Bengals Booth Podcast: Home For Christmas

room interviews and analysis from my broadcast partner Dave Lapham. Then, in this week's fun fact segment, you'll get to know a former Patriot now in his first year with the Bengals, tight end Devin Asias. The Bengals Booth Podcast is brought to you by Kettering Health, the official healthcare provider of the Bengals. With more than one hundred twenty care facilities and fifteen hundred care providers, Kettering Health is committed to guiding you to your best health. Visit Kettering health dot

org to learn more. Now, 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 wherever you get your podcasts. It's the greatest thing since toewarmers. On the morning of the game, as we discussed the frigid weather conditions, Bengals president Mike Brown asked me the following question, do you leave the window open and the

radio booth? The answer is always as a broadcaster, I like to hear the crowd and feel what it's like for the players and coaches will sometimes leave the window closed until the last possible moment, but once the game begins, it has to be open. As a result, I came prepared in Foxborough and for the first time ever, put toewarmers in my shoes. It was quite possibly the smartest decision since the Bengals drafted Jamar Chase instead of Pinney Sewell.

If you plan to attend the Bengals final regular season games or any home playoff games, I highly recommend toewarmers. Your toasty toes will thank you after the game. Now, let's get to the highlights from Sunday's Hold On for Dear Life win over the Patriots. It is Christmas Eve here in New England and it is a bitterly cold day for football. The temperature is twenty degrees, the wind

chill is eight degrees. As the song says, Jack Frost, is nipping at our nose as the ten and four Bengals take on the seven and seven New England Patriots, and it is time for the big skin to fly here in Foxborough. Second down in two Bengals from their own thirty Burrow back to throw, flings it deep for t Higgins bnet taking advantage of a huge height advantage over five foot eight inch Marcus Jones. He makes the catch and gets tackled at the New England thirty one.

Boyden eggins out to the left, chase out to the right. Burrow wants to throw throws, the Higgins catches it. Ethel Low fights for the goal line touchdown. Bengals has Cincinnati marches right down the field and scores a touchdown against Bill Belichick's Patriots defense. Boy did they ever just carve him up? Hot knife through butter shotgun snap to Burrow. He has time, got throws for the end zone. Trenton

Irwin with the catch. Touchdowns Bengals a twenty three yard throw right on the money to Trenton Irwin, who has his third NFL touchdown catch, and Ted Carris joints Irwin in the end zone for the Irish jig money mac missed wide right on his first pat and wide left on his second. Fans are trying to get in his head to snap the put down by Crispin to kick his up. It is good. There you go. So the Bengals have scored on their first three possession and nine

seconds into the second quarter, it's fifteen nothing Cincinnati. Third down and goal from the four. P Ryan in a running back, three receivers right, one left, Burrow looking throws it right. It is Irwin. He's got it. Touchdown Bengals. Trenton Irwin with his second touchdown catch here in the first half, and the Bengals have taken a twenty one to nothing lead. Burrow in the gun p Rhan to

his right, Plitts coming from the Patriots. Burrow throws off his bow foot intercepted and charging down the field is Marcus Jones to the sideline the thirty, the twenty, the ten touchdown, a pit six for Marcus Jones has the Patriots score another defensive touchdown, their sixth of the year. And Jamar Chase and Joe Burrow aren't opposite pages and you're not gonna see that very often whatsoever. Third down

in goal from the five. Mac Jones catches at the ten, dropped back a couple of yards, looking looking throws for the back right corner of the end zone, caught by Kendrick Bourne Cam Taylor. Brett never turned around. The ball floated right over him into the waiting arms of Burn for a touchdown. Mac Jones waiting for the shotgun snap back at his own forty six, He catches. It's a three man rush aid in coverage. Jones in trouble running backwards. Now he's gonna launch it toward the end zone. It

isn't caught by Jacobe Myers. It was intended for Bourn. It got deflected to Myers and he made the catch for the Patriots. Miraculous touchdown. I'm third down in three. Burrow will look to pass his throw, caught by Chase The Patriots three come home forty four yard line. Wow. Now that's three takeaways for the New England Patriots, no takeaways for the Cincinnati Bengals. Matthew Judon forced it and the Patriots are forty three yards away from a go

ahead touchdown. Mac Jones waiting for the shotgun snap hands it off. Stevenson stacked up going backward ball tackle ball, ball is out out the Bengals. They're celebrating. Turnover. They've got it, Turnongals. He recovered the turnover. The Patriots need fifteen yards to keep the game alive, fifteen seconds to go. Mac Jones back to throw. He's gonna gun it deep down field balls baby and complete no penalty flaw. And that is coffin nails. Bam, bam, bam. Merry Christmas to

all and to all a good night. Time to go inside the locker room. And we start with Von Bell. He forced the Romandre Stevenson fumble with fifty nine seconds to go that was recovered at the eight yard line. A lot of big plays in this game. I don't think anyone was bigger than forcing that fumble with a minute to go. Describe what you saw and how it happened.

Just really going out to land it all out for the guys, and we knew, we knew, we know, takeaway a spart play for the to finish out the game, but uh, just aw the just just really just attacking the ball like we've been practicing the strip, attempts at the ball, just punching at it and it just came out on now. So giving for my guys out there fighting and just made the play. Was it getting a little frustrating. I mean they got a lucky touchdown pass.

You guys had dominated and yet you found yourself on the brink of possibly letting it get away. Yeah, but you just gotta keep on fighting, uh, because they make plays. You know, they get paid like we do. So we just gonna go out there and finish. And that's the biggest thing. Don't let u like like we've been saying, don't look down, just keep on going, just keep on chipping away and just keep on laying a brick. So we never gave up this guy. It shows that we

could win a tough situation. So that's that's good and it's growth. But it's also a thing. But we just gotta finish and um and step on guys, uh and kill them early throughout the game when we have a chance. Don't let them get back in the in the game. So but it's two things to learn from. But uh, it's a it's a great it's a great win. It's hard to win this league, and uh, we just gotta finish seven in a row. It's really hard to win

seven in a row. It is indeed, especially when we get in High Street at the right time, everybody clicking on all cylinders. Complimentary football, special teams, offense and defense. So uh, it's a great team win. Find What was it like to be out there in that call. It's pretty chilly, m but it's December football and U you know, we gotta We always say we do our best work in the code, so we're going out there just making place for one to a huge play. Congratulations on the

play in the win. Thank you so much. It was Vine's second forced fumble of the year to go with four interceptions. Joe Burrows said after the game that Dell deserves to be a pro bowler for all of the big plays he's made this year. Von forced to fumble. B J. Hill recovered it, PJ. Congratulations on a great win. Number seven in a row. Came down to a defensive stop. Von force the fumble. You recovered it. I described that play,

m vall me the big play. Um, I've seen the ball out and I'll try to get as fast as I can't get. Let's see hands reaching at it. But we came. We battle. Um, you just gotta fix himself in the second half. But Like I said, Vall made a huge play right then I was right there to pick it up. What kinds of things were you guys saying on that final defensive you know, possession where basically, hey, we've dominated, but we're in danger if we don't make a play. Oh, we had to do our job, and

that's what we did. When at the end of the game, we just had a lock in real quick, do our job and get off the field, and that's what we did. You've had a knack for recovering fumbles this year. Is there anything to it? Fond the ball and get it. Um, you know, right place at the right time, plays making big plays. I'm right there to help you get the ball.

It was a crazy finish. Can you describe the emotions of being so dominant form my to the game and then suddenly finding yourselves in a position where you needed to make a stop. Um, it's hard to win NFL each and every week is as hard as stuff. We found a way to win us all the matters we won and it's something we want to the next game. Seven straight wins, still in contention for the number one seed. Describe the role this team is on right now. Just take each day, one of the time, focus on the

little things that we need to fix. It's coming up week, and then we got a big game ahead of us. We're excited for some challenge and we're ready for it. Grat's How to Win, Thank You, Thanks Both. Podcast is brought to you by pay Corps. More than twenty nine thousand customers trust pay Corps to help them recruit, pay, engage,

and retain employees. Learn more at paycorps dot com. Only one Cincinnati player went out for the coin toss before the game, Center Ted Carriss, who spent five of his previous six seasons in the NFL playing for Bill Belichick and the Patriots. Dave Lapham caught up with him in front of his locker. If anybody knows there's no quitting the Patriots, it's you. I mean, no matter what this football team over there, that New England, they're gonna go

down swinging, aren't they. Yeah? But you know what, Dave, and win is a win is a win is a win. Um. We let him hang around and made it hard on ourselves a little bit there, but got a little scary, got a little dicey. Ultimately pulled it out though, Baby my first win at Gilette is a visitor, so very excited. That's that's awesome. Turnovers always always a big story in the National Football League. Had three, they had to pick six.

But that turnover at the end of the football game, Von Bell punches out of there, Josh Tupo falls on top of it. Massive humongus. I mean, just a championship level play to play here Christmas Eve in Gillette Stadium, which with a you know, against a team that's very dangerous and you know has had over two decades of coming out with wins like that, Dave, So it's very scary for me at times. There. Really glad we got it done. I'll tell you three touchdown passes for Joe.

He had over three hundred yards passing against this defensive football team. That's a quart of performance. I mean, the guy's unflappable, isn't he He is. He's one of the best. Man. I'm excited to watch a film with him on the plane day. You're one of the best as well. You had some finishes today, brother thrown him over the pile big time. Well, I wanted to play my best against my former friends. Were not former friends, they are my friends have a lot of love and respect and admiration

for a lot of men in that locker room. So I'm glad I bested him today, but you know we might see him again here here to that, my man, Thanks Ted, thank you. Ludos to Carris and the other members of the old line. The Patriots ended the game number three in the NFL and sacks, but only added two to their total against the Bengals. Throughout this seven game winning streak, the Bengals have not allowed more than two sacks in any game. Here are the final numbers

for Joe Burrow. Going with no gloves in the bitter cold, he went forty for fifty two. That's seventy seven percent for three hundred and seventy five yards, with three touchdowns, two interceptions, and a passer rating of ninety nine point four. He's now thrown a touchdown pass in twenty two straight games. That's a new franchise record, and with thirty four touchdown passes this year, Joe has tied the team record that

he set last year. His favorite target was Tee Higgins with eight catches for one hundred and twenty eight yards. And I talked to Tea after the game. See can you describe the emotions today? It felt at times like the team could have been up by thirty five points, but it ultimately came down to that big stop defensively, who came out strong, you know, first half, second half. I'm not gonna say we'd relaxed because we didn't. We just wasn't executing and you know, they was able to

you know, capital azo us not executing and um. But you know, at the end of the day, our defenses came up big with the turnover and they it off for us one hundred and twenty eight receiving yards. For you, it looked like they're smaller defensive backs really had trouble with your height, your reach, and your physicality. Yeah. Man, we knew, you know, there was a little small coming into the game. We knew I was gonna have, you know, some advantages, and we took those advantages and we kept

the lizes on them. So it's kind of I thought, normally, when the weather's really cold, it's gonna rely on the running game. You guys were winging at around. I think Joe threw up more than fifty times. It didn't seem like it really bothered you much. I mean, at the end of the day, it's our job to come out here and you know, win games and go out here and run routes well for as a receiver, guire run

routs and no matter the conditions. And yeah, it was it was real cold tonight today it was real cold, but we was able to still come out here and get a W. As a Tennessee kid, have you ever been in anything like that in a game. This it's crazy because you know it's about five degrees right now back home, But this is the coda's game I played in my entire since I've been playing football, so and I'm glad I got a W. Seven straight wins still

in the hunt for the number one playoff seed. How critical was this victory and the way that you pulled it out? Very critical? Obviously you want to win, you know they in AFC, so you know, we want to get that w and give us another chance, you know, to get the number one seed. And you just got to keep going, to keep fighting. Where'd you think of Trent to norwe coming through a couple of TV catches. Yeah, man, proudly, I wish you'd caught that third one, but it is

what it is man. You know his hard work is paying officier. Thanks Teve, Thank you. Baltimore beat the Falcons on Saturday meeting. The Bengals remain one game ahead of the Ravens with two to go, including a head to head meeting in the final game of the regular season. The Ravens host the Steelers next week. Buffalo and Kansas City both won, so the Bengals are still one game behind the Bills and Chiefs in the battle to be the number one playoff seed in the AFC. The Bengals

host Buffalo next Monday night. The Chiefs host Denver next week and play a road game at Vegas to finish the regular season. The Bengals need Kansas City to lose one of those games to have any chance of being the number one seed. The Bengals Booth Podcast is brought to you by Bengals Picks and Ultimate Bengals. They're free to play, with tickets and signed merchandise up for grabs. Find both inside the Bengals app. Now time to hear from head coach Zach Taylor, who spent a couple of

minutes with Lap after the game. Joe Burrow now has won ten straight games in the month of December in January, it's unbelievable. It's pretty impressive, you know, and Joe's in a great job because Royn I'm done a tremendous show as well. Again, we've got a lot of confidence as a team. Obviously this week we didn't play a full four quarter game on either side of the ball, but we did enough to win m Trent and two touchdown receptions,

almost had a third. Did the New Ringland Patriots they show you or anything, coach that you hadn't anticipated on. Bill Belichick's obviously noted for that. They did a good job mixing everything up, you know. That's that's one thing that they do well is keep your under toes and not letting you get a beat on what coverages and pressures you're going to get. Um. So again, they executed very well and you know, put some pressure on us. Three turnovers, uh, and then got one huge one at

the end of the football game. I mean, Von Bell punches it out there, Josh Tupo recovers it. Anything um that comes to mind. With the three turnovers, the you experience, we just got to do a better job, you know, making sure all eleven are on the same page, and um, you know that's not something that's that's been an issue with us in the past, so we'll get it corrected quickly.

So now you've you've clinched it, You've clinched the playoff spot, and you you're now have won eleven football games, and uh now you've got a couple of a couple of big ones with with Buffalo and Baltimore and Baltimore I think one today as well. So just a matter of one and over again, right, yeah, I mean it's we had to win this one for the next one to be a big one. And and so again we know that we're gonna need all hands on deck, and you guys are going to be healthy and rested and ready

to go for money night. I expect that they will and works out for the opportunity. Well, I appreciate your time. That was a gutty performance. I mean it just shows you in this league gonna play every minute of it, right, I mean, there's no quit in any team in this National Football League? Is there now? There's not, especially at this point with so many games under the team spells everyone's capable of my employees and getting back in it in today New England did a great job of doing

that and fortunately we're able to finish it off. Congratulations, Thank you. There was one significant injury as offensive tackle Lael Collins was taken to the locker room on a cart near the end of the first quarter with a left knee injury. Akim Identity went the rest of the way at right tackle. Ian Rappaport from the NFL Network reports that initial tests on Else's knee found the ACL

to be intact. Ian went on to write that Lael's kneecap shifted, causing significant pain, but then shifted back into place. If Collins can't play against Buffalo, it will be the first time this year that the Bengals will be missing one of their starting offensive linemen going into a game. The Bengals Booth podcast is presented 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.

Elevate your connection with Alta Fiber. Now, time for the radio guys recap lap of wins. A win, but man, it felt like the Bengals could have been up by thirty five points. Ultimately, they had to hold on in the final minute. But I mean, at this time of year,

who cares? They got the job done? Yeah, I mean you got You're playing against a team of a lot of pride, you know, a coach that has had a lot of success, and you're you're minus two in the turnover battle on the road and fighting for your life. You know, they're fighting for their playoff lives and you're fighting to win another football game and uh to get as good as seat as you possibly can. That's that's what that's what it's it's about in the National Football League.

And like you said, a win is a win. Beggars can't he chooses just take the w Are you at all surprised by how they came out throwing it around fifty two pass attempts into these conditions for Joe Burrow, and you know, other than the pick six, he was phenomenal,

he was phenomenal. I mean that that the numbers, the numbers are crazy, the pick six and then the interception they had when when Joe and Jamar Chase were basically on different pages, and then Tyler just I mean, Joe thinks that the router is going to be run a little bit differently, than what Tyler ends up running the route, and so you have, you know, miscommunication things which run crack characteristic, I think, particularly at this time of the season.

But I mean forty for fifty two, three hundred and seventy five yards, three touchdowns, two interceptions. But yeah, it was. It was a crazy football game. Gotta run the ball more effective than twenty four times to seventy three yards, though, I mean, you just gotta Joe had the nineteen yard run. I mean, you take that nineteen yard run out of the mix, and on twenty three carries, I mean you're you know, you're you're looking at uh just just over

fifty yards. I mean, that's that's just not gonna not gonna cut it two and a half less than two and a half yards to carry. I think to get where they want to go and and uh, you know, be as high as the seat as they can in the playoffs, and to advance in the playoffs, gonna have to be more balanced offensive than that, for sure. What did you think of a game at den g forced

into action at right tackle? Yeah, I thought, uh, I gave him my alignment of the game basically on the postgame show because I thought that he was, you know, called in under under tough conditions and operated pretty well. I mean, you know chet On and uh, you know, they they've got good edge people. There's no question about it. They get twenty five sacks coming into the football game

out of those out of those two guys alone. And I thought that, uh, you know, the way they the way they threw it, fifty two attempts only uh only sacked twice. It's pretty good, pretty good day's work. One was nullified by by penalty, but uh, I thought that he held he held up pretty darn well. I thought he played a pretty effective game for him. Another case of a guy not just next man up, but next man steps up, you know, steps up and makes makes plays,

makes things happen. So on the ricochet touchdown pass at that point, is it in your mind, man, this is just one of those days where bad luck is going to turn what should be a lopsided went into a loss. Yeah. I mean you look at it and you say, from a football god standpoint, what they taketh away, they giveth back, you know, And they took one away last week, um

self inflicted by the Patriots. But this one, I mean they made a made a play and same guy, which is ironic, same guy that made the bone head play, put himself a good position to get the ricochet and he was rewarded with the ricochet. They you know, as the old saying goes, if you run to the football, good things happen. And that's what he did. He put himself in a position to make a play on the ricochet and h and they've fitted fully by it. So yeah,

it's that's that's the National Football League in a nutshell. Though. You had the opportunity to visit with Trent and Irwin after the game. He's standing nearby as we speak and some hot chocolate. I think what a job he's done, stepping up when called upon to make big plays, no question. I mean, um, you know, two huge touchdowns today. I mean it was it was a game where not a whole lot of points we're going to be thrown up

on the board with the weather conditions and everything. And of course, the type of player he is, he you know, talked about yeah that's fine too and couldn't should have could have been, should have had the third. I gotta, you know, do what I can to get that done. But Trent Norwin's a great example of of a guy that's totally prepared for every opportunity that presents itself. He's going to make plays. He can be trusted, he can

be relied on. You get reliability, accountability, dependability, all those great abilities, and this guy's uh, that's that defines this young man, no question. Do you have some Freezer Bowl flashbacks today? Uh? Honestly, I don't think I'll ever be as cold as I was that day, and I never want to be as cold as I was that day. Man. But this was a this was a gut chuck, you know, in that regard, There's no question. I mean it's hard.

It's hard to uh, you know, to get to get the getting lubriky, to get get all the wheels rolling, you know, in a day like this, and um, they do what they had to do to win the game. Merry Christmas to you, to Lynn, to the kids and the grand kids. Look forward to Monday Night against the Buffalo Bills a week from Monday. Merry Christmas to you, Pagan, Sam and your entire family as well. Then have the best Christmas you ever had. Finally, it's time for this

week's Fun Facts Interview. Where we get to know the person under the pads. Time for some fun facts with tight End. Devin ASIASI from San Mateo, California, a little bit south of San Francisco. Devin, you are of Polynesian descent. Where's your family from? And when did they first moved to California? So my dad is smiling and my mother is tonguing. Um. I believe my dad came to the States when he was ten years old. Um, so around

the eighties. My mother came around the same time, a little bit after him, though, I believe no, I think around the same time, around right before high school, middle school, so around the eighties as well. So, yeah, my family had been in the States since then. Have you ever had a chance to visit? I have not, which is

definitely something I want to do. You know, I want to get back and see, um obviously see my my home homeland, you know what I'm saying, see my people, but just going back and just paying homage to you know, the people that came before me and the shoulders I stand on, you know. So definitely got to go back and visit for sure. So growing up, were you strictly a sports kid or did you have a wide variety of interests. Man strictly sports kids, I was just straight ball.

I'm not gonna lie. So if you ask all my family members, you know, top to bottom, probably even a lot of my friends that I grew up with, you know, sports has been just a very you know, centerpiece of my life, you know what I'm saying growing up, and my dad was a was a big advocate of that. You know. UM introduced me to basketball when I was young,

about four years old. Um started playing in little leagues, but I always played a pat ahead because athletically, I'm not gonna lie, I was a little better, you know, I was a little more developed, you know, and so I just it's a testament to my dad and all the work that he helped He put in for me as well. And I started getting into football more interesting

in football around high school. You know. I played a little bit and I played a pop warner and all that growing up, but I started taking more of a more seriously during high school time. Yeah. Were you always bigger than kids the same age? Yeah, Yeah, that's that's

really how it kind of went. Um. It got to the point though, when I mean I think like in the middle school, middle school time, I was a little taller, but then you know basketball, you know you're playing again, guys is tall all around, you know what I'm saying. So I really didn't start filling that confidence with football until high school. You know, Um, I was originally a quarterback, starting starting first, So I grew up playing QB my

whole life. And then once I got into high school, my sophomore year, going into my sophomore years, and when I made the trades in the tight end, and so you know, after that first freshman year and making the trades in the tight end, you know, that's why I just I got my confidence. And you know, obviously I started getting bigger, a little more stronger than everybody. So you know, yeah, definitely that was the case. We're doing fun facts with Devin. I see, I see you have

something in common with offensive coordinator Brian Callahan. You both went to Dala Salle High School, perhaps the most famous high school football program in the country. At school, the once had a one hundred and fifty one game winning streak. How did that prepare you for college football and the NFL? I think at Dale, we just did we do things a little differently as far as just trading all around the whole year. You know, we we had like a

college college schedule when it came to workouts. You know, um, summers is booked up. You know, obviously the season was from September to December, but you know, our offseason wasn't really long. You know, we had the Christmas break you know during during high school time where we had them Christmas breaking your New Year's break. But then a week prior to coming back from that Christmas break, we're back in We're back in the weight room, we're back on

the track, we're back on the field. You know, everybody's getting back to work. And I think that's the difference that set us apart from a lot of those other programs is that you know, we're working year around. You know, even when the summer comes up, like it's not it's not optional. You want to play on that team and

you better be at be over there. It's mandatory. And it's not just the coaches that's holding you accountable, like those players and those guys that's playing on the team and who's putting those hours in that in that working every single day. They expect you to show up to you know, what I'm saying. So it's it's just different, you know what I'm saying. When they came to day a lot of football, and I'm gonna stand on it.

Even though you know, we haven't been doing we didn't have a successful year this year and this past year, but I know my guys can bounce back and you know, do something special. So you know, it's all about that work we put it in and that's what separated us. So you were one of the top tight end recruits in the country. You were one of these he could have gone anywhere kind of kids. Did you enjoy the

attention or did you find it stressful? Both? I definitely didn't take it for granted, you know what I'm saying. And it was definitely something I enjoyed and I made sure that, you know, I'm not only myself, could enjoy it by my family as well, you know what I'm saying. So going to you know visits, official visits, taking my mom tot Alabama. She ain't never been Alabama, you know what I'm saying, Like taking my dad to sc usc which is which was his you know, favorite team growing up.

You know, things like the things like that, you know what I'm saying that I could tell my kids or even you know, my parents as well, saying that we enjoyed that and something that we can, you know what I'm saying, can share forever. So that was the most important thing to me, you know what I'm saying. At the end of the day. I know, I got to go on that field and I got to execute and do my thing, but off the field and fucking you know, share my experience and share some of this some of

this experience and moments with my family. That's the best thing to me. And that's why I've always kind of been just kind of chucked off a little bit, not really not really like an attention is what it is. You know, we're visiting the Devin, I see, I see. I've read you were the first person in your family to go to college. What does that mean to you? What could it mean to your parents? First person on

my mother's side to go to a division one um college. Man, it's just for me, It's all about the next, the next next up, you know, and being able to show my um the youth and my younger siblings, my young younger cousins. You know, I got a lot you know, what I'm saying. So a lot of people kind of looking up to me. So you know, I take that serious and I take it to heart, and you know, being able to show them. You know, you can graduate, you know, graduate high school, you can go to a

college if you want to. You know, you can pursue whatever you want in life, you know what I'm saying, whatever gym that you want, you know, don't let anybody stop it from from doing that. That's that's my biggest you know. Um, I think that's what I love most about it, you know, just because I get to show those kids, show my my my younger, younger generation, that there's more to do, and there's more to life, you know, and that you can do whatever you want to do

in life, you know, And that's what I did. I want to play football, I want to do sports, That's what it is. If you want to go do music, if you want to go do art, whatever you want to pursue in life, you know, go and do it. You know. So you started out of Michigan, you finished up at UCLA White Michigan initially, and why did you

transfer back to California Michigan Initially? Because I enjoyed my time on my official visit over there, you know, and I liked what coach Hardball was doing with a lot of tight ends that he had over there, and M Jake but was a good friend of mine, and you know, he had a he hosted me for that visit, and it was a it was a it was a dope visit. You know. I got to meet him, got to see the guys and see how the camaraderie was and see

how you know, everybody operates. And so I think I was kind of sold that, you know what, I wanted to be a part of that, and so I did went over there. I enjoyed my time. You know, it's my first first year and um in college and in uh and that in that conference too, and that conference is a big conference, you know, and playing and playing in that playing in those arenas, playing in those stadiums definitely changed, you know, O West Coast kids perspective on football,

you know. So um but to be honest, it was just um more soldiers family. Man. I couldn't I couldn't get a nude of my family back to see my games. And it's like, yeah, I know on a TV screen is all good and dandy. But you know what I'm saying.

I want to be able to look in the stands and see my see my little brothers, and see my little you know, my my dad and my my mama, you know what I'm saying, and see my cousins or whoever whoever wanted to come to the game, and just like I said before, just being able to experience those type of things, you know. So you know, I made a decision to take it back to the West Coast and go to UCLA. But you know, I enjoyed it,

you know, I don't. I don't regret my decision because my my family was able to come down and enjoy those times. I mean, and those are those you know, moments that for me, it's gonna stick with me forever. You were selected in the twenty twenty draft in the third round by the New England Patriots. Describe your draft experience. Oh, man,

um crazy, you know. Um. It was obviously during the COVID um COVID year, so we didn't nobody can go to the Las Vegas um what's it called event and everything obviously, but I wasn't going to go or anyways, you know what I'm saying, because I kind of already had my plans set up since I was a kid. I've always to the plan set up where I was going to go back home, go to my grandma house,

go to the backyard. You know what I'm saying, have all my friends, have all my my siblings, cousins, family, everybody there that I've known since I was a kid over there and would be all in the backyard and being able to watch that and you know, and see that come to life, and then being able to see that for real, it's like, that's one of the most special moments I'll ever and it's like to that to this day, that that memory is ingrained in my mind forever,

because in my heart because it's just you know, being able to bring that type of energy and that type of life to you know, my neighborhood and my family and being able to see them witness and experience and that that type of that type of thing, you know, and seeing seeing the NFL draft right in front of you. It's like not many people get to experience that. And like I said before, it's all about for me, it's

all about the young ones coming up. So it's like the fact that they get to see that and get to tell you know, their friends and tell, you know what I'm saying, their kids one day and hopefully use that to drive them and motivate them to go, you know, pursue whatever dream that they want. You know, that's the

biggest thing for me, you know what I'm saying. So and then seeing my mama, seeing my dad's team, all my you know what I'm saying, my parents and all those people that helped me, you know, get to where I get to that that moment. You know, it's just a very you know, special moment for me. So that's very big moment for me. For sure. We're doing fun

facts with Devin. I c I see many years from now you'll tell your grandkids you played for one of the most legendary coaches in sports history, not just football history, sports history, Bill Belichick. How do you describe Coach Belichick?

Straight to the point, blunt, um, real um, and yeah, just a real honest man and a person who also you know, loves the sport of football, you know, and takes every precaution, everything serious, to the to the to the nitty gritty, to the to the nuts and bolts of everything you know, and That's one thing I've I've I learned to respect and I learned to um also just kind of a part to my life in a way too, as much as I can, you know, and seeing how preparation can can really benefit you and help you,

you know what I'm saying. Obviously, and in games and things like that, but just in life in general, you know what I'm saying. So, Charles Belichick is one of the Religi dudes, I don't know for sure, and you know, he's always gonna keep it blood wich. He's only always gonna be honest. But you gotta respect that, you know, and I gotta love respect from the man as well. Your first NFL touchdown catch came in the final game of your rookie year, a fourth quarter game winner against

the New York Jets. What do you remember, by the black Obviously, when you're in those situations and you hear that played called, you know your number is called, you know you gotta you gotta go out there and execute. So it was just, you know, it was it kind of just happened fast, you know, and I was like, we got the ball. It was turnover. I believe jac Jackson or I think Jac or or Kyle Degger either got an interception or a fumble. So it was like

quick turnaround. We were at the Friends, so we were just inside the fifty and so he called the play and I was like, okay, this is that shot. This is a shot to you know what I'm saying that, and we kind of rerepped in practicing everything. So what was it happened. It happened when out there did my best execute and then you know, got got the double, got the touchdown, and you know what I'm saying, It was history after that, you know, and so it was it was it was dope too, you know, it was

it was a special moment for me. You know, my family was there too, My mom was there, and so I was able to, you know, give her that ball and share that home with her. So it was a special moment for sure. So this year, you went through your third training camp with the Patriots. At the end of camp, you were put on a way as I imagine they were going to try to put you on the practice squad, but the Bengal swooped in and made a claim and just like that, before the start of

the season. It's a whirlwind. You wind up with another team. How difficult is that? That's a crazy twenty four or four day hours. Sure, I want to say it was too difficult. I mean, you know, I just thanks to all the coaching staff and all the staff here, you know, making that transition as easy as possible, you know. Um, But you know, it's it's just like anything, you know, you just gotta adapt and you gotta you gotta overcome, and then you gotta figure out a way, you know.

And so that's my mind quickly switched into you know, it's like it's another opportunity. It's another chance to you know, go out there and touch grass, you know, again every week. So for me, it was you know, obviously it was difficult in terms of just figuring everything out and get

in through it. But at the end of the day, you know, I could have been you know, more happy, you know by the situation, I mean, and grateful for the situation, I mean, you know, and you know, I just I think I think the coaches all the time for the opportunity and you know, and so you know, it's been a it's been a fun time, you know, and I'm enjoying the guys around here, and you know, growing with them and learning with them, and I look forward to, you know, doing more of that in the future.

A few wild card topics now for tight end Devin, I c I see who is your all time favorite athlete in any sport and why Kobe Bryant was always just my idol growing up. I'm a Lakers fan. Now I'm from the Bay Area, you know, I saw I'm gonna get a little little flat for that. But my dad from La you know, he when he came first came to the Islands, he was born, he went to La Long Beach area and all that, all those areas. So I do have a reason why I am a Lakers fan. You know, it's just not just out you

know what I'm saying out the blue. But yeah, Kobe Bryant for sure is one of my is probably at the top, you know, r P the Mamba. But um, just growing up, I mean I watched Lakers games like all the time, me and my dad, you know, sitting there watching him, watching him and Shack you know, tear

it up. And then you know, obviously Shack leaving going to I forgot where he was Miami or wherever he went to that for that, you know, and then seeing you know, Kobe having to you know, basically rebuild the whole team, and then seeing him getting power Gasol, you know, Lamar old him, Andrew behind him, you know, all these you know, different type of guys, all these these these new guys for me, where I was like, man, I'm like, I'm so used to you know, Shack and us dominating,

the two men, the duo dominating. You know, I didn't see what he was doing. But then it's like once you just you you sit back and you see that story. You know, he willed, he pulled. Power Gasol came from you know, wherever he came from. But Powergaso he made him a dog, you know, like he made him a different animal at the end of the day. You know, I'm saying, like, you gotta be a real special person to pull that type of you know what I'm saying, grid out of a person, you know what I'm saying.

So it's just something I've always looked up to it and he's just been lak I'm a Laker fan, Man, I love Kobe being ryant. Like that's just to us, that's that's my MJ. Like, I don't want to hear no Kobe Lebron MJ No, Kobe's You've made your case. What do you like to spend your money on? Man? Food, clothes? Definitely, Like, of course I gotta. I got bills to pay and

everything like that. But then you know, I like, I do like spending my money on my on my siblings, to be honest, like I like giving that to them. For some reason. It's like for me being an older brother, I always tell them this too. It's like until I have my kids, y'all my kids, and it's just for me being a big brother. I always want my my young siblings to you know what I'm saying, not have any worries, you know what I'm saying, or not have any anything to worry about, or you know, if they

like clothes, I'm gonna get them some clothes. They liked some some shoes, I'm gonna get them some shoes. Things that I didn't have growing up. I couldn't just asked my dad. You know, I'm syna get some shoo what there's a lot of money now that I'm able to do that and have the opportunity to that, obviously I'm not. I don't want to spoil them by the same time,

I do you know what I'm saying. It's like my younger simlers, bro Like, you know, I want to take care of them, make sure that they know that regardless of anything, that they their brother got their back. They oh, and he'll always be there, you know. So that's for me food, my clothes, or my girlfriend and then my similar pictures. So yeah, all right, final fun fact, if you could meet anybody in history, who would that person be?

I'm gonna do three. I'm gonna I'm gonna say both my grandfathers because I would just like to know, you know, the history of me through their through their mind, through their through their eyes, through their perspective, and then just you know, get getting that information. And I felt like just knowing yet the history of your family, it's a very important thing. So I definitely would do my two grandparents, my Grandpam on both sides of my family, my dad

and my mom's side. And I would have to say Bob Marley. Yeah, rega reggae was was was the main um genre music in our household. So you know, I grew up Uncle Bob, like I know all the words every song. It's like it's just I mean I'm not gonna lie, Like if you ask a lot of policies, like every one of them would know like a lot of a lot of Bob songs, So I would just lie.

Love to just pick his brain, you know, and just see where all that um wisdom and knowledge comes from, you know, and just seeing how I can apply that to my life and in a way because you always see him in interviews and you see him how he talks and how he speaks, and it's always from the heart, but you can always see that it carries a lot of weights, you know, and something that everybody can apply to their life, you know. So definitely in those three

right there, for sure, this has been great. I really appreciate your time, best of luck the rest of the year, Appreciate the bust. Thank you. That's going to do it For this episode of the Bengals Booth podcast presented 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 pak Or, the official HR software provider of the Bengals, and by

Alta Fiber future Proof Fiber Internet. Elevate your connection with Alta Fiber. If you haven't done so already, please subscribe to this podcast and if you have a minute, give it a rating or share a comment that helps or Bengals fans find us. I'm Dan Horde and thanks for listening to the Bengals Booth podcast