Bengals Booth Podcast: Believe It Or Not

Hi, get everybody.

I'm Dan Hord and thanks for downloading the Bengals Booth Podcast BA Believe.

It or not.

Addition, as I talked to two Bengals rookies about a hard to believe coincidence. First round draft pick Miles Murphy and second round selection Dj Turner were childhood buddies and the Bengals didn't even know it before the draft. Plus, I'll check in with my broadcast partner Dave Lapham to discuss the latest off season developments one week before the Bengals mandatory three day mini camp, and I'll wrap things up by discussing the open right tackle position with one

Yeah, So, all Mama has told me was they have known each other since it's kindergarten, first grade, grew up in the same neighborhood, been playing together since they were kids, been together since they were growing up, all through their lives and you know, really once he started having kids, me, DJ, my brother and whatnot, we just were just together the

Out, said DJ, what did you hear about Miles family when you were growing up?

Not the same exact thing.

Kindergarten, first grade, grew up with each other, Yeah, I mean basically yeah, and then we just was family friends.

I mean yeah, that's been he.

Said, everything real, Yeah, just uh, they grew up with each other and stuff like that, stayed in contact, they was real good friends. And yeah, it just so happened that we both got drafted the same team.

I mean, yeah, it's insane, the first round pick and the second round pick of the same NFL team. I mean, the odds of this as childhood acquaintances are astronomical. Were you just wold when that's the way it played out? DJ?

Yeah, I mean for sure, But like I wasn't too surprised because I mean, like when the draft was going on, clause like, I mean, they take a corner and d N. That's not really kind of crazy, you know, that's kind of a combo you tape.

So I mean.

It was it's crazy that it happened, and all the people and stuff, but the positionwise you look at it, like, I mean, corner and d N, you know, you go together.

So Myles, did you follow him all over the years.

I did, yeah, follow him of through our Michigan but uh, like, well, really, like you said, just draft night, I was, I guess the Thursday got drafted to Cincinnati, celebrating all of that. Then Friday, Friday night, I was just chilling in the basement watching the draft, man, I was. I was on my phone and all all I hear upstairs is my mom screamed and she started running.

And I look on the TV screen. I'm like, why she's screaming? And then I see DJ's highlights. I'm like, oh, okay, I understand why she's screaming now.

So I go upstairs and she's on the phone trying to call his dad, trying to call his mom. I'm like, they're probably celebrated. They're not going to answer the phone right now. Just you know, let him celebrate for a second. But you know, it was cool though. It was for sure cool.

My mom actually answered, yeah, she is. Yeah.

My mom answered like yeah, because because I was like, who are you on the phone with right now?

She was like I was like, oh, okay, okay, yeah, it makes.

Sense, So have your well your dad, DJ and Miles. Mom had a lot of contacts since you two guys were taken uh.

A little bit, yeah, I mean yeah, for sure. I mean they always stay in contact, even when it just will happened. And they both came the same weekend, and so like when they came, they moved helped me move me in, and then it was helping him move in and all that kind of stuff. And they was here, so they saw each other up here and since ninety.

So so this pictures made the rounds. If you two guys as kids, I don't know if you were eight or ten or how old you were, but you're at a you're the childhood birthday party together, which is just crazy.

It was I don't know what it was.

I don't know how old I was.

I have no idea.

But some of these agents had the picture with whose agent?

Uh nah nah, my my dad, we had the picture.

But then my agent had the picture too, and so he sent it to somebody in the Bengals and then asked when it just took off?

But like obviously, I mean we had the pictures forever.

You know, are you amazed that the Bengals had no idea? I mean, they do all this research about you.

Guys, surprising I was surprised that they had no idea, like none. I was surprised because the way they be researching, I thought there were no something, But no, they had no idea.

So oh, okay, is.

There a bond between you two guys from you know, getting to know each other at least somewhat as kids.

About to say, like especially now, it's just been like a just funny moment honestly, and we'll joke about it all the time, but you know, really just building that chemistry on the field, off the field, and then the biggest thing for really for both of us learning that playbook, trying to get that done right now.

So no, for sure.

I mean, you guys both had highly decorated college careers. How closely did you track each other's progress?

I mean big all the time.

I mean, like I said, I was looking at going to Clemson too, So I mean I definitely was watching it. And there's a whole bunch of Georgia people from Clemson, Like I know so many people on Clemson. So obviously I'm turning the game on all the time to turn whenever I could to watch Clemson. So yeah, I definitely kept up a lot of well cle his career.

So, Miles, since you were taken before DJ, were you thinking going into the second round? Hey, DJ, Turner is still there, but that would be awesome.

I literally what I was saying was the front office notes who they want, so they're gonna take soe. I know, I have no say, but you know, it'd be nice to have them, but they gonna take who they want.

So that's little what I was saying.

They go on.

You know, you have no Yeah, you have no saying what's going on?

You just waiting for that call. That's all you care about.

So now that it's happened and your teammates hopefully for many many years to come, how cool is this? DJ?

I mean great plans to do big things here and so you know definitely both us playing in and locked in trying to learn to play a book and you know, ready to go.

Do you find it pretty quol as well? Miles?

I do?

Uh yeah, just uh it's good to know like that, I'm familiar, already familiar with someone. And then our families are familiar with another person's family, so they're for sure gonna I guess once they're trying to figure out the parents section, they're going to be trying to coordinate how that is?

So I saw a quote where Miles mom called your dad Drago, which I know a lot of your friends do. Are you going to call him Drago or do you already?

I just say DJ because I say DJ or mister Drago, Like that's that is what I say.

Yeah, No, I like, how DJ is my name? That's that's how as that's my dad name.

So like that's why you're DJ because people call your Drego.

Right right, So he's literally Dreco.

So but then there's like three d days on the team, and then from from high school and stuff, you know, people in college and all that, people call me one Jargo Drego one. You know, once people find out my real name and not take off. But you know, yeah, I'll go on all of them.

From childhood buddies or at least acquaintances to NFL teammates, Miles Murphy, DJ Turner, it's really cool. Great to have you both on the team.

Sounds good. Desert.

By the way, if you haven't seen the picture that I mentioned in that conversation, just do a search for Miles Murphy DJ Turner childhood photo. It's the first image that will pop up. 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 is committed

I think that the players feel like Zach's taking care of them, so they're going to take care of him. I think that you know, they're putting forth maximum effort at every single practice. I think they feel like they have a coach that gets it and they're going to do everything they possibly can to have success for that football coach. And you know, it's interesting to me because I look at some of it and so many guys

So when they started oh and two last year, a lot of people were like they didn't hit enough in training camp. Guys needed to play in the preseason more than they did well. They ended the season with a ten game winning streak until losing to Kansas City in the AFC Championship Game. Do you think that reinforced in Zach's mind that this is the right approach. We do

Yeah.

And I think part of that own to start, and you know, the slow start in general, losing the first three division games and everything. You know, Joe Burrow is coming off with pendicitis and and now that's the straw that stirs the drink. And uh, you know, I really salute him for playing. You know, he was he was not the Joe Burrow that we're seeing, you know, at one hundred percent obviously, but he still performed at a very good level. But it wasn't it wasn't his best level.

They've signed a ton of free agents over the last three or four years. Money is obviously the bottom line and free agency. But do you think this approach really taking care of the guys so to speak, pays off when he comes to free agency.

Yeah, because there are no secrets in the league, you know. I mean, everybody has friends on every single team, and there's no doubt that I think. I think Zach Taylor is universally known around the National Football League as quote a player's coach. You know, a guy that is going to take care of the players, isn't going to, you know, burden them unnecessarily. Ego lists that it's all about the players.

I know there have been discussions among the coaching staff about whether guys should play in the preseason this coming year, at least a few series in one of the games or something like that. But then we learned last week that they're going to have a joint practice with Green Bay before that preseason game, just one this time, not two, since we saw what happened in the second practice of

You know?

When I saw that they were coming in. Coach Lafleura and Zach obviously have a very keen understanding of each other, and they totally trust how each other are going to handle that joint practice and they'll get really good work in without going over the top as such as what happened in day two against the Rams. But yeah, when when I saw heard that they were going to have

So this is still a voluntary phase. Most of the guys have been here at least for some of the time during these voluntary workouts. We've got mandatory workouts coming up next week. Do you think Jonah Williams will be here for the start of the mandatory period.

I do.

I think, uh. I think Jonah is uh, you know, he's coming. He's rehabbing, coming off that surgery. So even if he's here, I'm not sure how much he's going to be able to do anyway, but I think he will be here. You know, I'd really be surprised if

It is voluntary, so for anybody that gets on a guy thinking it's a sign of a bad, bad attitude or something like that. I think that's overblown. There's a reason there's voluntary periods and there are mandatory periods. And another thing to keep in mind when it comes to the voluntary periods, the guys on their second contract are highly incentivized to be there. They get big bonuses for

There's no doubt, you know, and you don't. You don't want to get nicked, you know, you don't. I think you can be maybe you can't be fine, but you're certainly not going to get the money that you could have you could have collected by by showing up. And I don't know Jonah. To me, he's I'm not saying he's a throwback from a mentality standpoint, but I think you know, obviously he had had an initial reaction and

Let's talk about the guy that took his spot at left tackle, Orlando Brown Junior. He's a proven player, four time Pro Bowler, Super Bowl champion, He's a gigantic man. I am amazed by the person. He is the most amiable, friendly, happy guy I think I've ever met. What a great addition to the locker room.

He really is. I mean, he's always got a smile on his face. I mean he's positive in every every single way that you can be from football, not only football, but life in general, you know. I mean, he's he's just one of those guys. He's a he's gonna be a huge asset on the football field, in the locker room, in the community. He's they broke the mold and he's one of those guys that is a rare, rare human being and he gets it. He gets it on every

So the practices have been pretty vanilla so far. There hasn't been a lot of offense versus defense. There was some seven on seven stuff today. Has anybody caught your eye, any of the rookies, any of the free agents, made you stand up and say, Okay, this guy's showing me something.

Yeah.

I think the thing that has impressed me is that they've played at a high level of intensity. The tempo has been really good, and nobody has shown that they don't belong.

You know.

It's like everybody there, there's there's nobody that's that's out of position, either from mental error or just getting beaten physically in some sort of a matchup. It's it's really been pretty good competition out there, and everything's as advertised, I think, which is what you're you're kind of looking for, you know, but seen it in the past, have seen it,

So last year at this time, we were getting our first look at Hayden Hurst in a Bengals uniform, and I remember watching him thinking, all right, this guy is more fluid than C. J Uzama, similar size, similar speed, but just gets in and out of his brakes a little more fluidly. Now, IRV Smith Jr. Isn't quite as big, but it's another guy where I'm thinking he's a little smoother and a little more fluid even than hayden Hurst.

Yeah, and you know, you see him make plays where you know, if the balls behind him, that's a tough catch to make and to turn your body and be He shows flexibility, he shows strength, he shows athleticism. I think I think Joe Burrow is going to really really like having him as an option to throw to in that passing game with all the receivers that they've got that he can spread the field with and let earth

It's the first week of June. There's no Burrow extension yet. Is there any doubt in your mind that this will get done before the start of the season.

There's not any doubt in my mind, But I guess would I'd be shocked if it doesn't.

I don't know.

I guess nothing shocks me anymore, but i'd be I'd be, you know, surprised that you couldn't finalize because I think both sides are eager, you know, to get it done. But it's just a matter of closing the closing the final gap, you know, and and getting that thing done. Having negotiated contracts myself, it's the toughest, the toughest part of the contract is that final that final step to get to you know, you start to close the gap,

Yeah, when you put it that way, then there's really no reason for a Herbert deal to hold up a Burrow deal. Yeah, and Burrow deserves more. His team has accomplished much more. Five playoff wins to none, a trip to the Super Bowl to none. Herbert's got the better stats, at least in terms of you know, cumulative numbers, but Burrow has done more to this point to deserve the better deal.

I agree, you know, and I think I think that is the pecking order. In my mind. The only quarterback that you know has had more success individually and team wise is Patrick Maholmes, you know, And I think I think Joe is Patrick Mahomes and Joe Burrow. That's in my mind, that's that's the pecking order. And I'm not saying there are other great ones. I mean, Lawrence is great,

So.

We were among the fortunate folks invited to play in Joe Burrow's golf tournament for the Joe Burrow Foundation and then attend the after party, which was spectacular, raising hundreds of thousands of dollars. It was remarkable. You know, Joe has this saying we all have a responsibility to do good. It's not just the saying for Joe Burrow. He lives it. And I mean you talk about a twenty six year old person that gets it, he is the epitome of that.

He really is. I mean, you know, the thing, the thing about Joe that resonates with me is, you know, he does everything with class. You know, he does everything in a first class basis really, and it's just everything, everything that he associates himself with is gold. I mean, he is minus everything. He touches his gold. And you know, the fans just they just absolutely go crazy for an opportunity to do something, whatever it may be with Joe Burrow.

This is great.

But the thing that impressed me haven't been involved in a tournament for you know, a good quarter of a century. With the Down Centerm Association, there's a lot of work and you know, shout out to Karencottell, who does a tremendous job for the Down Syndrom Association. Joe's parents put in so much time and everybody else committee. Those things aren't easy to pull off, and I thought it went really well for the first time that they did it

The Bengals Booth Podcast is brought to you by Alta Fiber, future proof fiber Internet capable of delivering multi gigabit speeds designed to take your home, business, and community to a new level. Elevates your connection with Alta Fiber. Before we get to my final guest, here's a quick invitation to grab your yoga Matt and join who Day on Saturday, June seventeenth at nine am for Namas Day Yoga on the field at pay Course Stadium. Register now at Bengals

I, you know, not really. I think if he's really got his mindset right and he's worked at the offseason, I think he'll just really good at it. He's got that type of mentality. He's a smart guy. But you got to work at it right, and if he does that, I think it does nothing but help him in the future.

Let's look at the pool of candidates for right tack. You've got Jonah, You've got l Collins, who played the first fifteen games last year, but then tores Ac, LMCL and PCL on Christmas Eve. You've got Jackson Carman, who hasn't had a great start to his first two NFL seasons. Then you've got Cody Ford kind of a similar situation, but he's been in the league longer. Do you feel good that out of that pool of candidates they're going to get good play from somebody at right tackle?

Absolutely, competition breeds greatness, right, So you've got four good guys. I don't know about Collins with his health right it's going to be tougher for him to come back. But with the three other Ford, Jonah and just for Jackson Jackson, I think that'll be good competition and hopefully they get a lot of reps and the coaches can see what they've got. But if you want to play and make money in the future, you got to be good at right tackle.

So last year they have the same five guys start the first fifteen games, and then in three straight weeks they lose starters leading up to the AFC Championship game. Unfortunately, it's kind of a deja vu situation for you. He suffered an injury in the final game of the regular season in eighty eight before the Super Bowl. What did you think of how that impacted the Bengals as they tried to get back to the Super Bowl.

Oh, it impacts big time, right, you lose three guys. I keep telling everybody, Now, this team on paper looks awesome, right, but you got to stay healthy. And we weren't healthy towards the end of the year last year. Year before, we were healthy. So I think it's all about staying healthy. I think if the line can stay healthy another year playing together, now you're going to have that right tackle mix where he's not used to playing with the guard right.

It will be good.

We'll be all right.

Did you have a bit of a deja vu flashback last year when those got got hurt so late in the season.

A little bit.

Yeah. It was tough because I knew what they were going through, and I know what I go through even today just thinking about not being able to play in the big game and in the playoffs.

Or visiting with Joe Walter. What was your reaction when the Bengals signed the number one free agent offensive lineman available this year in Orlando Brown Junior.

I was shocked because there was no word. Nobody even knew anything, and it just woke up one day and there he was, and I went, that was one of the largest pickups the Bengals have ever had. And you know, hopefully he can stay healthy. And I know he's really a smart guy and he's really into it and he wants to be great, which is he's got that desire. I think we're going to be good.

After they signed him, Jonah demanded a trade. He's going into the final year of his contract. He's only played left tackle in the NFL so far. Did you understand it, did you identify with it? What was your reaction to Jonah's reaction.

You know, my initial reaction was I get it. But the more I thought about it that same day, I thought, go play right tackleing make yourself even more valuable right because if you can play both sides and play both sides really well, that's going to do nothing but help you next year in free agency.

How confident are you that the Bengals, who win a Super Bowl in the Joe Burrow era very confident.

I think they've got all the tangibles they need. They've got folks on both sides of the ball that can play. Obviously, in football you need a little luck and you've got to stay healthy.

We're here at the Goodwill Celebrity Golf outing. You've been involved with this for more than twenty years. How did you get involved and why have you stayed involved?

Well, initially I started out, as you remember my Special Olympics golf outing, and heck that was twenty three years ago too, And so the folks at Goodwill were there and they came up and talked to me and asked

Thanks for all you do. Thanks for the time today. Much appreciate it.

Thanks for coming out, brother, appreciate you.

That's going to do it for this episode of the Bengals Booth Podcast brought to you by Kettering Health, the official healthcare provider of the Bengals, by Bengals Picks and Ultimate Bengals. They're free to play with tickets and side merchandise up for grabs by pay Core, the official HR software provider of the Bengals, and by Alta Fiber future