Bengals Booth Podast: I Get A Kick

Hi, get everybody. I'm Dan Horde and thanks for downloading The Bengals Booth Podcast. The Get a Kick Out of You addition, as I discussed the NFL's new kickoff rule with Evan McPherson and the possibility that he's going to have to make tackles this year. Let's hope it's not many. Plus five questions with rookie tight end Eric All, a few questions for Jamar Chase, and finally a visit with Joe Mixon as he explains why Cincinnati will always be home.

Let's say a good kickoff now is you put it on the one yard line outside the numbers.

Is that what Darren primarily has you working on.

So it's gonna be a lot of placement ball, I think throughout the league. But I think we're kind of airing on the side of being too far rather than being too short, because if the return team catches it around like the fifteen or so, I mean, they're on top of the coverage team real fast. So we're flirting.

With the goal line, that's for sure.

But I think placement's just going to be a key priority.

I saw your practice last week working on kickoffs, and some you just what you describe You kind of floated down inside the five, kind of between the numbers and the sideline, but then there was like a screening line drive. Then there was kind of a bouncing squib type kick. Are you going to have to have a wider repertoire of kickoffs?

Yeah, I mean you never know. You're always looking to find some way to kind of test the system and different kicks to kind of play with.

So we'll see.

I mean, you never know what everybody else is gonna do, so I'm sure we'll pick up some stuff from other teams, But I mean, there's a couple of things that we do.

They're on the docket.

Punters try to have certain punts that are hard to catch. Can you do that kicking off a team?

I think you can manipulate the ball a little bit, but I feel like it's harder to control. So I don't know if you're really going to see it that often Guys trying to hit like knuckleballs that land past the twenty because you'd rather, like I said, you'd rather honestly hit a touchback than be short of the twenty yard line and give the ball. Give them the ball at the forty. So we'll see. I think people are gonna err on the side of touchback rather than mishitting and being.

Short like the role or dislike the role.

It's interesting I think right now. I mean, just going through like all of high school football, college football, and in my first three years with the like normal kickoff rule and going to this, it definitely feels strange, just because I've been doing the other one my whole life, and I just got so used to it. I enjoy kick I enjoyed kickoff because like in high school, I feel like that's how you really compare yourself to other kids.

Because I feel like.

I don't as a young kicker, like kickoff was always that fun one to try to test.

Yourself and see how high and far you can kick the ball.

So not gonna say I dislike it, it's just different and learning how to have fun with it.

So I saw one expert, I don't know exactly what his level of expertise is, but he estimated the kickers are going to be involved in tackles upwards of twenty percent of the time. How do you feel about that?

We'll see.

I mean, you probably know I'm not the biggest tackler. I'm not the biggest guy, but whenever I have to, I will. But now that that percentage is higher, you know, I'm curious to see how many teams do go to like with the chiefs.

Like a Justin read.

And instead of Harrison and have those extra cover guys kind of down the field. I mean, we'll see. I think a lot of guys are going to try to protect their kickers too. And you could say, like this rule could help prolong careers because kickoff was pretty aggressive.

On the body. And I mean, you have a guys.

That are like thirteen fourteen years in the league that are having a tough time kicking off but are still good field goal kickers. And now they just got to pooch like a six yard ball down the field and so it doesn't put too much stress on the body.

You say that like it's really easy pooch at sixty yards down the field.

Yeah, it's a lot easier than the old kickoff rule, that's for sure.

But I mean, I'm gonna take it for what it's worth.

I'm gonna I'm gonna really try and enjoy this new kickoff rule. And I know, I think what the league wanted was more returns, not and just not to completely remove the kickoff rules so or the kickoff itself. But I mean, we'll see how it works and how people like it and where it goes.

Is Logan Wilson the logical alternate kickoff guy.

Yeah, Logan's actually a pretty good ball kicker and he can kick kilgos pretty solid and I feel as long as you can hit it like forty five yards, he should be good to go.

But I'll be really interesting.

We haven't practiced it yet, but I'll be interesting to see if it's something that we kind of try out.

Change up subject. You're about three months into fatherhood. How you liking it? Oh?

I love it.

This last month has been great. The first month was pretty i'd say fun, but miserable at the same time, not much sleep.

But the last month, I mean, it's been so much fun. Like I said, she slept.

Through the night a couple of times, so that's a blessing, and started smiling whenever you kind of step into the room. So just seeing the smile on her face and she actually plays around and just has fun.

Now, it's been a lot of fun.

How incredible is it that you and Logan became dads on the same day.

Yeah, we kind of I mean, yeah, that idea, right, dude. It was the exact same so we had an idea that they would be born around the same time, but the same day. That's pretty crazy because Gracian and Morgan, his wife, they were going on walks every single day trying to pop the babies out. Somehow they did at the same time, so it was pretty wild. But it's fun to see his daughter grow and my daughter grow together.

Let me state for the record, I hope you do not make a single tackle this year.

I appreciate that me either.

Evan has made one tackle so far in his NFL career, and it might have saved a touchdown as he knocked Isaiah Pacheco out of bounds near the fifty in a three point win over the Chiefs in twenty twenty two. Now time for my latest round of five questions with a member of this year's draft class. This week, it's this year's fourth round selection. Time for five questions with fourth round draft pick Eric All, a local kid. You're from the Cincinnati area. You went to Fairfield High School.

I don't know.

Coach Crowds pushed me, so it was like he like kind of like built like this thing in me that like that made me just just go crazy at like practice and like pretty much with everything I had to do with anything. And then once I got to Well, that was when I was in high school, and that was like with all sports and really like with schoolwork, I was cool. I just did it was just I just did my homework and pass every test with like

I I asked the question, that's a great answer, right, question number two. I read during COVID that you lived with another family in order to be able to properly train. What was the backstory of that.

Well, so, my Joey Velasquez at the time, we you know, we came in together. We were in the same class, and you know he was just a kid who always just worked hard, like at everything, and you know, he was always in the gym always, you know, eating the right things always, you know, had his routine and you know he was and he stuck to it and had a great outstanding and work ethic. And not only that,

And you know.

We had this crazy trainer, they call him Captain Davies, Coach Davies, and and he's just like this crazy coach who's just you know, he's legit. You know, he gets you right, and you know, no Bs is always you know, a tough workout every single day. And at the time I was stuck home and I just had like a little bench, like a little weight set in the backyard, all rested up, and it was in my backyard and it was just tough to like work out. So I told told my dad and I was like, hey, dad,

I was like, yes, I'm coming.

It was like two much of it, and I had just turned like eighteen nineteen, so I was like, man, I'm gonna have to I was like, just come, and he came. I was I was hoping I was going to be able to, you know, convince my dad to let me go by the time he got there, but I couldn't.

And he got there.

I told my dad, Hey, Dad, Joey's here. He's like, Joey who I was like Withlaska's I'm going to train in Columbus.

He's like, no, what do you mean.

It's like I told you no, I was like, man, I can't this is the opportunity I can't pass up.

I gotta go.

And then you know, I went, and he was mad at me, and you know, eventually he got over and was cool with it. And it worked out tremendously because I came back bigger, stronger, and faster than I've ever been. So he was like, man, Son, you made a good decision, you know. So that was the story behind us.

Just speak of your dad to admit that you know what you did the right thing, all right? Question number three for Eric all, you spent most of your college care with Michigan, you finished last year with Iowa. His fate would have at the Wolverines won the national championship? Was that bitter sweet for you?

No, it was more like a It was like for me, like I didn't even really think about that, And I know it sounds like like I could be lying, but I'm so serious, Like I was so more like happy for those guys and and you know, I wish I was, you know, there to celebrate with them and everything, but like at the same time, like I went to Iowa and you know, it was a part of a great, fantastic team and and you know, I don't regret it

So just sweet, not better. Yeah, all right, Question number four, You're lucky to be here, And by that I don't mean with the Bengals, your hometown team. I mean literally, you were rescued from a burning building when you were an infant. You eventually got to meet the firefighter who pulled you out of the burning building. What was it like to meet that man?

It was pretty At the time, it was like man like I didn't really know how to process it, because you like, you know, when anybody like saved your life like that, Like like I literally like wouldn't be alive if it weren't for him. I wouldn't be able to you know, have friends, play the game that I love, you know, spend time with my family, and be here.

Playing for my owntown team.

So if it wasn't for him, Like you know, I literally, you know, wouldn't be here. So it's like it was kind of hard to like, you know, give a reaction. It was just like, man, like just thank you so much, and you know, like thank God for you, you know, because if he could have, if he would have froze for a second, or or anybody or something would have been off excited off, I.

Wan't be here.

So like I'm just you know, thankful for God and thanks for him, and you know, and in his family and in the whole you know, Indiana fire crew.

I know he's as thrilled as you are the things turned out the way they did. Fifth and final question for Eric, all share something about you that not that many people know.

I love. I love playing golf, I love playing chess, not that many people know. I'd say the chess thing, for sure, because every time I like ask him if they played chess, they're like, what, you played chess?

But I'd say that. And then the whole house fire thing.

Before like the story came out, nobody knew about it, Like nobody like Tom Broyle, his wife Kelly Broyle, if she never you know, came out and made a post about it like the world wouldn't know.

So that's pretty cool.

So i'd say those three things.

So the Bengals locker room is being renovated right now. You're in a little auxiliar locker room, so you may not even know this. Joe Burrow keeps a chest set in front of his locker.

Really, yes, we're glad to get it.

So I got my chest board at the at the My parents has got it for me for Christmas, one of those magnet sets. It's where like the pieces will move around so you could just just play on the flylight. So we're definitely gonna have to get it. And I'm bringing mine in here too.

So all right, Joe, you've been warned. Eric All is ready to go at it with you and chess. This has been fun. It's great to have you in Cincinnati. Best of luck going forward. Ye I'll follow up once the season begins to see if a chess rivalry has started. And by the way, if you haven't seen it already, there's an amazing video on YouTube that tells the complete story of the men who saved Eric All from that

What's it like You.

Show up here and it's like one hundred little kids doing the gritty.

This is love, man. It's lots of love from Cincinnati, you know, and they show it every time that we have you a foundation or something supporting the city.

And you know, the kids love the gritty.

I think they don't know no other but the gritty. And you know, the way we put it on the map. Is just a fun dance to do.

Phone. What you've been up to in the off season work wise?

Yeah, I've been working out in Miami, in Dallas, getting on the field, staying and getting some atility, working, you know what I'm saying, Throwing the usual.

You know what I'm saying.

Just keeping my head above water man and staying out of trouble.

That's all I can do right now.

Have you changed anything with your regimen.

Like training wise? Yeah?

Yeah, I mean, yeah, you know what I'm saying. It's it's more catching footballs on my own right now. But it's not really much that I'm changing. It's just me doing more reps of it since I'm not with the team right now and I'm by myself.

So that's all of this is more reps you mean catching the ball?

Yeah, more catches, more releases, just working the stuff that I want to work on and when I get back so I can know what I want to do. You use the drug use as a drug machine. I'm using a quarterback right now. One of my friends is throwing it to me.

Yeah.

How many balls is yet?

You catch it?

I can't really give you a still made a number you know, I try to run as many routes. I try to run at least five routes, and then you know, try to do like basically like catch, just lay catch, just get a feel for the ball, getting used to it, having hitting in my hands, getting comfortable, And that's all I could do.

I don't know if you've seen Joe throw in person. I imagine you've seen video.

What's person. I threw with him in California one time, right before we he came down here. Actually, so me and him threw with each other already, so we had good reps in We feel comfortable about it. You know, it's just all on how we're gonna do that when we get time and put the whole offense together.

Now, it's pretty encouraged by how he looks for his risk. Yeah, he looks good man.

I already knew Joe. You know, he's a strong person, strong hard working person at that and you know he's gonna give us all what everything he does. And you know, I don't think I'm gonna tell him, is you know how to dial off? Like he told me.

Camp's following Terry at this point, I think it's mandatory. The following week when are you likely to join the squad? Yeah, I'll should be back by camp time. I'm sorry, the mandatory camp, yeah, the mantory mini camp.

Yeah, we just should die with arts. Know when to back it off when.

I mean, you're a pro now, you know what I'm saying, Like if you fill in tweaks in your hand, it's just you got to know how to relax yourself. Sometimes I was like me with my hip.

You know what I'm saying.

Zach told me let him know when I'm feeling on my hip, So you know what I'm saying. He let me do what I had to do perform for the games.

How good do you feel going.

Into this season to compare to other seasons, Yeah, I felt good. Man.

It's just all about my health right now. I'm making sure I give my body back right now. Is the biggest thing this off season. And you don't know, stand in shape is also the biggest thing because I do a lot of running. So those two things was the biggest task I had this whole season.

The youth football camp where we caught up with Jamar last weekend was actually Joe Mixon's two day event put on by Pro Camps. The Cincinnati based organization that does an incredible job of staging youth camps with professional athletes all over the country. It was our first opportunity to catch up with Joe since he was traded to Houston in March. Joe, when you came out yesterday, he said,

Yeah, it's a hell of a feeling for me, especially you know about the love part. You know, it could have been easy for the parents to be like, you know what, he's not on the team no more.

You know, let's not show up this year.

But I mean to have a better turnout than what I did last year. And I thought last year was a hell of a turnout. I mean it was over five hundred kids. And to have more and especially a lot more fans, you know, parents in the crowd or parents in the stands and things like that.

I mean, that's that's everything for me.

Man.

Like I said, I have a lot of great.

Relationships here in Cincinnati that I will continue to have. And you know, like I said, I'm just very fortunate enough to be in this here position of where I stand to be able to give back and this is why I do this, and that's really giving me confirmation on you know why I do it, and it's bigger than me.

So I'm just definitely.

Blessed to be here for all the love and support that the parents bring, and especially the kids. You know, they they they would motivated me to get.

Up this morning, you know what I'm saying, and to come out.

Here for round two and to have a great turnout like this and the rain rain sleeder snow, I see.

I see all the kids is on go today. So I love it.

I've been to a lot of these camps. You genuinely seem to love the interaction with the kids.

Yeah, no doubt. You know, I grew up around a lot of kids. My mom, she runs a daycare, and there's just always been a natural thing.

You know.

I got a lot of nieces and nephews as well, So I think it comes quite easy for a lot of these themes like this, and uh, you know, just to see the looks on these kids' faces when you know you're shaking their hands, giving them hugs, picking them up, tossing them around and turning telling them like you know, how good they're doing today. I mean, it's a it's a hell of a thing, man, And you know, words could be very infectious and encouraging to these young kids.

Kid running around and I'm.

Glad I get to pay it forward today and hopefully, you know, these kids take that and hopefully they straightened to do the same thing.

These guys are obviously are Joe Mixing fans, and they're gonna say twenty years from now, so yeah, Joe mix is my favorite players, my favorite players. What will you think about Cincinnati twenty years from now?

I mean, yeah, I think it's a hell of a place. I truly feel like, you know, like I said, these kids are there, there's gonna be somebody from this here camp to be fortunate enough to you know, go to the next level and then hopefully the level after that. Cincinnati, they have a lot of products, you know, especially from football that comes out and go to the league and be fortunate enough to be able to make a difference.

So like I said, I hope they just take that, leave it for what it is.

And uh, you know, however, you know they want to take it and move forward with it.

That's just I was gonna go.

Chad Johnson finished with the Patriots, but he's a forever Begal. Yeah, Boomer Assias and played for other teams, but he's a forever Bengal. Do you think when you're playing careers over you will be quote unquote a forever Bengal.

Oh yeah, no doubt. That's you know, that's just what it is. You know, they drogged me when I was twenty, and uh, you know, I was fortunate enough to get a good seven great seven years in and I definitely feel like I came across a lot of teammates that you know, goes unnoticed during my success individually and always been a person to no matter what, whether I do have a good game or a game, I always get

Man.

So uh, you know, like I said, I felt like it was a great run.

It was a great run.

And uh, you know, I look forward to, you know, like I said, paying it back to these young kids and hoping that they can, you know, somehow figure out a way to get in my shoes, if not better fingers moments true, I think besides you know, getting drafted, Uh, I would say, probably going to the super Bowl, whether it was a win, whose situation. Uh, that probably was my top Bengals moment. And uh in my career of being here.

Where you come back and do other stuff here.

I mean, I told y'all, that's forever home. Like that's that's what it is, you know what I mean. But I mean, obviously I have a lot of.

Opportunities to come out and do a lot of things here, and I feel like, you know, if it persists itself, you know, in the right light.

I feel like with opportunity and.

Right time in I definitely will You're going to a great young team c Ja's drought, Stefan Diggs, et cetera. Do you feel like it's kind of where the Bengals were a few years ago?

Oh?

Yeah, man, I ain't here to really you know, compare and contrives to you know, the teams.

But I definitely love where.

We stand right now as a team and where we compare, you know to other teams like that, I feel like we're in a great situation. I mean, the guys over there is you know a lot of a lot of great, great, great players, and I'm great. I'm thankful to be surrounded, you know, around the team like that that you know, a lot of guys are hungry, young hungry coach, young hungry quarterback from the young, hungry, healthy team.

Man.

So you know, I just look forward to all the memories and all the great things I feel like that we're gonna do and.

Continue to do moving forward.

And I just you know, obviously look forward to the twenty twenty fourth season and I can't wait.

You sit after the trade, it took you like twenty four forty eight hours just to process your emotions. What were you experiencing?

Yeah, I mean it was a it was a it was a lot of things.

Man.

You know, like I said, when when you when.

You grow up here your whole adulthood and this this is what you know and this is what you are. You know, things were you know, definitely tough. But I mean it, it is what it is.

You know what I'm saying. They move forward, so it's time for me, so you know, do the same.

Man.

It is like I said, it is what it is.

And I look forward to, you know, working with my new teammates and building that same chemistry and camaraderie which we are doing. And it's a lot of great things to look forward.

To in that building.

And uh, their fans should definitely be excited for what we have in store.

So I definitely look forward to it.

Did you ever look up at the Ring of arnor did you ever look up at the numbers up there and wonder what we twenty eight.

Looked like up there? Or the name mixing up that? Any question my own?

I mean, you know, obviously you don't. You don't really pay attention to that stuff. You know as as a player until you know it's time to look back and reflect.

But I do feel like, you know, with you know, given.

Situation and everything that's been, you know in store for me as a as a Bengals player to Begles fans. I mean, I definitely hope to, you know, see myself in there one day.

I mean I feel like.

That's a I guess that's for them to decide that. But when it come down to it, I mean, I'm just was. I just was fortunate enough to be upon a lot of great players teams and uh, you know, be one of those guys to be able to move a needle force for Cincinnati. You know, came across a lot of a lot of great people, whether it was inside the building outside the building, and you know, it was a it was a great run, man, you know

Our willity that's going to do it.

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