar High School?

That's a tough one. Yeah, that is, yeah, the first principal. Yep, I'm trying to think of names I've seen hung around the walls.

He knows it.

He does not appear to know it. Dave Lapham Sunday does not appear to know it.

You know, went and down. Just go Jerry Faust or brother Flaherty.

Oh for two, Lawrence eve Slage.

So Eve Slage is one of the houses of the house system.

Here we go.

Question number three. That's amazing. There are six houses in the motor house system. Name at least three. You don't have all that pillar that was yours?

Right, that pillar Zara Goza, yep, Eve Slage. That's three.

All right, you're already got it right, But you.

Know, I just don't know.

I I'm glad I only asked for three. Four am I to stumped you? We have Quiroga Roga.

Trinity, Trinity shou one and Taylor Taylor.

No, I'm sorry, Zaylor Zayloralor's right, Zaylor. It's a combination of Zad and Taylor.

Makes sense that they you know, where they came up with the name's last name of the principal stuff. I always wondered where they came from.

There you go, all right? Question number four. What Moeler grad ascended to Speaker of the House John by John Baynor is correct? All right, you're already a winner, but now you have a chance to go four for five. This is an easy one. Now, I'm kind of embarrassed by how easy this one is. Name the molar grad who started thirty four games at center at the University of Cincinnati and was named first team All Conference after his junior and senior years.

Doug ros Ros coach Doug and uh, former head coach of Buller's right.

All right, so you are my history teacher.

You're two for two this year and your school you won knowing Ohio State and you won again Knowing Moeller. Congratulations.

Perfect next week next year bringing.

Your elementary school.

Yeah, all Saints, I'll take Saints. All Saints. There you go. Sam.

It's been awesome to have you on our shows this year. We greatly appreciated. Happy holidays to you and your wife and the rest of your family. And go Bengals, Go Bengals. Always pleasure appreciate you. That's going to do it for our show this afternoon. Thank you so much for listening and for the Bengals fans who came out to join us. This has been the Bengals pep Rally Show presented by Just Bear Chicken here on ESPN fifteen thirty