Hi, get everybody.
I'm Dan Hoard and thanks for downloading The Bengals Booth Podcast. The any Dan.
Addition.
As the Bengals wrap up the preseason and turn their attention to the games that count, beginning with a regular season opener at Cleveland. Coming up, you'll hear radio replays from Saturday's two point loss at Washington, locker room, comments from players and coaches, and Dave Lappamill join me for postgame analysis. Then, in this week's fun Facts Conversation, we'll get to know at defensive end who grew up rooting for the New York Giants and wears Lawrence Taylor's old number.
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greatest thing since freezing cold takes. One of the most amusing Twitter handles to follow is at Old Takes Exposed. It's devoted to finding and sharing strong opinions expressed by members of the media that turned out to be horribly wrong. I thought about it this week while preparing for the Cincinnati Washington game, because if you remember the twenty twenty draft, quite a few people expressed the opinion that the Bengals should not draft Joe Burrow with a number one pick,
they should take defensive end Chase Young. With all due respect to Young, who has been to a Pro Bowl, I think everybody would agree that the Bengals got it right. You can still find those freezing cold takes on the Internet, including a radio show appearance by none other than Carson Palmer, who made the case that the Bengal should take the pass rusher since they already had Andy Dalton at quarterback.
All due respect to the Red Rifle, who's been to three Pro Bowls, I think everybody would agree that the Bengals got it right. Now, let's get to Saturday's preseason finale at FedEx Field. On their first twenty two possessions of the preseason, the Bengals did not score an offensive touchdown. That streak ended on their final drive last week in Atlanta, and on their first drive in Washington, the Bengals found
the end zone again. Bengals do not have a touchdown pass yet in the preseason, they'll send two receivers out to each side of the formation. Browning catches a shoulder high snap, scanning the field, throws over them all, leaping catch by Yo Si Vosh touchdown, and andre Yosi Vosh is doing the gritty Jamar Chase style in the back of the end zone. Jake Browning was in for the first two series and went six for six for forty
two yards. In that touchdown. He appears to have wrapped up the backup quarterback job and spoke to Dave Lapham after the game.
Play about as high level as you could possibly play in a competitive situation.
Yeah, I mean, you're we're gonna play perfect. But I feel pretty good about what I put on tape and all that, and practice has been going well, so we'll see those thing shakes out and yeah, it's always a good feling film like you played well and put your best so forward.
You feel like you're seeing the field really well. I mean you' getting the ball out of your hand pretty quickly. Yeah.
I think it helps to be in my third year in this offense. Watch Joe operate a lot and be really engaged throughout the last couple of years on Peace squad and see how he operates and try and mimic it because it obviously works for him.
What about this offense? What are the expectations do you think for this offensive football team this year?
I mean that's more of a Joe question, but I think always the expectation offense is going to be high, and the expectation in the locker room for offense and defenses is high and high expectations.
But one game at a.
Time, graduations on big performances. Thank you.
It was seven nothing Bengals after a quarter, but veteran Washington quarterback Jacoby Brissett tied the game in the second, moves up in the pocket, avoids a hit, fires deep downfield. It's got a wide open receiver at the ten who makes the catch, spins away and takes it into the end zone for a touchdown. Mitchell Timsley with a touchdown catch for Washington.
And Jordan Battle is the one who missed the tackle at the five yard line. He tried to put a pretty big hit on him at that point. Don't try to put a crushing glow on him, just grab him and get him on the ground.
Trevor Simeon took over at quarterback on the Bengals third drive and promptly drove the team into field goal range for Evan McPherson. Then again, Evan is within range as soon as he walks into the stadium, The snap, the placement, and the kick a high spinning, end over end kick and it is good from fifty eight yards away from Money Mack and the Bengals take ten to seven lead, and it looked like they would add to that lead
the next time they got the ball. As the Bengals drove from their own fourteen to the Washington twenty six with twenty three seconds left in the half, Simeon fakes left, throws it deep, and it is pated around and picked off in the end zone by Washington Chase Whittaker winds up with a football after it got deflected. Although the Bengals did not score on that drive, they got a good look at an undrafted rookie running back out of East Tennessee State who did not get the ball in
the first two preseason games Jacob Sailors. He finished with nine carries for twenty seven yards and added two catches for fourteen more. He also had a long run wiped out by a penalty. I spoke to him after the game. How did it feel to finally get that opportunity?
You know? It was fun?
Yeah, it was great gratefulfillings as being out there after just preparing for so long and as us waiting for an opportunity.
You know.
And I love the game of football, regardless of if I got the ball in my hands or not. But I'm confident that's what I do best as a football player, So I was I'm just.
Blessed that I got to display that on this type of stage.
I'm sure you were. You know, the butterflies were going before you got that tap on the shoulder and they said go on in there and show us what you can do. What was the feeling like when they gave you the green light and you knew you were going in the.
Game, feeling this incredible focus. You know, let's make sure this is the one opportunity that I've prepared essentially since I was five years old for, and I just wanted to make sure that I left it all out on the field, a model that got me where I am today is no doubt, and I just wanted to make sure when I walked off the field, I left no doubt and just being the best teammate, I could be the best player everything representation of the Bengals organization.
And I'm confident that I displayed that.
We're talking to Jacob Sailors. You had some good runs. Unfortunately the best one got knocked out by a penalty at twenty seven yard run. But as my broadcast partner Dave Lapham pointed out, that film still exists. Yes, sir, the Bengals and every team in the league is going to see what you did on that run.
Absolutely, and uh, I'm just grateful that I got that opportunity and uh, let let the my my talents take over. I'm just blessed that my office a line was able to clear away for me and the receiver's block well downfield. So that's what it takes for a team to have a successful play, and I'm just blessed that I was in that situation at that time.
Did your heart drop when when you heard that there was a flag?
Uh?
You know it wasn't so much that a job, you know, just upset, a little disappointed, but at the end of the day, it.
Was grateful to be honest.
So next forty eight hours, seventy two hours or nerve wracking time for everybody in your position throughout the NFL, how are you going to dealing with for the next few days.
I'm just gonna encourage myself through the grace of God, talk to people that helped got me to where I am today, and without them I'd be going crazy, you know, just being in this situation, the doubt that naturally creeps in and not the not knowing. But I'm just gonna engolve myself and the grace of God and whatever he sees fit, he's.
Going to carry it out, and I'm okay with him.
Quite a good show and tape. Congratulations, appreciate it. That's
running back Jacob Sailors. The Bengals fell behind for the first time in the third quarter when former Georgia quarterback Jake from who should replace Aaron Rodgers in State Farm ads so it could be Jake from State Farm through this touchdown pass first and goal less than a yard away for the Commanders from Catches a shotgun snap, throws a pass out to the right and the wide open receiver makes the catch for the Washington td It is Bryson Tremaine, who had five yards of separation over near
the forward right pylon. At the end of the third quarter, it was Washington fourteen Cincinnati ten. In the fourth, Simeon's final drivet quarterback ended with a short field goal by McPherson to make it fourteen thirteen. But Jake from State Farm I can't stop saying it struck again from will look to throw his pass over the middle cut for the touchdown by tight end Brandon Dillon.
Well, the Bengals just played zone defense at the seven yard line. Everybody just dropped back inside the goal line. I mean they tried to form a pick of fence at the goal line basically, and you know there were holes there. Receivers just run down and hook it up between two defenders and its touchdown pass.
The two Washington quarterbacks finished with three touchdown passes, no picks, and a passer rating of one twenty point eight against the Bengals secondary that was light on cornerbacks, Like all of the starters on both sides of the ball, Chitabayo, Wooge, Cam Taylor, brit and Mike Hilton didn't play. Additionally, Dj Turner, Sidney Jones, and Marvel Tell were out with minor injuries that left three corners dj Ivy, Alan George and Jalen Davis, and the Bengals pulled Davis early in the game to
make sure that he didn't get hurt. Thirty three year old Mike Thomas, who's been a safety for the bulk of his twelve NFL seasons, played most of the game out of position at slot corner. Dave Lapham shares his thoughts on Mike Thomas's value later in the podcast. Down by eight with ten minutes to go, the Bengals turned to third string quarterback Reed Senate, who was added to the roster after Joe Burrows strained his calf on the second day of training camp. Sinnate finished the preseason tied
for the team lead in touchdown passes. He catches a shotgun snap, He's gonna throw it high end, gut him, nobody near shut With Jackson touchdown, Bengals a thirty four yard touchdown strike. Now the Bengals can go for two and try to tie the score.
Boy, you talk about a blown coverage man Chevitz, I mean he was twenty yards open.
It was one of those plays where the receiver is so open that you worry that he's going to drop the ball. Here's Shadwick Jackson.
Yeah, those are the hard ones for sure.
You know ran my route.
I seen it kind of blowing the cover as I knew I was wide open, as I saw in the ball, and there I got to do after that as was focus.
On that and you know, get his own.
Can you describe the feeling of catching an NFL touchdown pass even though it was a preseason game.
Yeah, that was a great feeling, no matter the circumstances of the preseason regular season. And like I said before, these got just give me a chance. Fan was a great team with a lot of great teammates, so it.
Was very fun.
Jackson finished the preseason with nine catches for one hundred and twelve yards and as a strong candidate to make the practice squad. The Bengals failed on the two point conversion attempt and trailed twenty one to nineteen with six and a half minutes to go, and the Bengals defense get the ball back for the offense on third down and nine near midfield, drops back to throw against the format rush. He gets head and sacked brought down. Raymond
Johnson was there. Gunter was nearby. The Bengals defense gets a huge sack and Washington will punt with less than four minutes to go. It gave Sennate a chance to be the hero, and he drove the Bengals to the forty yard line. With two minutes to go. They were about twenty yards away from giving McPherson a shot at a game winning field goal, but a sack and two incomplete passes led to this fourth down and fifteen Shotgun
Snapp to Senate, he's back to throw. He's gonna fire deep downfield for Schdrick Jackson broken up incomplete, no penalty flag, and Washington will take over with one forty to go. The final score Washington twenty one, Cincinnati nineteen. The Commanders won all three of their preseason games. The Bengals went two and one. If I had to pick a preseason MVP,
i'd with rookie wide receiver andre Yosi Bosh. He led the team with twelve catches for one hundred and twenty nine yards in a touchdown, and I spoke to the sixth round draft pick out of Princeton after the game. We're in the locker room, wide receiver Andre Yo si Vosh, who caught his first touchdown pass albeit the preseason. Yeah. Yeah, you interrupted me to say preseason. You're not counting it.
No.
I mean it's nice you note again the end zone to help your team win in the preseason, but you know, I just want to get there on the real Sundays and you know, help my team in that way as well. So I appreciate this one, but the room oneses still coming.
You'll get your chance in fifteen days and hopefully you have one in Cleveland. Tell us about that play, though, because you got wide open the back of the end zone.
Yeah, they seem I mean they literally they're running man, and I think they switched off because TT ran out. But I don't think they're supposed to switch off, And so I just ran free and I just hopped up and back the ball.
Jake Browning put it in a spot where, had there been somebody nearby, you could have used your height and your fathing ability to go up and get Yeah.
I think he was probably just you seing a little bits in case somebody is on me, see if I can make the play, and yeah, it's a good ball from you, I could get it. So I'm just glad I came down with it.
We're chatting with andre yoci Bosh. How would you describe your preseason?
It was good, you know, I have made some good plays, had some plays where I need to learn from, you know, just learning from us. Skill errors, technique errors, even just play errors. You know, just all learning so I don't make the same mistake twice, you know, don't make the run the wrong routes on some plays. And it's been up and down, but in my mind it's all up because I'm always learning.
I think a lot of people said when you were picked, can he make this step up from IVY League competition to NFL competition? How quickly did you realize, yeah, I can played this level.
Yeah, I mean, I mean, I think OTAs was a good indicator of that when I first came. You know, I knew my athletic prowess and it's just about getting the skilled down and I have confidence in myself to get the skills down and just facing more press than I have facing the IVY League which I have the physical abilities to do, and it's just all learning. And I think that once I got here fro Tias, I was pretty a set in who I was.
I would assume you don't have much to worry about over the next few days in terms of making the roster. Do you feel pretty comfortable.
I'm not sure you to be honest, you know, I still play out there like I'm trying to make the fifty three because we have a lot of receivers, so I'm still not really sure how the numbers work, you know. But I'm just hoping for the best, and I'm just hoping I'm going to be a bengu You've.
Had a great camp, great game tonight. Congratulations.
I appreciate that. Thank you.
It seems appropriate that the Bengals appeared to have found a gem in the sixth round of the draft this year, since recently inducted Hall of Famer Ken Riley was also a sixth round draft pick back in nineteen sixty nine. The Bengals Booth Podcast is brought to you by Bengals Picks and Ultimate Bengals. They're free to play with tickets inside merchandise up for grabs. Find both inside the Bengals
app There were two injuries of note on Saturday. Joseph Osai hurt his right ankle and Deontay Smith heard his left shoulder. Neither appeared to be in bad shape after the game, but we'll have to wait and see. Dave Lapham caught up with Zach Taylor.
Preseasons. Over coach, it's over. What are your what are your thoughts at this point in time?
I thought the guys competed hard, gave us a chance at the end, got ourselves in some good situations that we'll learn from as a team.
Beneficial for the entire team.
Jake Browning, I was just talking with him a little bit and get in the Atlanta game, he six of his eight plays on his touchdown drive went for first downs. He goes four for four for forty two yards, rushes a couple of times for thirty three more. Tonight goes six for six for forty two and a touchdown. So in the last couple of quarters, ten for ten eighty four yards and a touchdown, rush for thirty three more. He responded big time.
Yeah, good to see. You know his job is protect the football and put us in the end zone. And I thought he's done a nice shot by that, so.
I know you were more than hamstrung on the back end. You only had three cornerbacks available to you. What about Mike Thomas doing everything that he's asked to do. I mean, that guy. Any team is a better football team with that guy as part of it, isn't he.
Yeah, there's no question, you know, that's why he's been such a key part of what we've done here the last couple of years. And everybody in the team loves him, coaches love him. He's willing to do whatever it takes to get the job done, and that's what he did again today.
How frustrating was it though, not having you know, all hands on deck kind of back there to maybe quell some of the things that I mean, you had to play a lot of softs z own and go from there.
Yeah, that's just part of the preseason.
You know, we're not the only team that has to deal with that, and that's just one of the things that you get overcome.
And I thought our guys for the most part did that.
What about your young running backs assess their performance tonight?
Good the good things.
You know, all three of those guys did an ice job, making efficient games on first second down for us, had some good short yard he runs as well, So I was pleased with that group.
As a whole.
Yo, see Vosh continues to show. I mean he made a great play in that touchdown reception. I mean looking at him out there when he's by himself out there, he looks like a quasi tight end. I mean he's a big body guy that can run and jump.
Yes, he did an ice job.
Jake did a good job getting through the progression and finding them, and he came down with a big play.
So, coach, where does it go from here? I mean, I know, now you've got a long process here. I mean, take us through the next forty eight hours. What are you going to do as an individual, as a coaching staff, as an organization? What goes on?
Yeah, we'll meet his coaches, We'll maybe we do can his staff and make the decisions that are best for an organization, you know, and then we'll go from there and have our team meeting and talk to some of the players and then get to work on Cleveland.
I know a couple of guys that was injury reporting, a couple of guys that didn't sound serious injury part of it. Did you come out okay? Do you think?
I think so.
But again, we'll always give it a night to sort some of them out and see how they feel tomorrow.
Yeah, that's the thing. It's that first night sleep, see what it feels like the next morning. We've both been there, right, appreciate your time. Thanks a lot, awesome, Thank you, Dave.
The Bengals Booth Podcast is brought to you by Kettering Health, the official healthcare provider of the Bengals. With more than one hundred and twenty care facilities and fifteen hundred care providers, Kettering Health has committed to guiding you to your best health. Visit Kettering Health to learn more. Now, time for the Radio guys recap. The preseason is overlap. It ends with a twenty one to nineteen loss to the Washington Commanders
here at FedEx Field. Now the nervous time begins for a lot of youngsters who are wondering if they are going to be one of the sixty nine guys with a golden ticket, whether it's on the fifty three man roster or the sixteen man practice squad.
Yeah, and the ones that aren't on the sixteen man practice squad here did they put enough on tape for other teams around the league to say I saw something there that he showed and stepped up in a time when we were looking for people to maybe do that. Or other guys are going to get opportunities with other teams on their sixteen man practice squad. And that's going
to be the interesting thing with the roster death. You wonder how picked over the Bengals sixteen man practice squad is going to be in a quick fashion, you know so, and that's in order to get off that sixteen men, they're gonna have to go to some of these fifty three man roster.
I think there's going to be some guys on the Bends.
Sixteen man practice squad that might be on somebody's fifty three men roster. Potentially. He's going to be interesting to see how many of those there might.
Be safe to say Jake Browning has won the number two quarterback.
Job, Yeah, I would think so. I mean, his numbers are are pretty impressive. You know, he had to step up and get it done. And last week his quarterback rating one thirty five point four were in four for four for forty two yards and then tonight, he goes six for six for another forty two in a touchdown, ten for ten eighty four yards and tests on quarterback grinning. He's going to be well up into the one forties. And you know, he showed mobility. I think he showed
that he understands the offense. And Duke Tobin had an interesting thing that he was talking about with us at halftime. He says, his mind is the big thing. You know, he understands that, he sees it. He gets the ball out of his hand quickly as a result of that. So they seem to be pretty high on.
One guy who is not going to be worrying about having a spot on the roster is andre Yosi Bosh. I'd have to say he was the bengals most impressive preseason player, had a touchdown catch in the game tonight, and was terrific in all three preseason games.
He was I mean, I think that, you know, like Duke was talking about with us at halftime, again, he was another part of the subject matter and he had traits There's no doubt about it that they really liked. And the only knock was the level of competition, you know, playing at Princeton playing in the IVY League. Well, he showed that he could step up. I mean, I think the other thing, you know, you talk about Jake Browning's mind, Yolsivash has to have a pretty strong mind himself in
terms of not raw intelligence and football intelligence. And sometimes it doesn't equate to football intelligence, but it does to him. He picks it up quickly. He's gifted. I mean, he's big, he can run, he can jump. There's not much he can't do physically. I think I think his future is extremely bright.
There's no question the Bengals always had at least one running back on the practice squad. We didn't know anything really about Calvin Tyler and Jacob Sailors. They hadn't played in the preseason. Jacob Sailors had a good game. He got the ball eleven times, he had a twenty seven yard run. They got wiped out by a penalty. If nothing else, he certainly enhanced his chance of being on that practice squad.
He did, you know, I mean, all you can ask the young guy to do is to step up when given the opportunity. And it's almost like all those guys are like, hey, thanks for giving us everything. You give us a training camp. Here's your opportunity to go put something on tape. Now it's up to you to go do it. He stepped up and did a big time. I thought he was really good. I mean he caught
the ball well out of the backfield. I mean I didn't notice anything glaring as Simon Arrows on his part, So I mean I think that he helped himself a ton.
There's no question.
Last year at cutdown Day, Bengals added guys to their fifty three man roster from other teams, and they were drafting late or choosing late in the waiver process, and they still were able to do it. Max Sharping arrived that way, Devin asi Ossi got here that way. J two fella got here that way. What do you think, I mean, are they going to do something similar this year? Is there a position group that you think that they might target.
That's a good question. I mean, you know, you think potentially running back, But then guys show up and play the way they play tonight. I mean they may you know, be able to make things happen for their practice squad in that regard. And I do think the one big positive that came out of the night, there's a couple of guys that were nicked up, Osai being one, and there was an offensive player that will lose Jontay Smith in the offensive line. It doesn't sound like they're speaking
with Zach after the game. It doesn't sound like they're devastating injuries. But you always want to give it overnight and see what it's like the next morning. But I don't think they're going to be any kind of a long term thing. So but the thing that you know that I thought was a big key is don't let injuries have to be part of the evaluation process. In other words, you know, it's just let the guy, is his skill set good enough? Did he play well enough
to make the football team. It's like, oh, now I gotta claim this guy, put this one on waivers, see if he can clear waivers, and then cut this guy and put this guy back on our roster, and all those manipulations that they had to do they've had to do in the past because of injuries. A guys, he's only gonna be out six weeks, He's not gonna be out the entire sit, but he has to be on the fifty three men roster before he can go on ir it looks like they've avoided all that. So I
think that's a big deal. And I think they'll just be able to build their roster based on, you know, instead of juggling injury semantics, they just can the guy hopeless or not.
One of the most interesting decisions they have to make this weekend involves one of our all time favorites, Mike Thomas. Truly one of the great people that's ever come through the Bengals locker room ever and fifty plus years of the franchise. If they keep for safeties, he's probably not one of the four. He's got tremendous special teams value. If he's not on the fifty three man roster, you can keep six veterans. They would love to have him on the practice squad if he's willing at thirty three
years old. It's going to be very interesting to see how that comes down.
It really is. And I told him after the game that I said during the game that any roster is better with Mike Thomas on that roster. He was very appreciative. You know, I mean, he is that guy. I said, you know what, forget football, I'm going to campaign for him to be president of the United States.
Yur.
He actually started laughing, but I mean he, I mean, he is a he is a special dude. It's going to be it's going to be very interesting. And the thing he held a very very important squat person protector for Darren Simmons. And you know, I was thinking about this last night as I was putting together my own roster twenty five offense, twenty five defense, and three specialists and then maybe you know, playing with it after that, if.
He's not one of the guys.
Man, you have a snapper that's in his second season, he's got twenty games under his belt, counting playoffs, and then you have a personal protector or a Jordan Battle that's a rookie and a rookie punter. Potentially, it looks like that that's going to be the case. I mean, Mike Thomas took all of the personal protective snaps for Darren.
And in the very first game you go up to Cleveland, they have a very good special teams coach and you know, tight game, loud clock's running down, they run a funky formation and it might be tough on the rookie. So those are the kind of things that you think about but if you make that decision, you have confidence that Jordan Battle and others can handle it.
Or Mike Thomas went out there and this game played out a position at corner because they needed somebody to do it. Here's a thirty three year old guy who's been playing safety and not cornerback for many, many years. You know, did what the team needed him to do.
He will do anything that his football team passed of him. And to me, I mean, I think, I think he is the ultimate teammate. I mean, he really is. I don't I think if they if you put into a computer all the requirements both physically mentally, all the intangibles that you need to have the perfect teammate. Michael Thomas comes spitting out of.
Their final question. What's your concern level for Heavin McPherson after the preseason?
Not real high, not real high. Sky's the limit there.
I mean, that dude, he just he throws dynamite caps on his toes before the game, in the pregame and they start exploding. During the game. It is amazing to see the ball come off that guy's foot. I mean, it's you know, you I remember, you know, watching Major League Baseball guys are batting practice and just hearing the ball come off their bats, seeing their swing, and then I mean, how does it make that noise? It doesn't make that noise normally, you know. And the same thing
with him striking football. Some guys have this inate ability to just crush. He's won.
Yeah, get from fifty eight during the game and sixty five yards during the pregame.
War months, and he's done that before. I mean, I remember practice, he ended of practice to hit from sixty five. We were right behind them, yep, just right down the middle.
It's pretty good, dude.
Come on, it's unbelievable.
By the way, Happy birthday to lapse wife Lynn and his granddaughter Lucy. The season opener at Cleveland is now two weeks away. Here's hoping a certain quarterback is able to start practicing this week. The Bengals Booth podcast is brought to you by pay Corps. More than twenty nine thousand customers trust Paycorps to help them recruit, pay, engage, and retain employees. Learn more at paycorp dot com. Now time for this week's edition of fun Facts, where you
get to know the person under the pads. Time for some fun facts with defensive end. Raymond Johnson the third from Sumter, South Carolina, the home of the Shaw Air Force Base. When you're home, do you see a lot of F sixteens and fighter jets overhead.
All the time? That's all we hear.
Baby.
You go see them flying around, you go see them landing. You know, Shaw Air Force Base or something to South Carolina, can't miss it.
Did a bunch of your friends have parents that worked there?
I had quite a few military friends. I did.
A lot of new ones every year. You get like new friends just because of that military base.
So we're visiting with Raymond Johnson the third. What sports did you play growing up?
I did basketball, baseball, football, and track?
What in track?
All the big stuff you know, like shot put and discus?
No, right, guy of etts? You know?
Did you have any interest in non sports activities?
Nonsports activity? I love music, So I was trying to dabble in music a little bit. I'm not like I'm a crazy good thing or anything, but I'm great at like writing lyrics and songs and stuff like that.
All Right, you've gotten interesting talent other than football. I heard you say in an interview that you feel like you've always an underdog. Has that been a big motivator for you?
Yeah?
Man, just uh, anything I've done in life, I always felt like the underdog cause it's always I'm always being overlooked. I felt like, uh like, coming in high school, I was only a three star and I didn't get that rank until you know, after my last senior year, stuff like that, and I always felt like, you know, I was a dominant player, probably one of the best in the state, and you know, I felt like that's just
started my underdog journey. And then when I went to college, I went to a smaller Division one uh if uh G five school, so it continue my underdog mentality. Of course I wasn't drafted, and you know I'm here now in the NFL and still underdog mentality.
So Georgia Southern was that school? Why did you choose the egos? Uh?
It was basically the whole recruiting process. The Eagles stayed with me through thick and thin. You know, even if I wasn't sure I would actually qualify academically, cause you know, I was a a knucklehead in school at the time, so not taking it serious as I should. But you know, Georgia Southern was there the whole time in their family. They all family.
It's a family team, it's a it's family all around. Egan Nations. Shout out to Egan Nation.
By the way.
A self proclaimed knucklehead in the classroom when you were young, would you have gone to one of the big powerful schools in South Carolina or nearby? Do you think if you had paid better attention to your grades? I definitely do.
I think I think I would have failed to either USC or Clemson, and those guys were showing interest, of course, But like I said, knucklehead.
Man, well you changed your ways by the time you got to college majored in sports management. Could you see yourself working in a front office or for a college athletic department someday after your playing careers finished.
I actually could either working in the front office or going to the big screen man, because I you know, I love to talk about the game. You know, always been great at speaking out publicly. So you know, either that or broadcasting or one of those things. Anything around the game is it sounds.
Good to me.
So you could see yourself as a color analyst done a football broadcast man.
You know.
You notice.
We're visiting with Raymond Johnson the third. As you mentioned, you weren't drafted, but many teams tried to sign you immediately after the draft. You chose the New York Giants. As it turns out, that was your favorite team growing up in Sumter, South Carolina. Why did you become a Giants fan?
Like all little kids, you know, you think you're running back growing up and stuff and Tiki Barbara I was huge on him. So they started out with Tiki, and then as I got older, start developing on the dev side of the ball and stuff. You know, I started learning about guys like Alt and then you know, I'm looking at this D line with Osu Yu Minari and Justin Tuck and Jason Peter.
Paul and stuff. So it's just it's just that culture. Man. I always loved it.
You're wearing the number fifty six in a Bengals uniform? Is that for Lawrence Taylor?
It's not.
But you know, now that you say something, that's an interesting thing. Though, I can get to start viewing it that way. I definitely can.
It's a good guy a copy it is great guy to coffee after being or after signing with the New York Giants as an undrafted free agent. You made the opening day roster a couple of years ago and wound up playing in fifteen games. That's an incredible accomplishment. Described that phone call when cut down weekend, they call you up and say you've made the team.
Which is what is crazy. It actually wasn't a phone call. When you get the phone call, that means you don't make the team. So I didn't get a phone call. And you know, coming into the league, I didn't really know as much about fifty three man rosters and all that.
All I knew was like, you know, you either on the team or you're on practice squad, you know, So I never really knew about the call and if you know, if you're on a fifty three year o on practice squad, so you know, I found out that I was actually on an official roster through like on the website and then an interview shortly after practice and stuff. So I'm like, whoa. You know, I didn't have no clue, but I'm glad I did.
So not getting the phone call in this case was the greatest thing. The greatest thing. Yes, sir, we're talking to Raymond Johnson, the third You spent last year with the Bengals on the practice squad. How did you approach it when you didn't get to play in the games.
Just as an opportunity to get better and tone in on my craft, getting a chance to go against a championship caliber guys, you know, and making the most of it, so you know, at first, of course, I don't think I liked it at first, but just looking back on it, I'm definitely thankful for it because it helped me took my game to a next level.
I believe all right. Time for some wild card topics now with Raymond Johnson the third? Have you had any other jobs other than professional athlete?
Have I had any other jobs? Uh?
Yeah, you know. I used to do yard work all the time for money and stuff. A lot of blue collar jobs actually, like moving stuff, moving trees, branches and stuff with some of my families and their friends and businesses and stuff like that. But never really think that's like, you know, a white college job or paperwork anything, and neever, that sort.
That stuff helps helps build strength.
It does it very different, it does.
Do you have any hidden talents?
I can rap?
I can rap and I'm great at freestyling on the spot. I don't know why. Well, actually I do know why. My dad used to always wrapping the car and just freestyle and stuff, and I don't know. As I got older, I just I became great at it. So it's kind of you know, it's funny.
On the flip side of that, what are you terrible at?
I'm terrible at golf.
I want to get better at that, just because when I'm done with football, of course, I want to be out there on a you know, on the course, cutting up.
Man.
It's a game for life. That's a good thing about golf. Have you ever had a pet?
I had a few. I had a lot of dogs growing up.
I had like a rock Waller, a pig, a poodle, and now me and my fiance have like a Yorkie and a shit too, so a Yorkie and Shitsu nick.
So yeah, I'm I'm a dog person.
Who is the greatest athlete of all time in any sport.
I'm gonna say Serena Williams. Serena Williams. She don't get a lot of credit, and I think it's because she's a woman. But Serena is a crazy athlete and if you study her closely, you can. You can definitely make that argument for her.
Are you a tennis fan.
I'm not, but that's also one of those sports. I'm trying to double him more. Just you know, I'm trying to dobble in a little bit of everything.
Good for you, sir. All right, final question, this one's a little bit deep. If you could meet anybody in history, living or deceased, could be an athlete and entertainer, a statesman, who would that person be?
That's a great question.
So if I could meet anybody, I think I would want to meet my great grandfather. I heard from my great grandmother, who loves to talk a lot by the way, that I remind him, I'll remind her of him a lot. And he was a tall guy too, great man.
From what I heard.
I heard he was a good looking fellow. So you know, of course it runs and ags. Not surprised, but I would definitely want to beat my great grandfather definitely.
That's an excellent answer, Raymond. Best of luck in the final preseason game and throughout the season. I appreciate your time, yes, sir, I appreciate you too.
Thank you.
I think the scoring crew in Washington jypped Raymond Johnson out of a half sack on Saturday Night. I believe he finished the preseason with two sacks and a team high five quarterback hits. That's going to do it for This episode of the Bengals Booth Podcast brought to you
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