Bengals Booth Podcast: End Is Near

They scored two touchdowns and added two two point conversions in the final twenty nine seconds of regulation to four's overtime before eventually losing to the Miami Dolphins thirty eight thirty five, a loss that gives the Bengals the number one pick in next year's draft. Coming up, you'll hear radio replays, locker room comments from players and coaches, and Dave Lapham will join me for postgame analysis. Finally, in this week's fun Facts Conversation, we'll meet the person under

the pads is. I'll talk to a big man with a big personality, rookie offensive lineman Fred Johnson. All of that is straight ahead, But first, here's a quick reminder that you can have the latest edition of this podcast delivered right to your phone, tablet, or computer by subscribing on iTunes, Stitcher, Google Play, Spotify, or pod Bean, it's

the greatest thing since loyal Fans. It's been a tough year for Bengals fans, and I appreciate each and every one of you who listens to this podcast, goes to games at Paul Brown Stadium, attends our weekly radio shows, and most of all, keeps the faith. We know it's not always easy, so thank you for hanging in there, and here's hoping that better days are just around the corner. Now,

let's get to Sunday's game. After an o and seven start, the Miami Dolphins have gone four and four since, led by thirty seven year old quarterback Ryan Fitzpatrick and a coaching staff that's not afraid to dip into its bag of tricks. High formation backfield, Fitzpatrick fakes a handoff, he throws, it, is caught and then dropped. It's a touchdown. They're saying that the big lineman who caught the football, Christian Wilkins, defensive tackle out of Clemson, first round draft pick this year,

had it long enough for the touchdown to count. So the Dolphins first drive ended with a t d pass to a defensive lineman. Their second drive featured more razzle dazzle here's a run. Now, it's a pitch back to Fitzpatrick and he flings it high and deep down the middle of the field for Parker. He makes the catch at the ten and he'll be brought down around the six yard line by Will Jackson. The fleet flicker and

the flea flicker works. It certainly did. It led to a seven yard touchdown pass to Davante Parker that gave Miami a fourteen nothing lead ten minutes into the game. A Randy Bullock field goal put the Bengals on the score board in the second quarter before the Dolphins quarterback struck again. Fitzpatrick takes the snap, he's looking right now, scans over the middle of the field, scrambles right, throws it for the end zone. It is caught Gassicki for

the touchdown. Man. That's a broken coverage and they just totally lose track of Gassicki. I mean, there is nobody in the deep cardron of the football field and Ryan Fitzpatrick hits this big tight end. Fitzpatrick passed for two hundred and fifty two yards in the first half. Meanwhile, the Bengals had five three and outs and went oh for seven on third down conversions before ending the half on a positive note. Harris ready to snap it back. He fires it back, Hubert puts it down. Bullock launches

the kid. It is straight enough, it is good, a franchise record fifty seven yard field goal by Randy Bullock. It leaves two seconds on the clock and the Bengals trail twenty one to six. The Bengals opened the second half with another three and out, and when the Dolphins answered with an eighty seven yard drive, it looked like the route was on empty backfield. Five wide, second and

fourth from the Bengals thirteen. Fitzpatrick, looking for his fourth touchdown pass, scrambling around behind the line, throws into the back of the end zone, caught by Gasicki for another Miami touchdown. Dar Ques Denard was there, but Kisiki's bigger, stronger, and on that play better watched him out. It was twenty eight to six, and considering the fact that the Bengals had not scored a second half touchdown in their

previous seven games, a comeback didn't seem likely. The first thing the Bengals had to do was end that streak of forty two second half possessions without a td going back to October twentieth three receivers left, one right. Dalton back to throw. He's going to fire toward the left side line. If he makes the catch, sprinting down the

side line, lunches toward the pylon. Yes, touchdown Bengals. The drought ends on a fourth down touchdown pass to Tyler Boyd, and that is two hundred a d Andy Dalton has just become the first quarterback in history to throw two hundred touchdown passes in a Bengals uniform. A two point conversion attempt failed, and the Bengals went to the fourth quarter trailing twenty eight to twelve with eleven minutes left in regulation. A touchdown run by Miles Gaskin put the

Dolphins up by twenty three in the fourth quarter. The Bengals have never won a game after trailing by more than twenty one, but in this game, they kept battling back. Dalton drops back to throw throws over the middle. It is caught for a touchdown c Juzama running the skinny post. The ball thrown with perfect timing by Andy Dalton, and c ju Zama hauls in his first touchdown catch of the year. Yeah. He dropped one that could have been a touchdown. Catch that one he snagged. The deficit was

sixteen with six eleven to go. The Dolphins answered with a ten play drive that took three minutes off the clock and ended it with a forty seven yard field goal attempt that could have just about sealed the victory. However, Jason Sanders kick was wide left and the Bengals still had a chance. Right C. J Uzama, what we need to do is go down, score, get a two point version,

get all inside kick, and score again. We had to score as fast as possible in this drive because I mean, obviously we have plays in certain situations to to you know, push the ball down the field. But I knew that the first drive was the most important when they missed the field goal, because we wanted to get and keep as much time on the clock as possible. The Bengals were out of timeouts and while they did score, they

weren't able to leave much time on the clock. Two receivers right, one left, Uzamin a three point stance to the right. He's going to go into the end zone for a pass. Here's a slam. It is caught by Boyd and he's into the end zone for a Bengals touchdown. He got the ball across the plane. You only need the tiniest portion of the football to go over the front edge of the white stripe. That's all it takes, and I think that's all Tyler Boyd did for the

Bengals touchdown. The Bengals were down by ten with only twenty nine seconds to go. Dalton catches the shotgun snap looking for Eyffornios. It is caught for a two point conversion, and the Bengals have a slim hope, just a glimmer of hope. Their hope depended on recovering an on side kick. The Bengals hadn't done that in their previous eight attempts over a span of one hundred forty nine games. Here comes the on side kick. It bounces way up in

the battles have it. The Bengals recover at the forty six as Jordan Evans comes away with the ricochet. It is the first successful on side kick that the Bengals have pulled off in nine years, and they have a puncher's chance with twenty nine seconds to go. Stanley Morgan knocked it backward to Jordan Evans, who discussed his recovery. Yeah, just Bob popped out right to me and I'll secured it. And you know, you have the team opportunity to go down there, and as I did, they score first onside

kick the Bengals have pulled off since twenty ten. On that play, are you specifically looking for a bounce back? Are you trying to be a few yards kind of behind where the ball is? I mean it's just onside kick, so everyone's looking for the ball. The Bengals had it at their own forty six with twenty eight seconds left. A twenty nine yard passed to Tyler Boyd put them at the Dolphins twenty five before a spike stopped the clock. With four seconds to go, enough time for a hail Mary.

Four seconds to go, the Bengals are twenty five yards away. The Dolphins put eight defenders in the end zone. Dalton, back to throw, has time, looking throws towards the end zone into a clock is caught on it by Tyler Eiffert. I can't believe what I have just seen. The Bengals are a two point conversion away from potentially forcing overtime. As Dalton's twenty five yard touchdown pass is caught by a leaping Tyler Eiffert. Bengals fans heads are about to explode.

They still got to convert on the two point conversion. The ball was placed at the two yard line with no time on the clock. Dalton looking to throw, looking scrambling to the right. He could run for two. He's charging toward the down. He's in. He has tied the game at thirty five, and this game is going to overtime. Here's c j Uzama. We were just riding a wave and it felt incredible. Um. You know, obviously it's to

be able to pull something like that off. But at the same time, you know you gotta quick flip a quick switch. Said okay, well we still have over time. Um, but no doubt. I mean when that happened, it was it was electric on the sideline and UM, in my mind and I'm sure a lot of the people's minds, we were, um, we we're gonna go down to win. But fittingly this season, that's not how it turned out.

The Bengals had two possessions in overtime and we're not able to get a single first down on the Dolphins third drive inot A twenty eight yard pass from Fitzpatrick to Isaiah Ford put Miami in field goal range from the left hash a thirty seven yard try to win the game in overtime for Miami. Sanders is ready. The snap, the put down, the swing of the leg, the kick is up. It's good. It is good. The Dolphins win and the Bengals have the first pick in next year's draft.

And as the season has gone mentioned it earlier, the Bengals, instead of doing just enough to win, do just enough to lose. The impact of this week's loss next year's draft was impossible to ignore. The Bengals can now try to beat the Browns next week without anybody having to worry that it could cost them the number one pick. As a result, many Bengals fans weren't exactly heartbroken after the loss in Miami, but for players like u Zamba,

it wasn't cause for celebration. I love our fans, I respect them, but respectfully, like, I don't really care about any of that. I'm here to win, and we're here to win, and we want to win for these coaches who want to win, for the for the brothers that have put the you know, their blood sweat and tears into um being in this position. And and you know, we're giving um God given abilities for a reason, and we have to use them. We're not just gonna go out there and lay an egg or lay down or

any of that. You know, We're here to compete, and that's what we're trying to show UM. And so yeah, all that outside noise is outside noise. And UM, I respect the heck out of every single person and here who play their hearts up. The final score thirty eight thirty five is the Bengal fell to one and fourteen. Here's effort. I had an incredible comeback that came up short. We scored six points in the first half, and it just felt like we couldn't do anything. And uh, you know, guys,

just keep fighting. You know, that's all you can really ask for. No One, no one gave up and laid down. And obviously we'd rather win the game than say we tried hard. But um, you know, at least at least we got to fight. We got that, We got that part down. How about you with that hill? Mary Man went up over everybody. Yeah, I mean it just it's one of those plays that you you practice all the time, but very rarely does it actually play out just because

the odds are against you, but it never happens. Like you go out there and you do your best and you're gonna try to make it happen, but so many things have to go right, and just it just sucks for us not to come all the way back and you know, not get it done in the end. Dalton through a career high fifty six passes, completing thirty three for three hundred ninety six yards, four touchdowns and no picks.

After the game, I spoke to the guy who snapped him the football in the locker room with Bengal center Trey Hopkins. Was an unbelievable finish down by twenty three in the fourth quarter. You foight back and got it to ot what was going through your mind? Um? You know, really, I gotta give a big shout out to Andy. Um. Andy's since, I mean since I've been the part of

this offense, and he's always been the heart. I feel like when when Tom's a going tough and today was no exception, that he never stopped believing, always encourage and always letting us know as long as we have Tom, we have we have a shot. You know what I mean? He told us at half time, still wasn't going right, told us in the third quarters, things still ring going right. Even to the fourth quarter, he's still saying the same things. Just believably believe. And then he went out there and

made stuff happening. After they missed the field goal when they're up by sixteen. I kind of and through what was required gott to score two touchdowns, two two point conversions, requiring onside kick. I listed it without even really thinking it could happen. Are you doing the same kind of math in your head? Yeah? Yeah, Um, I think I think a lot of guys are. Um. But you just you're looking at the time host time, you got what

could possibly happen, what we need to happen. And when you when you list things like that, it kind of looks like, I mean, you got your back up in at the wall. It's not really doesn't look very probable, but I mean you got you got extraordinary people in here, good extraordinary things done, and I'm very proud of The outcome is obviously not what you wanted. But do you walk out of here feeling at least somewhat good about

the comeback? Oh yeah, feel you feel good about the combat? Um, definitely, it was exciting. Um. Like I said, Andy brought us a spark that we definitely needed. But then without even watching the film, then you think about, I mean you have three quarters, you know, three quarters, Well, we just were not very productive. We're not very good on offense.

That put us in that position. Um. So yeah, it's good and bad, but you can't you can't be unrealistic and get too excited about the end when you had the whole game to be productive and the opportunity. You did have the ball in overtime a couple of times and just couldn't get it gone exactly exactly. So there's there's things to clean up. Yeah, that was that was a bright spot. It was exciting, but I mean there's a lot of room for improvement. Got a game left,

it's at home, it's against AFC North Arrival. A chance to finish on a positive note. Yeah for sure. I mean we owe those guy us um outside our house, and it's it's the last shot. It's the last shot of the twenty nineteen Bengals going out and playing together. We've been through a lot this season. I mean each and every guy, and in this building, on this team, on the roster as as it's moved throughout the season.

I mean, it fought through something personally and on the team, and we owe it to each other to go out with the bang and get it and get it up. Now, time to hear from head coach Zach Taylor, who spent about four minutes with Lap after the game. Coach, um, unbelievable. I don't think I've seen sixteen points scored in thirty three seconds any any level of football. This is the first time I've seen you. Have you experienced anything like

that before, not that I can think of. It's a resilient group, you know, And it speaks to the character we have in the locker room there. Here we are in week sixteen. There's not a lot to play for other than pride and for each other. And to be down twenty three points, there was six minutes left to fight back, and all three phases speak speaks to what we know, what what kind of character we got in

this locker room. When you think of the laundry list of things that had to go right, I mean special teams, defense, I mean offense, and Andy. Andy ends up thirty three for fifty six three hundred ninety six yards, four touchdowns, no interceptions, has the two point conversion. Tyler Boyd nine catches,

one hundred and twenty yards a couple of touchdowns. Effort makes the you know, the spectacular play on the on the hill, Mar, I mean, everybody stepped up, they did, you know, and it shoot, we had guys dropping like flies, you know. And so starters are having to playing on special teams, guys are having to play more reps on offense. And I thought they were gonna play, and um, I know they were retired. I know they were. They were hurt when died whatever it is, and and they gave

us everything in the head. You know, you're talking about two resilient guys at the quarterback position, Ryan Fitzpatrick and Andy Dalton. There's more similarities and differences between those guys, isn't there. Yeah. They're competitive, they're great leaders for their team. They're like coaches out there playing a position. You know, I saw him check in a million times and he checked a bunch. So two guys that you had a

lot of confidence in at the quarterback position. So I know, obviously a big lesson to be learned is and I've said this to a couple of players, Yogi Barris said it and over till it's over. I mean, is that the biggest thing to take out of this football game? At some point this is going to serve us well in the future. You know that we know that we can fight back from anything as long as we believe and just do your job, you know. I think in the first half, guys were really pressed and trying to

make plays. And once we settled down and guys just did their job, let the plays come to them, the game slowed down and we were able to get back in it. But you know, we just got to learn from those lessons. Yeah, like you said, in the first half, I know it was. It was in the first half you had five drives that we're three and out drives. And then in the second half, particularly down the strets

in the fourth quarter. I mean, Ryan Fitzpatrick had one hundred and fifty yards passing in the first quarter and he just try he had two fifty at a half and his numbers were just the opposite. I mean, So you know, it's one of those dynamics where guys feed off each other. Once somebody makes a place that I can do the same thing. It's as simple as they were. They were capitalized all the one on one opportunities they

had in the first half, and we were not. We were we were losing them all on offense and defense. And so you're right. They started fast, they started hot, They punched us to the mouth, and we didn't respond well early on, but our guys settled in and showed who they really are. What did you say to the guys at halftime in a situation like that, and I know, you know we couldn't really hear what you you were saying. Well, we could hear you were animated after the game in

the lockerman. I don't expect you to tell us, you know, in how stuff, what you're talking to your team about. But overall, if you could deliver what kind of message you were given it at halftime and after the game, just as I said, you know, we were losing the one on once and we just had to slow down, be disciplined with your technique and let let the plays come to you, Let the action come to you. Stop pressing so hard trying to make plays and just use

your technique. They're playing man coverage on defense, the jam front like, we know what they're doing. We know we got to do to execute to win, and our guys, you know, really, I think it took the bestage to heart there in the second half on one game left, and it's a division rival, the Cleveland Browns. They lose today, um to you know they can't have a winning season.

You know it's going to be a couple of football teams that are going to be I think, you know, disappointed, but still want to go out in a high note. You know, it's a big division rivalry. We're gonna be hungry. We're finishing at home against a divisional team that we felt like we didn't give him our best the last time we played him, and so there there's plenty left

for us to play. Four here. After Lap finished talking to Zach, he joined me for postgame analysis and we discussed the craziest finished Lap has witnessed in more than three decades as a Bengals broadcaster. Never seen it. You know, all the guys I talked to, I asked, you know, have you ever played in a game or seeing a game like that? And they really couldn't calling any and he said, maybe one close in high school, but not quite like that. When you think of everything that had

to happen for them to get it done. The onside kick they hail maryed by Tyler Eifert, that's answered, you know, the scoring, two touchdowns, and two point conversions. The checklist is long, and for them to get it done and make plays. And everybody I talked to was so frustrated because in the first half they had five three and outs and they were doing that. Miami is doing the same thing man coverage, and you know, they're saying, you know,

just let's just make plays. But it seemed like guys were pressing, you know, guys were just trying to force plays, make plays. And once they had just calmed down and relaxed, and once one play was made, it kind of opened the damn and everybody started making plays and everybody kind of fed off of that, and then the whole thing, you know, just turned into what it turned into down

the stretch. But Miami really didn't do anything differently. The Bengals just didn't get it done in the first half, and they got it done big time in the second half, particularly in the fourth quarter. And when you look at it, I mean, Fitzpatrick had one hundred and fifty yards passing in the first quarter, two fifty and the half, and Andy his numbers weren't like that, and then they flipped, you know, just slipped completely around. So it was it

was a very very interesting football game for sure. I think everybody felt like if they won the coin flip, they would have won the game. But they all say, hey, look, we should have still won the game. We had the momentum even if we won the coin flip. We gotta win that football game. They did have two possessions in overtime, so they had a chance. Ye. Andy Dalton wound up with three hundred ninety six passing yards four touchdown passes.

They all came in the second half. It seems like there's strong possibility that Andy is not going to be back with Cincinnati next year. We'll see in the offseason, but if this turns out to be one of his last games in a Bengals uniform, that second half was about as well as he's played. You know, the guy the other quarterback. We've seen Ryan fitzmagic do his Fitch magic, you know, and it was Andy that did a lot of magic. So I think there's more similarities than differences.

You know, between those two guys at the quarterback position, and see those two, you know, like they're they're almost coaches their respective teams, not just quarterbacks. And there's leadership qualities, there's intelligence, there's all those things, and you know, guys believe in them and guys trust them. And so it was interesting to see will Ryan Fitzpatrick be back as a Dolphin if they take a quarterback with one of

their first round picks. Will Andy Dalton be back as a quarterback if the Bengals take a quarterback with their first pick, which they've now got the first pick of the draft. All these questions are to be answered, but it was interested to see these two guys in a prideful way, you know, down the stretch of their respective careers, potentially with these two teams play the way they played.

How about Randy Bullock. A week after that embarrassing on side kick attempt that spun to a stop after five yards, he sets a franchise record with a fifty seven yard field goal that was done once in a playoff game by Mike new gympethis officially goes in the book as a new Bengals record. And then a perfectly executed on

side kick to give the Bengals a chance. I mean they put the ball on its side and helicopter deal that went five yards was monked in almost every football show I saw during the course of the week, I mean mocked, and now I'm sure they won't because it

was executed so perfectly. It went from being mocked to this onside kick, you know, the second bounce, getting the heightened and Stanley Morgan made a great effort to get after the ball and had possession and then just lost the possession a little bit and Jordan Evans is right there to get it bouncing off the tourugh. I mean, think of the three things that had to happen just on the onside kick to be executed the way it

was executed. So hopefully Randy Bullet gets some credit with some of these football shows as opposed to, you know, being mocked for his performance the week before. On defense, Darius Phillips had an interception and played well after Will Jackson left with an injury. He really did. I mean Darius Phillips, he provides sticky coverage, he gets his head snapped around, finds the football. I think he's he's you

know We know he can return the football. He provides some diversity and skill set, you know, to the football team. So I think his career's arrowing up, There's no question about it. And you know a lot of guys made made players when they when they needed to to give the team a chance to win this football game. I mean, it didn't. It didn't look very good for for quite a while. Down the stretch it was. It may have been as crazy a game in the fourth quarters I

think I've seen, I don't know, maybe forever. One game left at home against the Cleveland Browns has no impact on the draft as far as the Bengals concerned. They can try to go out with a victory at home against Cleveland, and everybody in the stands I'll be rooting for that outcome for Cincinnati, no question. I mean, it's it's a division opponent. Don't have a division game this season. It's been quite about while since won a division game. Didn't get a road win this year. It's the fourth

team that didn't get that done in franchise history. You do not want to be a team that doesn't get a division win for an entire season. You know, that's that's not something that you want to hang your hat on. So, you know, hopefully the way this game ended, some momentum will carry over from that and no play, you know, at a high level for the entire football game against the Cleveland Browns because his day own for sure. There's

one game left in the season and after that. We will be doing a lot of draft analysis between now and April twenty third. At the moment, most of the draft gurus have LSU quarterback Joe Burrow and Ohio State defensive end Chase Young as the top two players on the board. Recently, I asked Pro Football Focus analysts Sam monson if the first pick should be Burrow, Young or somebody else. I think it should be Joe Burrow. You know,

he is the best college quarterback right now. He's the guy that will be the best quarterback prospect on the board at the time. I think that was close between him and two of I think he's had such an incredible season statistically, He's putting up some accuracy numbers that we've never seen from quarterbacks before. And the bottom line is nothing moves the needle more than a quarterback, you know, and less you have the quarterback, almost nothing else matters.

So Chase Young is having his own incredible season. He's putting up the best pass rushing season we've ever seen in college football. He's probably the best player both in the country and in the draft. But if you don't have a quarterback, Chase Young is not going to win you games. You know, he may be worth a win two wins above replacement, whereas Joe Burrow, if he pounds out, he's the guy that will propel you from you know, contending for the number one overall pick, to being right

back in a playoff conversation if he works out. It's one of many key decisions the Bengals will be facing this offseason. But first things first. On Sunday, the Bengals end the season against the six and nine Cleveland Browns, who will not only miss the playoffs for the seventeenth straight year, but the Sports Illustrated preseason cover boys are guaranteed of having a worse record than last year when

they went seven eight and one. Now time for this week's fun Facts interview, where we get to know the person under the pads. This week, it's a rookie offensive lineman who got his most playing time as a pro this week in Miami. Time for some fun facts with offensive lineman Fred Johnson from West Palm Beach, Florida, on the East Coast, a little bit north of Miami. What do you love about your hometown? The weather? First and four most. I love the weather about the city, and

it's just I just love it because it's home. You know, the sunshine, the rain, all of it. Fred, you are not a guy who grew up spending your whole life dreaming of playing in the NFL. Correct, No, not at all, not even at all. We just just watch games. Nobody would ever think that any of us in the roll, me, my cousins and my granddad and like any one of us would be in an NFL game, let alone on the NFL roster. I've heard you described as being a

late bloomer. Is that accurate? Late bloomer? Is accurate? Is did the coaches more or less have to drag you out there to get you to start playing football my senior year, I mean my junior year, Like one of the coaches got tired of me going to the library every day at lunch. I just play video games and stuff. Held like, just come out one day and then the team my teammates really the ones who you know, let me keep with it, you know, made me want to

come back out there every day. So really was a teammates thing, just just the whole chemistry of a team. It was really made me stick around. She didn't play varsity football in high school until you were a senior. Did you start to love it or did you see the opportunities that might be there? I loved it, like just that senior spring. I promise you it was one of the hardest manors I ever went through, you know, high school because I want to play like one year.

So that first man that I went through it was really you know, just a bondom with me and my teammates, you know, and just that that senior season was like I got open, like my eyes open to the opportunities of going to college and doing something that nobody in my family ever done, you know. So I really it really didn't start processing until like the end of the year when I had to you know, get qualified and all my grades and stuff before I can even be

able to go to college. Because I got accepted in the college, but I wasn't not they didn't know if I was gonna graduate high school. So it was one of those deals and just to just to love of the game and the opportunities that it had. I could go to your education free, so I took it. See you playing video games in the library. What were some of the other things you like to do when you

were young? Um? Another really too crazy, like you know, all the basic stuff that you know, little kids like doing, playing outside and stuff like that. Really took a liking to, um, just video games, like growing up, just trying to be the best at that because I didn't really have to do much, so it was pretty easy fell in love with I wanted to be a basketball player like my uncle, but that didn't turn out any too well because of

the because of the conditioning for it. So when I fell into football, I kind of loved it because of his with it. There's something that basketball. Let all right, you mentioned your uncle, Oh this Thorpe seventeen years in the NBA, an All Star, an NBA champion. How much

did you know about his career growing up? Really just because how tall he was, we knew like instantly, like he was, you know, a very famous world veteran person and just his his a history and just like what he did to get to where he was at now, is um you know something that I admired, something that I wanted to do, Like I always wanted to play basketball, and just when like it didn't work out, I was kind of bombed. You know what I found. I think

I found my calling in football. And just you know, he tries to mentor me like hearing there, you know sometimes they call him out the blue and just asked me, like I think it's going, you know, give me a little advice that I need, you know, nothing too much, nothing too much to weigh me down, but just another to keep me up, like about my head above order and stuff. So it's pretty cool. So one year a varsity football in high school and just like that, you're

offered scholarships by great college football programs. You wind up with the Florida Gators and you actually started a couple of games as a true freshman, even only playing one year of high school football, and your head had to be spinning when we first got into college. Um, like, I went to college just because like just just the

off the competition I was there. I knew like ten guys was going to be enrolled that year because they was down office alignment and fell in love with the SEC as soon as I stepped from into the stadium so spring like. I was like, man, I love it here, Like I need to come here and then get thrown into the fire like you just said, as a true freshman. Uh was kind of scary, kind of whirlwind. Freshman year kind of flew by better remember, But I remember my

first game. I was about to play and I think it was New Mexico State, and one of my teammates came like right before us when to go, and he's like, are you scared? I was like, no, he's scared, Like why would you ask that? Like, you know, great experiences there. I learned the game as the years went on and really got like really got a holding of it now. So the first first few games was really tough. I've

been to Gainesville. Great college campus, great college life. What did you enjoy the most about being at the University of Florida? The members I have. You look at football, you look at social life, the friends I've made, the coaches I've met, you know, and they're interacted with. You'll never find no type of anything like that anywhere else,

Like the Florida campus, the fans especially the fans. The fans are literally what makes you want to go to I really committed because I've seen we went to a basketball game, Like during my visit, I've seen this lady, older lady just clapping like like cheering on the cheering on the game and like just not even watching it, like she was walking back to her seat. I was like, I love it here. I can't so really the atmosphere of just the campus itself, you know, the team, the history,

the pride in it. It really sticks with me. Now. All right, So after college, you signed us a college free agent with the Pittsburgh Steelers. You make the team out of training camp and and in October they tried to move you from the roster the practice squad and the Bengals snatched you up. Was that difficult considering that

you're really just getting established in Pittsburgh. Yeah, that's difficult. Um, Like I said, uh like could like I thank everybody to steal this organization for giving me a shot, you know, to come out and show what I can do. And really I took it upon myself, like to go to Pittsburgh when there was other options there. The history of Pittsburgh and the physicality that they bring, like their team is known for. I wanted to be a part of it, and when they waived me, it was it was difficult,

you know. I had to accept the fact that I was being waived and that I could be back on the private squad soon. But um, I mean it was just h it was. It was a tough process. But right when I got here, I felt like, you know, I could really make a home here too, So it was no big deal. A few more fun facts with Fred Johnson with the Bengal. So far, you've been used primarily as a sixth offensive lineman, but a couple of games ago against Cleveland, you where the primary option on

a pass. You're gonna try to trick the Cleveland Browns and throw it to the big foul. To their credit, they sniffed it out and they covered you pretty well. But how exciting was that possibility for you? Oh? So bad? It was covering me. I was like, come on, like come on, we can, like let me have my moment like at least one time in my career, and it

was just it was so exciting. I wanted to score a touchdown and then I was like, I was very nervous, like leader to the air just about running that route. You know, all my team is giving me like, you know, like joking with me about it and stuff. Don't drop the ball and drop the ball, And I was like, I'm not evenna drop the ball. I just think about what I'm gonna do after ILL score the touchdown. So when I say that, two of them was like on me, and I was like, oh lord, this this is my

dream going going bay by something. It was. It was what it is. H it was fun like they called it, you know. Uh. And I ran that route as fast as I could too. Do you have a good celebration plan? Oh no right now. No. Probably might just spiked the ball and run out then grab the ball hope to put it like my memory case or something like that. But no, not really, nothing too crazy right now. All right, A couple more fun facts. If Fred Johnson, what do

you like to spend your money on shoes? Probably? No, I like like buying shoes and stuff clothes. You know, you can never have too many clothes. But I just spent like some of my money home for my cave flans, So I don't really like I like video games, I buy any video game, I like, I don't really, I'm not really too promising like jewelry and stuff right now, not yet. Just I'm a ricky. I was on drafted, so trying to save my money. But really video games

and shoes. Do you have a hidden talent? I think I could sing, but nobody else thinks I could sing, so like Nope, but not at all, not on all of your recording. Maybe in person, you know, with like blaring music in the background, but nothing really nothing really too crazy. Where do you terrible at? I am terrible at trying Like dancing, I'm I don't think I'm terrible, but I'm not really good. I'm not really good at it. So when I try to do it, I'll do it to the best of my ability. I do what I

know I could do. I don't try to go out my way, you know, stick to what you now, stick to what you know exactly. Um that's about it. Think people say I'm terrible like cooking, but I don't believe him. As long as you like what you cut, that's exactly right, all right. Final fund fact, if you can meet anybody in history, athlete, actor, politician, religious figure, whatever, historical figure who would that person be. It had to be like Malcolm Atics or Martin Luther King one or two. You know,

both of them picked their brain a little bit. You know. Uh. If I can mean anybody living, you'll probably be Will Smith just because of the knowledge he has. Um. Not too many people see it, but I feel like he's a knowledgeable person. You know. Um, he can do it all. He could do it all. You know, most things you know he could do that would probably be it. All Right, this is fun. You're off the hot seat, appreciate the time.

We want to remind you to come out and join us at our final on location radio show this week on Friday afternoon, Buffalo Wings and Rings Beckett Ridge Location will host the Bengals pep Rally Show from three to six. A guest will join us in the final hour and we'll have plenty of giveaways too. That's going to do it for this episode of the podcast. If you haven't done so already, don't forget to subscribe, and if you have a minute, give it a rating or share a comment.

Those five star ratings help more Bengals fans find this podcast. I'm Dan Horde. Merry Christmas, Happy Hanukkah, and thanks for listening to the Bengals Booth podcast.