Bengals Booth Podcast: Here Comes The Sun

Hi again everybody on dan Hoard, and thanks for downloading the Bengals Booth Podcast. Ba Here comes the Sundoo Do Doo Audition. As we wake up on a Tuesday morning feeling good after the Bengals beat the Cowboys on Monday night, Football Coming Up Radio replays locker room comments from players and coaches, and postgame analysis from Dave Lapham. Then, in this week's fun Facts Conversation, you'll get to know rookie

Five point fifteen.

Well, I made it with one of the greatest driving performances in history. I'm thinking a maximum of three drivers in the one hundred and eight race history of the Indy five hundred have navigated traffic better than I did. We're talking aj Foyd, al Unser, Haleyo, castron Nevis and me. But don't take my word for it. Kelsey Conway from the Cincinnati Inquirer hitched a ride with me and tweeted the following, we made it thanks to Dan's exceptional driving skills.

Is worth seven second and goal from the five.

Burrow waiting for the shotgun snap at the ten, Joe catches short drop fires for Chase and it is caught for the touchdown at the forward right pylon. Jamar Chase continuing to put up incredible numbers. That is his NFL leading fourteenth touchdown.

And had good coverage. I mean that was tight coverage.

Joe Burrow threw a rocket rush back to throw looking left throws.

And it is in her seb night deflected by Cam Taylor Brick picked off by Geno Stone.

The pass was intended for cebe lamb.

Legal formation and the offensive tackle is on the under line uncovered he he's the.

Flying first down.

Nice job by Gino Stone there to quickly react to the ricochet off the body of Cam Taylor Brent It's the second interception of the year for Gino Stone. Three point thirty five left in the second quarter. Here's a swing pass caught in the flat by Chase Briton running down the sideline toward the pylon. Looked like he stepped out. Who inside the tent ont scoring.

He stepped out at the five According to one of the.

Officials, Boy, I'll tell you the acceleration was there. And did that left foot stay in bounds? Did the right foot? Boy, I'll tell you, I'm not sure.

The decision to throw the red challenge flag is a great one by the Bengals coaching step. It is reversed and that is a touchdown. Chase Brown did not step out of bounds. It becomes a nineteen yard touchdown pass from Burrow to Chase Brown, and the Bengals had taken the lead for the first time. Tonight, Rush Catches drops back to throw, looking bouncing in the pocket, firing to the end zone put he's a penalty flag down. Brandon Cooks with the catch as he beat Josh Newton for

The fourth quarter to snap the right footed gick.

It is good, and the Bengals have pulled even at twenty. With ten minutes and twenty four seconds to go. Rico punting for the third time. He's averaged fifty three and a half yards per punt. The snap is good. Here comes the punt and it's blocked. Can you believe it? It's rolling forward. The Cowboys may have touched it. If that's the case, the Bengals would get the ball.

He got it.

Colossal mistake by the Dallas Cowboys. They just needed to get out of the way after blocking that punt. One of their players touched it and the Bengals recovered. A colossal blunder by Dallas, and the Bengals are going to get the ball near midfield.

Joe has the foot ball. He'll look to throw. Fires a pass caught by Jamar Chase down the sideline. Twenty fifteen tas.

Touchdown Bengals one on one to go, a forty yard strike to Jamar Chase.

Oh man, I'll tell you he made Bland miss.

That was the key.

I mean, a great player like Lamb on the sideline, Jamar Chase just fun inside of him and then it was off to the races.

Fourth down in seven, officially Dallas at its own forty eight. The Bengals have two safeties playing deep stone and battle shotgun snap rush dropping way back fires, a pass too high and complete too high for Ferguson, and that is coffin nails.

Bam, bam bam.

How about the Bengals coming down to Dallas one in seven in Dallas. Before this football game, they had lost five straight down here and that all ends today.

And it is glorious to see the Bengals in a victory formation. Burrow takes the snap, he takes a knee, and that will do it. The final score Cincinnati twenty seven, Dallas twenty The Bengals have had their share of tough finishes this year, but this time the big break went

That's a throw that we rep all the time, and we talk about throwing it inside shoulder so you can turn and make a play if the if the corners off.

You know he was able to do what he does. We've wrapped that million times, brag a love play we always run. But at the end of that, it was like me and Joe's on the same page. That goes back to the New Orleans game, same play.

You know, we both on the same page.

Throwing it on my inside showed us like a turn up field and make a run at the catch in Just good job by him giving me an opportunity to.

Make a play.

Burrow threw for three hundred and sixty nine yards and three touchdowns, his fifth straight game with three or more tds, giving him an NFL leading thirty three touchdown passes for the season. Chase had fourteen catches for one hundred and seventy seven yards and two of burrows three tds. Jamar's two touchdowns away from tying Carl Pickens team record of seventeen touchdown catches in a season. Those two went out for the coin toss before the game, along with the

You know, those discussions are ongoing, and I'm confident that I think we're gonna be able to do what it takes to bring Tea back. You know, I know that I'm going to do what it takes to get him back, and so is he. We've had those talks, so you know, those are those are going to be offseason discussions, but I think we're excited about that opportunity.

I try to think too much of it. You know, that's really out of my control. I wish I could sign Tea myself and have him with me, you know.

Fully turning, Joe threw the ball forty times on Monday night and only got sacked twice. Three time pro bowler Michah Parsons hit him a couple of times but did not get a sack. Mike has spent most of the game matched up against a Marius Mims, and I spoke to the rookie right tackle after the game, A Marius on the final stat sheet, no tackles, no sacks for Micah Parsons.

Your reaction, Great team win, great team effort, Like I said, man, just a great job by the whole line tight ends. Everybody will helped hit them and helped me with them. So I mean, like I said, man, that's a great team win. I don't, really, like I said, care about like individual stats, but I'm just glad we got the team win, especially especially on the road.

Man.

It's just hard to play, especially on the road in NFL. Man, I'm just glad we got to win.

Describe the emotional boost you get when the special teams makes that play and you've got the ball right back near midfield with a chance to win the game.

The only thing I went in my head is thank god Joe Burns our quarterback. I mean, I mean, you got Like I said, when we got the old line up we got, we got. We got the best quarterback in the league in my opinion. Back then, we got the best wide receiver win in my opinion in the league. Also, just I mean, I just got trusted my guys.

Man.

Like I said, we went down and made a play when we needed to.

We won the game.

So how about Jamar fourteen catches, bucks seventy seven, two touchdowns, game winner four yard or down the sideline to win the game. I mean, I'm running out of superlatives to describe him.

I'm running out of them too. Man, Like I said, best athlete ever to play with. I love getting the whole of win. I'm like, man, just thank god he's on my team, not nobody else team. So, like I said, when I look at him in the whole, I'm like, man, thank god he's on my team. Man, special player, special guy, specially like I said, even better teammate. And I'm just I'm just proud of him. Man, so, like I said, we just keep building from this win, just go get the next one.

What is the emotion tonight? Is it relief?

How are you guys feeling after coming in here and the ending a three game losing streak and getting a big win.

I'm to be honest with you, man, I feel like everybody excited.

Man.

Like I said, it hasn't been like I said, it hasn't been the past couple of games like we wanted, or the season like we want it. But like I said, just going the road and un Dallas in Dallas, and you know, go get a win.

Man.

Like I said, we're all excited.

Man.

We needed his win the state of Cincinnati. It was state of Ohio. Cincinnati needed his win.

Man.

And like I said, we had one goal coming in this game, and that was neutralized eleven as much as possible, Like I said, we know he's gonna make his fast share of plays. But as long as we can limit him as much as possible, man, I feel like you know, we'll pretty good.

What stood out about blocking him.

Man, he's relentless.

Man.

He's the most active and physical rusher I probably don't played against this year.

I'd give him like I said, hass all to him.

Man, he's a great player, and you know, just got to just go get back in the film room and you know see what I did wrong to just learn from it.

Man.

But like I said, Man, one of the best guys I ever played against, man in my whole entire life. Man, that dude was just a dog. He's relentless.

Final thing for Marius Mems.

Are you looking forward to checking out how you looked down the Simpsons telecast? Oh?

That would be nice. Ye, I'm be waiting on that. I'm gonna be watching it.

Congrats on a great way. I appreciate you.

Defensively, The Bengals struggle to stop the run, allowing one hundred and fifty six yards on the ground, but they held Cooper Rush under two hundred passing yards and only surrendered twenty points, the lowest total they've allowed since beating the Browns in October. Here's my conversation with Cam Taylor Brett.

Damn.

Before we started this interview, you said we needed that. It's got to be a great feeling this.

This is a game that you dreaming about Monday night. U. The whole world is watching U, and we, like I said, we needed to win. It's been a long time coming. Then I feel like we showed it right that we can actually finish and now players a team.

Let's talk about one of the big plays in the game. You tipped it, Gino Stone picked it off at the four yard line, keep the Cowboys out of the end zone when they had it in the red zone.

They've run a lot of the same concepts throughout the game, but really, hit my face.

Man, he threw a.

Bullet, So you know I caught it, you know, but I he threw a bullet, and so by the time I was able to look, uh yeah, I was on the face mats. I was so glad, you know, car because I was gonna try to die for it. But now see in Geno's oh you got it, get up, get up, get up, So you know, uh yeah, we we just went team defense. Man, everybody traveling to the ball. You know, he was in the right place at the right time.

We need the assist stat in football.

Oh yeah, mother, definitely, man, I need to assist.

So the Cowboys went down the field and scored to begin the first half.

Did it to begin the second half.

Other than that, I thought the defense played great they had those two drives, so give him credit, but you guys played really well other than those two drives.

Yeah, I'm with you on that as well.

Man.

This is the NFL at the end of the day. How they got good players. We got good players. We can get our scheme a lot better within ourselves on the defense a far as talking on the field and then everything we kill everything dead just like that.

Though.

You know, I feel like when we talked, nobody's confused and everybody's on the same page, and we play.

Fast trunk to Cam Taylor, Brad, let's talk about the special teams play. With less than two minutes to go, you guys are getting ready to go out there in defense and try to force overtime. The next thing you know, they make a mistake and you guys have the ball right back.

What was your reaction on the sideline?

Honestly, I was just so shocked, man, I've never been in a game like that where that happened in the turn of the events. Honestly, just was ready to go back out there with the guys and you know, get a stop. You know that was on my mind and that that happened. Yeah, Chinese events ball game.

As Jamar Chase is sprinting down the sideline, what are you thinking.

Go get a stop, get out the field. We got to win the game. They put it on this offense date.

They show love and got that last touchdown. Know, he did his thing, and uh, we got to go out there and you know protect well basically back up, Joe.

That's fifteen touchdown catches for Jamar. I mean, is there anything this guy does at this point that amazes you?

Nah, not really.

I've seen him get hit by the safety coming out the post and break three four tackles and steer run for sixty yards. So there's a lot of things that he's done that showed me how great of a player is.

All Right, you could make the case that he should have like slid down at the one yard line. That might have been the smart thing to do. On the other hand, on defense, so you guys like go ahead and score, will protect it.

So initially, most definitely, like I think far as like football terms and everything, you would get down you know before that, But we were ready to go, Like I think we were excited honestly with him scoring, and like we just knew our job was to go back out there. And get him out a.

Few in the game.

Nice wing, congratulations, thank you so much.

Let's hear what Zach Taylor had to say is he spent a few minutes with Dave Lapham after the game.

Every time you.

Play the Cowboys, it is just it's a battle, royal man. It comes down to like a possession or a mistake or a player or whatever.

That's just how these games are going right now, you know. And just proud of our guys for stepping up in those moments. And defense got some huge stops there at the end of the game. Special teams came up with the fumble on the blocked pawn and then often is able to put it away. So just prout of the way. The guys have fought, stuck together, done it the right way, and are rewarded with a victory.

Yeah, I mean you go from the peak of victory to the agony defeat or the other way around. I mean the punch block and then man mistakes made. He tries to pick it up and hero ball and score whatever, and he fumbles it and Johnny on the spot to make that play. What about your quarterback though, I mean thirty three for forty four three hundred and sixty nine yards, three touchdowns. He's got thirty three touchdowns now and what is it, five interceptions.

I mean it's ridiculous.

Yeah, I mean, he's he's unmatched his physical toughness, total toughness, because you know, like everybody going against Mike Zimmer for an entire game is exhausting. All the looks he presents, all the challenges he puts on the quarterback, so he's got to fight through all that too, pre snap and then deal with you know, some of those monsters they got post snapped. And just really proud of the way that he led us today and happy that we all got that victory.

The best one to two punch offensively in football. His running mate, Jamar Chase fourteen catchers, one hundred and seventy seven yards, two touchdowns. He ran the ball for fourteen more so, fifteen touches, one hundred and ninety one yards and a couple of touchdowns. There's none nothing better than Barrow and Chase.

No, there isn't. And then we got Tea over there on the other side. Yeah, that's tough. It takes a lot of the pressure off of it. So really proud of Jamar that the job he did tonight, the attention to details. We're able to move him all over the place and get him the ball every which way imaginable, and it's still not enough. But he always shows up for us, and he certainly did in a big way tonight.

So Joe had one, two, three, four, or five six, seven different players with a catch of twelve yards or longer. Went from twelve yards to forty yards and everything in between. I mean he found eight different receivers, seven of them had a catch of twelve yards and more. You talk about distributing the football, reading the football field, going where he's supposed to go with the football in a timely fashion.

I mean, it's crazy.

It just so is the confidence he has gotten everybody we put on the field, and he's not afraid to give it to everybody. He's going to read the defense out and what you give him, he's going to take it. He's not going to force the ball to somebody. He's going to make you pay for every coverage and every blitzer like you give. And sometimes they'll hang in there

So I was thinking, all right, I'd like to see at least twenty carries in the football gameteen seventeen nineteen nineteen carries. Chase Brown had fourteen of them fifty eight yards, and then he also had six catches sixty five yards and a touchdown. Fifteen touches of the football for one hundred and nineteen yards and a touchdown. I mean, he's he's doing a lot of things for you. Plus he'd stuck his nose in his A gap, blitz his you know double A gaps that the zim head cook.

And I mean he was big time today. He was. He was.

And some of those some of those receptions were just getting the ball. There's a extended handoffs, you know, and they don't go in the rushing stats, but it's just a different way to get in the ball on the perimeter. And usually when we do that, he makes it pay. And so many of those play actions, Joe so quick to come off of it and just put the ball in his hands because he can see they're sinking underneath

What'd you think about your pass rush today? Overall, Trey gets the sack he gets, He's got twelve and a half now in the season. But overall, what'd you think They put.

Him under dress, you know, and he could feel that heat, you know, from multiple different guys. You know, bj got one and Joseph and Trey, and so I was proud of those guys. I thought the coverage is pretty tight on the back end as well. You know, we took the air cover and guys made him have to go play quarterback.

You had a stretch in the game where the game was on the line where he threw five straight and completions. I mean he really couldn't find anybody, or didn't have time to find anybody, or a combination of both.

It was great to see the offense go down and put pressure on by scoring a touchdown the defense close it out.

You know.

It's a great way to do it.

And our kicker kids can getting touch back, you know, and not giving the ball to Turpen and letting him return it. You know, that was a big part of the game as well that we stressed and so all three phases able to close it out. It is a good way to do it. Yeah, that was a big thing we talked about in the pregame show. And you're comment on field position was right dead on. Now you know,

But overall, what did you think?

I thought our guys played the game the right way. You know, it was a tight game, didn't feel like a lot of possessions, so everyone of them mattered. But ultimately, our guys made the plays that we needed to make at the end of the game. That's what we've been dying for all season. We finally got it and now we got to carry on this moment of next week instittency.

Yeah, so now you had a long week, now you got the short week, and I know you're really good about, you know, manipulating how many hours you got to work with during the course of the week and keeping your players fresh and the players really appreciate the way you handle that part of their business. What do you have in mind for this week for your players?

Yeah, it's a modified week we've we've gone through before, so we'll start a little later on Wednesday with the jog through and then get our full speed work in on Thursday and Friday.

So next up, like you said, Tennessee, the Callahan men. Obviously they're very close to you. They think they think the world of you, and you think the world of them. It's going to be very interesting competing against friends like that, but hey, it's the National Football League. Man best man wins.

Yeah, a lot of respect for them and the job that they're doing and the foundation they're laying. But we want to go in there and get a win, get too in a row.

Up next a one o'clock road game next Sunday against old friend Brian Callahan and the three and ten Tennessee Titans. The Bengals open is a five and a half point favorite. The Bengals Booth Podcast is brought to you by pay Corps, proud to be the Bengals official HR software provider by Alta Fiber future proof fiber Internet designed to elevate your home, business and community to a new level and by Kettering Health the best care for the best fans. Kettering Health

Wow, I mean, I mean, it's just he's one to one. Everything that he does he does so extraordinarily well. And it's not like, Okay, pick five traits and you got to have maybe two or three of them, all five of them, I mean, and to do what he does mentally and physically. Joe Burrow as well, both of these guys, Zimmer, it's exhausting to go through a game and figure out all of his pressure packages. How do you adjust off

Off field goal with the same quarterback, with.

The same quarterback, and it's twenty seventeen, thinking, oh no, man, good thing he tried to pick that block punt up. I want to kiss that guy right on the mouth. I'm telling you, man, you know it's like your football instincts say, it's there, pick it up. Make a play, you know, not necessarily trying to be a hero, just try to in your mind you're making a play that's going to help your football team win a game. Man, the worst thing you could have done, just stay away

What are the odds to a former Bengal Nick Vitchell hadn't heard that name in years. He blocks the punt, and then the guy you were referring to, Amani oh Ruwaia just added to the roster with a colossal blunder, the type of blunder that Cowboys fans are going to be talking about for years.

And I'll guarantee you that he was not in John Fasto Special teams meetings during the course of the week. I mean, you know, he's new to the roster. I mean, they just picked the guy up basically, and I'm sure owens is Uh is not is not happy. I mean, you talk about, you know, the thriller victory in the Agony defeat. He sees a guy blocking punt. He's got

There's no question.

Nobody seemed to upset that Jamar Chase didn't go into a slide at the one yard line.

No, that's I mean, that's that's a that's a hard thing to do as well. It's like, I know, I know it's talked about, you go over it, but man, once you're in that situation, you make a great play. I mean, it's tight coverage and you make a great play like that and lead blanding the dust and it's like, man, all you're thinking you're seeing golden goal posts.

You know you're not.

You're not thinking that, You're not thinking anything more than that. But yeah, I mean, the best thing, you know, would have been sit down at the one yard line, built the rest of the clock, kick a game winning field goal, and get out of town.

On the other hand, you got a brand new kicker just join the team on Thursday. I mean, do you really want to risk it? I mean, Kay York was great, to his credit, made all his kicks, blasted all of his kickoffs through the back of the end zone, But do you want to put that kind of pressure on him?

In his first Bengals game, and you.

Know, analytics would never even consider that. I mean, when you're looking at analytics, they're not looking at that kind of thing. And that's why you know, I analytics are okay, but I am not, like, you know, live and die on analytics, because there's always circumstances in a game that are different and you're going to have, you know, personnel

Let's talk about that young puppet right tackle a Marius Mims, Michael Parsons, no tackles, no sacks, a couple of quarterback hits, but no tackles, no sacks.

I think a Marius Mims. Let's face it, in the in the four weeks that he's been back, they had sixteen sacks as a team, and he had his share. They were tied for most in the National Football League in that four week span with the Denver Broncos, and a Marius Mims played his ass off quite frankly, I mean this this guy is a big man that has athleticism, mobility. You know, he's he's made of the right stuff, both

I mean a great feeling.

Big clinching sack for big play Tray, giving him twelve and a half for the year, but another sack for Joseph Aside now you talk to him after the game, had the block field goal last week. He's now had a sack at each of his last three games. He is coming on at the tail end of his fourth NFL season.

And he and Trey Henderson worked so hard in the offseason. Joey Bisse was saying that those guys were in there every day. They were they were there before him to open the weight room up. And uh and so that hard work is paying off.

And uh and you uh, you know, you.

Get both of those guys make key plays defensive players in that football game, and you know that's where that's where the Bengals, you know, they need to get that pass rush pass rush going, and those guys are going to be two huge contributors as the final month of the season unfolds.

They had some troubles on run defense r he could Dada end up having a big game, but the pass defense by and large is very good.

In this game, it was you know, and uh, you know, I think I think the pressure and coverage combination was pretty good. And Cooper Rush a pretty accurate guy, and he was off by a lot on some of his throws. I mean, you know, it looked like he was he was worried about putting the ball in danger because he really couldn't see. He didn't have a good feel for it, and he missed. He missed some throws that were, you know,

So a primetime road win for the second time this year, that's hard to do. They got one in New York against the Giants, they get one in Dallas tonight, and now we can go back and here's where we are different. I can't wait to watch the Simpsons version of this game. And I'm guessing that's the last thing that you're going to do.

Yeah, I'm just gonna hear about it from my grandson because I know Casey Casey Sickon was watching it, and I'm sure he'll he'll have a lot to say about it, so I'll get I'll get his feedback. But yeah, it's just it's good to get a good to get a w. I mean, every game in the National Football like, particularly

That puts a rap on the Cowboys game. Now it's time for this week's fun Fact segment where you get to know the person under the pads. Time for some fun facts with Josh Newton from Monroe, Louisiana that's in the northern part of the state of Louisiana, not too far from the Arkansas state line. Tell us a little bit about your hometown and what you like to do growing up there.

Very small me growing up. I grew up outside a lot so riding schools, playing football, basketball, kickball, any ball you could find. We played it in the neighborhood so hide and go seek, man. I mean, it was just really active. So it's kind of like Will helped me as far as being an athlete, just being active when I was a young kid.

For visiting with Josh Newton around draft time, you were asked about why you played football, and you said, my why is to retire my mama. There's a lot of love and respect in that sentence, tell us about your mom.

Oh, very strong, very open, kind hearted, lovely person, respects people, leeds respect, and she's definitely still there to me, and I try to exploit that to people. Lee with love, leave with spaceball. Also, you're not gonna be able to run over me as well, So just watching her for a long time, studying her and you know, also growing into my own shoes as well, because you know, that's what it w That's what it that's what it is.

You were an outstanding wide receiver in high school, but colleges didn't beat a path to your door. Was it frustrating or hard to understand?

I feel like it was just more the more for me to just understand for her, cause I was really new to all the office. I was just playing football, so I really didn't know how who to get in contact with or you know, sending emails or none of that. So I mean I only end up when one offering, that's all I needed.

That one offer came from your hometown school, the University of Louisiana Monroe. Did you like playing close to home?

Yeah?

I did, I did. I enjoyed it for sure. It wasn't five but at the end of the day, you got to start somewhere, so you just do the work and everything else will come.

In twenty twenty, the pandemic year in college football, Louisiana and Road didn't win a game.

I'll in ten.

Did you learn anything from going through that?

I learned a lot. I learned a lot, a lot, a lot, like a bookworth. I'm already trying to get too much doubt, but I just see, you know, I've seen a lot of true colors.

After four years at ULM, you transferred to TCU. I've been on the TCU campus. The facilities are spectacular. It's an amazing place. Did you feel like you had died and gone to heaven.

For a little bit? But once I got there, it's like, Okay, this is what it is now. But bro, they even they renovating again off the championship year. So whenever I get back, whenever I go back in like, was it twenty five, So they should be done like twenty five, So whenever I go back, it's gonna even look even more different.

They also have gigantic pictures of their former stuff all over the place. It's like a shrine to Andy Dalton. There do you anticipate that there's going to be some nice images of Josh Newton on display.

Uh, we'll see after my career does what it does. Planning for a long time, so whenever that's finished, we'll see. But I ain't no first, second round, third round peak. So it's you know, you gotta do a little bit more work.

So in your first year at TCU, you made a famous training camp speech for a team that ultimately made it to the National Championship Game. You said, quote, God gave us change for the ones that have been here. They gave you a new staff. He gave me a new home and a new family. Now what are we going to do with it? That's powerful stuff. Do you believe it had an impact.

Most definitely over over time, over time, it just you know, everybody said that this much was they was ready to go play after that that day.

It's gotten a lot of hits on YouTube over the years. Have a lot of people that you've never met come up to you and asked you about that speech.

I say a lot of like Bingle saying, for sure, like once I got drafted. Once everybody's still okay. Once you get drafted, they go do a little bit deeper research, and you know I got a few things about that for sure.

For chatting with Josh Newton. That team was picked to finish seventh in the Big Twelve. You won the league, you upset Michigan and the Fiesta Ball. You made it to the National Championship before losing to Georgia. Is there a game or a play or a moment that really stands out for you?

For me, I don't even want to because if I say a play, don't remember another player and then we're gonna I can't even I can't even do the game like that.

You were selected in the fifth round of this year's draft. Describe the draft weekend.

Oh, I'm just ready. I was ready to get it over with, get the football, get to the meetings, get to knowing the guys, getting communicating on the playbook. Like I was just ready to get it over with. See where I'm going? You get to play in ball.

So much work leads up to that moment when you looked at your phone and you saw five one three, pay Court Stadium, whatever it's said.

I was first of all, I was like, pay Court Stadium. I've never heard of this stadium in my life. But it didn't say Cincinnati and nothing, so he said, it's Zack Taylor Cincinnati Bans. I'm like, oh shit, but now I talk my people from the day four, I'm like, bro, like y'all just on know, like it's a contender team bro. Like two three years ago they was just in the Super Bowl with they ain't need the same guys that

What's it take to be a great corner back in the NFL?

Oh mentality for sure? Uh yeah, I have no fear. He can't be scared to lose. Uh, just knowing what you signed up for and like it's it's on you, Like nobody else can say you. You gotta be a Navy seal. And it's like when Navy seals get caught its life or death, they know they about to face in first situation. It's just like they not they not thinking they n they going into the battle, not even thinking they finna come out alive until they come out alive.

A lot of guys who played wide receiver in high school and then get switched to defensive back when they're in college were forced to do it by the coaching staff, or at least strongly told that they should try and do it. That wasn't the case for you, right, no, I.

Asked, So I was. My thing was is like, okay, ten receivers versus four corners.

And it's math.

Yeah, it's math. So I mean, you know made the right choice.

When you say ten receivers versus four corners? Is that in terms of getting on the field at that stage or thinking about the pros down the.

Road, both right now and because if you don't get on the field right now, you can't set yourself up for later. So that was my whole I guess, not that I was a bad receiver. It's just like, man, look like my size at receiver is is mediocre, below average with my size at corner it's above average to right on points. So it's like, you know, I just made that decision and ran with it.

Smart decision. All right, a few wild card topics now for Josh Newton, who's your all time favorite athlete in any sport?

And why Kobe? And it's not because of the cliche things the championships. Is the little things that he took serious, like a lot of things that I feel like, ass you a young human period, like you may not take taking the trash out series. You might not take doing the dishes or making your bed, or you might not

Did it shake you when he passed?

Yeah, I couldn't believe. I'm like bro all people and it's like, I don't wish that from nobody, not a soul living. But it's just like Kobe, let me, like, let me at least make it to the lead where I could at least, you know what I'm saying. I could move around a little bit. I could fly to La, I could catch a game or catch him at a game or something like that. But it's just like, you know, you know, life happens, and you know they don't start from nobody.

You told me during training camp that you like to cook, and you shared this wisdom that I thought was great. If the food is flavored, it will cook itself. That is all about seasoning. That is really good chef advice.

Yeah, you only you only do that through experience though cooking. And you know I done messed up grits. I haven't missed the rights, but nah, and you know, just trial and error and just over time you eventually you find your you find your little niche, you find your Okay, I like this, I like how I did that, or I remember this, so you know. So I mean, you gotta get in the you gotta get in the kitchen to you know, give advice.

You also told me that cooking and the patience required to do it well help you be more patient in the rest of your life.

Yeah, it does. I mean, if a two year old two year old baby teachers a mother or father patients, I mean, it's a lot of more things they can teach you patience as well. It's just one one way to learn Patience's just I feel like that's the most common way we all learn patience. It's dough, like giving birth to a child. Anybody said that when they like, I'd have had to grow patience. I didn't. I had to come. I done had to calm down. I didn't have to you know, you done had to do something.

Your nickname is fig as in Fig Newton's. I'll be honest, I'm not a fan. I'm good cookie either.

It's just about it. Just I was like, bro, I'm gonna start calling you feed feed Newton. And then the rest of the rest of the rest of the meat room went with it, and I went with it too, So I mean, it is what it is. Nice, it's it's easy, it's quick. You don't have to you know what I'm saying.

I like the nickname. And if they want to give you a contract to endorse the cookie.

Come on with it, it can come on with it. I am down. I'm down. I definitely will Yeah, for sure.

Where do you like to spend your money on?

I like good food. I'm not gonna lie I'm a good food person. I like Jeff Rubis. I haven't hit the rest of the spots yet, but Jeff Rubis, Rue, Chris red Feather. It's a couple more spots, you know. I like, you know, just is consistent fried rice with the egg. I'm good like it's just a good meal for me just because I'm an athlete. It's rice. You got your protein good? All right?

Final fun fact for Josh Newton. This one's kind of deep. If you could meet anybody in history, living or deceased, who would that person be?

Oh? How many people? I get.

You can have as many as you like.

Martin, Luther, King, Malcolm X, Kobe Bryant, Bernie Mac, James, Wooderspoon. He played on Friday, he played, He was Crags Kris that ice cubes at on Friday, Like super funny, Like he just passed like with them, I say, like the last two to three years. But yeah, that was fin Malcolm, Ma, Marlin Luther, Kobe Bryant, Bernie Mack, Bernie, Matt James with just for sure Late, that's a good mix legends legends for sure.

All right, this has been fun. I appreciate your time. Best of luck the rest of the year.

Thank you.

That's going to do it for this episode of the Bengals Booth Podcast, brought to you by pay Core, Proud to be the Bengals Official HR software provider, by Alta Fiber future proof fiber Internet designed to elevate your home, business and community to a new level, and by Kettering Health the best care for the best fans. Kettering Health