Bengals Booth Podcast: Homeward Bound

him as b J. Hill. The Bengals Booth Podcast is brought to you by Paycres. More than twenty nine thousand customers trust paycor to help them recruit, pay engage, and retain employees. Learn more at paycorp dot com. 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 get your podcasts. It's the greatest thing since the generosity of Bengals fan Phil am Rin.

Every season, each NFL team picks a Fan of the Year based on their commitment to the franchise and nomination letters from friends and family. The Bengals winner this year is Phil am Rin, who served as the Ruler of the Jungle on Sunday. He's been a season ticket member for roughly thirty years and has attended more than one hundred road games. The prize for the Fan of the Year is two tickets to the Super Bowl, plus airfare

and lodging. Well, here's the interesting twist with Phil. He and his wife Shelley have gone to the Super Bowl for the last twenty one years. Sometimes they get game tickets, other times they just enjoy the super Bowl related activities in the host city. Well, this year they had already made their Super Bowl plans, so they are raffling off they're Fan of the Year super Bowl trip for charity.

All pro seeds go to a variety of causes, including the Ken Anderson Alliance, the Sam Hubbard Foundation, and the Anthony Munio's Foundation. The drawing is Monday at two in the afternoon, so depending on when you listen to this podcast, you might still have time to purchase a ticket. For details, go to Phil am Rin's Facebook page. His last name is spelled am R e I N. Now let's get

to the highlights. Of Sunday's win over Baltimore. It'll be a thirty four yard attempt for Evan McPherson, cal Adamitas High school and college teammate of Damar Hamlin, will snap it back. Chrispin puts the ball down. Evan McPherson's kick on its way and good, and the Bengals have scored first here at pay Course Stadium. It's a play action fake Brown looking throws before gage and accepted by Jesse Bates. He has it at the fifty looking to run it back.

Now he has grabbed and he'll be tackled at the forty seven yard line of Baltimore. B J Hill put the hit on the quarterback Anthony Brown, who floated it right to Jesse Bates. He did, he hit him and jack knifed him. It comes a blitz. Burrow somehow gets away, throws over in the middle, caught at the thirty by Tyler Boyd and he gets tackled at the twenty six yard line by Marcus Williams. Joe Burrow got out of a strait jacket there. Kyle Hamilton. Kyle Hamilton came on

the blitz and he missed him first in goal. Inside the one. Zach Taylor was running down the sideline to call a time out. The Pengals run ahead and ran a play and Joe Mixon runs it in from inside the one. Zack Taylor didn't run fast enough to get the time out, and it works out just fine for Cincinnati's Brookie quarterback Anthony Brown one for three with an interception so far today. This pass intercepted off a ricochet. It's picked off by Mike Hilton, and that was not

Anthony Brown's fault. It was a good throw. The intended receiver allowed it to glance right off his arms into the hands of Mike Hilton and the Bengals will take over. At the thirty two of Baltimore, Joe catches the shotgun snap, he throws it deep down the left side, the leaping catch in the end zone. Jamar Chase paulls it in and the Bengals have scored again, Chase beating Warlie. And with that throw, Joe Burrow has set the new single season record for touchdown passes in a season, breaking the

mark that he set last year. It's his thirty fifth of the year, and what a performance of strength at the eight pecks of the catch, but Jamar Chase second and goal from the five, Brown hands it off. It's a run to the left and Drake will take it into the endz o for a Baltimore touchdown. Empty backfield. Brown's going to throw from the zone and brought down the ball. The ball comes down recovered for a touchdown.

Trey Hendrickson stripped it away from Anthony Brown and a three covered in the end zone for a Cincinnati touchdown. Third down and eight, the Ravens at their own thirteen, brown back to throw. Here comes a blitz nice and he will be sacked Trey Hendrickson With Mike Kilton coming, they bring down Anthony Brown at the nine yard line. Ten seconds to go. The Bengals backing up into a prevent defense, brown back to pass. He throws a leaping catch made likely will be tackled and that will end

the game. The Cincinnati Bengals are not only AFC North champions, but the NFL can keep the change. Yeah, there will be no coin flip required, as the Bengals will open the playoffs in the jungles and rightfully and deservedly sown. The final score was twenty seven to sixteen and Normally, an eleven point win over a division rival is very satisfying. However, there were causes for concern. First and foremost, Alex Kappa injured his left ankle late in the third quarter and

left the field on a cart. More on that later with Dave Lapham. Secondly, after opening the game with two touchdowns in a field goal on their first three possessions, the Bengals had ten more drives and only added one more field goal. On offense, there were seven punts, a loss fumble, and they got stopped on fourth and one. Still, the Bengals broke out celebratory cigars in the locker room after the game, and I caught up with one of the game ball recipients, who was headed to the playoffs

for the fourth time in his six NFL seasons. The Heiress stick with cigars smoke inside the Bengals locker room, and we're with Mike Kilton. Congratulations, champions of the North for the second year in a row. You will open the playoffs at home against Baltimore. How's that sound? Oh man, it's big, you know, number one, just getting to the playoffs, you know, giving ourselves a chance and us winning the division. You know, obviously getting the home playoff game is big.

You know, having a division upon it, coming to with a lot on the line is gonna be big, so we we gotta get rid of We know it's gonna be another tough game, but we know it's at stake and we'll be prepared. The offense scored on the first three possessions. It was seventeen nothing. Brandon Allen started warming up on the sideline. I think a lot of us thought, all right, the route is on. It didn't play out that way. How are you guys feeling about how the

rest of the game went? Oh all right? You know, even if they've been they had people down. You know, it's a division game. They know us and we know them, so it's not gonna be easy. We knew they weren't us gonna lay down, but we found a way to just do what we do best get to win. And now we're here celebrating getting ready for a playoff game. Takeaways we're a big part of it. I think. For if if I'm not mistaken and you had an interception,

tell me about that play. It was third down. He ran ag a drag route, so he went right down the line. Quarterback kind of threw it behind him and it tipped up and I having to be in a right spot. So I love how it worked out. Now, now we just gotta keep caring the turnovers to the next couple of weeks. It was obviously a weird week. We're all thrilled that tomorrow Hamblin is doing well. But what was it like to go back out there and

play today. It was definitely a little tough at first, but once we just really gathered in this locker room before we came out, were just like, do what we do, play our game. You know, don't don't play slow because of what happened. Just be yourself and enjoy the moment and play every dawn like it's your last. Twelve wins ties a franchise record, an eight game winning streak, ties a franchise record. Do you feel like you're going into the postseason and a good place? Oh yeah, absolutely, Well

we're rolling right now. You know, we're a hot seeing but you know, nothing that means nothing. We can't finish the job, and that's getting to the super Bowl, and this weekend is our first step. So guys got a reset and just get ready before a top of phone. Are you a cigar guy? I am, I really am, so I'm enjoyed this one today. Congratulations, thank you. That's Mike Kelton. As Mike noted in that interview, Baltimore had

people down. Lamar Jackson missed his fifth straight game with a knee injury, and second string quarterback Tyler Huntley sat out with a shoulder injury. Rookie Anthony Brown made his first career start and finished with a passer rating of forty six point two. The Ravens also rested several key players, including running back JK. Dobbins, tight end Mark Andrews, cornerback Marcus Peters, and offensive lineman Kevin Zeitler with a possibility

of earning the number two playoffs. See The Bengals played their regulars only to see Alex Kappa go down. There's no word yet the severity of his injury, but it obviously did not look good. Max Sharping, who has claimed off waivers just before the start of the season, took over at right guard. He started thirty three games in the past for Houston. Here are Ted Carriss and Joe

Burrow on the injury to Alex Kappa. Well, I've gotten a lot of credit this year, and I just want to make it clear that Alex Kappa is the singular force that drives this old line. He's like having another center on the field. He's my number one confidant and he's extremely talented, and that my heart broke when that happened.

I don't know the details. I have all the comments in the world in Max if that's what has to do going forward, but I just want to make it clear how much Alex means to this team, means this offensive line and to this offense. He's been a huge contributor and a big factor of our success this season. He's really been playing unbelievable all year. Kappa's one guy you love to be around, great locker room guy. Two unbelievable player, smart, physical, tough, everything you could ask for

in and into your guy. You know, I don't I don't know the severity of the injury, but you know, I have a lot of confidence in the guys behind him. Max has played a lot of football and you know he knows the stuff, so he's gonna have to step up.

But we got all the faith in the world. In a the Bengals lost l Collins with a knee injury two weeks ago against the Patriots, So after having the same five starters on the offensive line for the first fifteen games, it looks like they'll head into the postseason with Sharping and Hakim Identagy starting on the right side. 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. Joe Burrow told reporters after the game that he didn't play well and miss throws that he usually makes. He was twenty five for forty two. That's sixty percent for two hundred and fifteen yards, one touch down, no picks, and a passer rating of eighty one. The Ravens stuffed the Bengals running game, holding Joe Mixon to twenty seven yards on eleven carries and holding the Bengals as a

team to fifty five yards on the ground. Fortunately for Cincinnati, the defense was outstanding, coming up with two interceptions and two fumble recoveries. The deal allowed one touchdown but also scored one And I talked to the guy who came away with Cincinnati's first defensive touchdown of the year. I feel like I am now smoking a cigar inside the locker room. I'm standing next to Joseph Osai after he

just got a nice light from a teammate. You scored a touchdown the Bengals one or twelfth game of the year. Describe how you're feeling right now. Feeling great. You know last year I didn't get to experience these guys, just feeling with you guys firsthand. But I'm just happy. I do. Am very thankful. I'll go over to God. I won't be here without him. So Trey Hendrickson stripped the ball away from Anthony Brown. We saw how long your reach is as you reeled that ball in good serve. I

just I felt the ball. I saw him strip it, and I felt the ball hit hit my feet and I was just trying to scramble to find it because without trying to alert the other guy to the ball was on the ground too. So it was it was a bit safety, but I'm just gonna I was able to get it. I was able to. Really. Then, when did you score your last touchdown high school? My junior in high school. Um, it was a fumble recovery and I and I ran it in for a touchdown. We're

visiting the Joseph side. So with this win, you'll be back here next week against Baltimore in a rematch. How are you guys feeling about that? Um? Those got that. That's a tough team. All credit to them, all credit to their coaches. Um, they were down early and they stuck in there and they fought. So I'm looking forward to it. Man. It feels a lot better when you win when you work hard like that for it. So if it's gonna be a dog fight, we're prepared for it.

Were Um, we've been there before and we're to win. It was seventeen nothing as you alluded to, did the way the game ended with them at least sticking in it. Take anything away from the victory today, No, sir, win is a win in this league. They're a great team too. What what's the record? Ten and ten and seven? Then and seven? They're a great team too. It's hard to win in this league, especially in AFC North, and UM, every win you gotta be thankful for it, and you

gotta be appreciated for way, no matter how it comes. Ugly, beautiful, you gotta be happy of to win. And we're back to the drawing board and we'll see him again. Twelve wins ties a franchise record. An eight game winning streak ties a franchise record. How do you feel about the way you guys are going into postseason play? Let's make it thirteen love the sound of that. Break it. We're

tied right now, Let's break it. So with the events of the last week, everybody felt a lot better as the week went along, as we got good news about tomorrow Hamlin's recovery. But what was it like for you to take the field today? Um, you know, when it happened, it was darned on us how violent this game truly is. You have that you know in the back of your mind, and this is a violent sport. But seeing that truly manifested,

and it just made me more thankful. I don't know about anybody else but me personally, made me more thankful, more appreciative that at any point in time something like that could happen to me. But it hasn't. So I thank God for that, and I respect the game a lot more and every sense I get I gotta go out there and give it all I have because you never know when which one is your last. You know, you're saying what I'm saying. You gotta you gotta play hard for Damar and his family because he got the

game taken away from him. Now. We don't know yet if you'll get to play again, but just to get the game taken away from you like that, you just gotta be respectful of the game and appreciative of every chance you get, every opportunity you get. I've interrupted your celebration long enough. Congratulations, appreciate the time. That's Joseph Osid.

Bengals Booth podcast is presented by Alta Fiber future proof fiber Internet capable of delivering multi gigabit speeds because I had to take your home, business and community to a new level, elevate your connection with all to Fiber. This is Zach Taylor's fourth year as the Bengals head coach, and he has upped his win total every season, from two in year one to four in year two to ten in year three to twelve. This season, Zach spent four minutes with Dave Lapham after the game black Room.

There's a lot of cigar smoke in there. It is there's a lot of work that goes into this, you know, and I know we've got bigger first to fries we get into the playoffs, but to finish off with eight straight wins in the back half of the season to win the first time in franchise history back to back divisional games, most wins in franchise history twelve tied for that. These guys should take a lot of pride in what they coomplish her today. And this is a typical a

seen North football game. It's ugly. I haven't seen a pretty one yet. You just gotta find a way to be on top. And that's where guys did three and three in the division and you win the last three to do it nine and one against everybody else. That just proved how if this division is Yeah, it's it's a it's a tough division. We're a tough team and this team just keeps finding ways to win. At this point, we don't care how pretty it's going to be. We just got to be the ones to one on top.

Turnovers are always a big factor in this Baltimore Raven football team only had seventeen giveaways coming into this football game, Like second few us in the league. You got them for four today, two interceptions, two finals plus two fourth down stops which in my mind possessing done in the kick it's a takeaway. I mean, six of them. That's pretty impressive. Yeah, that was awesome. You know, they gave

the offense a great field position scored seven. You know, that was our first defensive such of the season, which is good to have. We needed that in this game. And so again they did a great job winning the field position battle for us and creating a lot of takeaways. That was good. So what is it that you told your football team after this game? I mean, you know, obviously they're celebrating like they should, but you got work. You have unfinished business. I guess work still to be done.

What did you tell them? Congratulated them again? How hard this is to do. And this is the cherry on top of the regular season. This is this is the best we could have done after the halfway point was win all eight of them and and find a way to come out on top of a toughest division all football. And so now you you after today, we put this one behind us. We don't know if it'll be a six day week or seven day week. Coming at us, but our guys will be ready to go whatever the

worst case scenario is for the Mangles. That's what the leg will do. It seems like because I mean, how big of a motivating factor was that coin tops bullcraft that went on. I think our guys did a great job handling the right way. They know that winning this game solved a lot of our problems. So that's what the that's what they focused on doing, and that's what they got done. Coach. I mean, as we talked about earlier,

I thought that the fans showed up today. I thought that it was a good moment where get back to normalcy as best you can. The fans celebrate the players to the players celebrate the fans. I mean, it was like a almost like a love fest out there, you know. I mean after what took place on Money Night, did you feel that? That's why Cincinnati's That's why we all want to be here, because we love our fans. We love this organization. The support is felt every single week.

I know that the fans love this team and what we're all about. It's really cool to see you've wanted eight in a road to end the season. This football team can get it done when they needed to get it done, where they need to get it done, can't they Yeah, it doesn't matter at this point where we play. We've we've heard it play at home. Can't wait to play this. This home playoff game atmosphere that we had last year against the Raiders was second to none. I

expect none, nothing less for this go around. Even more. We got the Baltimore Ravens coming in here. What more could you ask for to have a chance to end their season and continue ours? And so I know that the fans are gonna be turned out for this weekend. And finally, Coach, and appreciate your carving this time after the game last year, going through what you went through three game run in the playoffs going to the Super Bowl.

How much of a carryover is there from that when you start preparing for this particular playoff run or is it like forget all about that? This is a totally different equations. I think there's an understanding of what's in front of us, how hard it's going to be. The opponents that are left are all great football teams, and each week brings its own challenges. They're all gonna be tough. These guys are mentally ready for it, they're physically ready

for it. They're battle tested, they know what's in front of them, and I'm excited to see them operate. Congratulations coach, twelve and four AFC North champion, number three seed playoffs here we come. Awesome, Thank you. So here's how the playoff picture looks in the AFC. The Chiefs are the number one seed and get a first round by Buffalo is the two seed and opens at home against Miami. The Bengals are the three seed and host Baltimore. The

Jaguars are the fourth seed and host the Chargers. The Steelers just missed the playoffs after beating Cleveland twenty eight to fourteen. Still, after a two and six start, Pittsburgh wound up nine and eight, extending Mike Toblin's streak to sixteen straight five hundred or better seasons as this Steelers head coach. Now time for the radio guys recap lap. I'll be honest, I wasn't sure what I was going to get when we walked into the locker room after

the game. I didn't know if it would be celebratory. I didn't know if they'd feel a little disappointed. Because of the way the game ended, Clearly the mood was celebratory. I'm gonna stink like cigars for the next several days. The Bengals, you know, looked at the season as a whole and celebrated that the success. It's been. Twelve and four ties a franchise record for most wins in a season. They finished with an eight game winning streak. They head

into the postseason with a home game and momentum. You're exactly right, and you know, Zach Taylor, I think said it best. You know, an NFL season is hard. When you go twelve and four and you win your division, they should be proud, they should be celebratory. But a grizzel veteran like Ted Carroll said, you know what, I'm not real excited about how we played. I'm glad we won the football game, but you know, basically, and I'm

translating here, this is not what he said. But he wasn't about to go do cartwheels over it, you know, I mean he was he realized that it's going to be a different Baltimore team they faced next week, and he knows that they have to play better than they did in this football game. Particularly in the second half. I mean, the second half was man root canal surgery.

And you know they've had three games in a row now where they played the entire game and had one half of good performance and another half of not be at one phase of the other offense or defense. And so I guess the good news is you get a win, you go twelve and four ties of franchise record, win a division, all that good stuff, have home faild advantage in the playoffs. But you know, you still have a lot of work to do. So it's not like let's just roll our hats out there and we know we

can beat them. They know they have to play much better than they played today to beat the Baltimore Raven team that's showing up next week. Alex Kappa departed on a cart with a left ankle injury in the locker room after the game. He was there with his teammates celebrating, but he was on one of those little scooters keeping the left ankle off the ground. That certainly doesn't bode well for the round first ground of the playoffs. No,

it doesn't. In the way he was, you know, his fellow offensive line war you know, shaking his hand and saying some of the things they were saying to him. It was almost almost I don't want to speculate, but they knew the severity of it. Let's put it that way. They have an idea that he's definitely not playing next week. I think they know that for sure. And other than that, they'll be waiting for final news. I mean, I'm sure there's other MRIs x rays, all kinds of pictures that

they'll be taking. For all we know, they may not need to take anymore. They may already know. And I will give Alex Kappa credit. He was trying to keep the stiff upper lip as best he could. You know, he was smiling. He was very uh, you know, effusive in the praise of his teammates, and I mean it wasn't like, oh poor me, poor me. I heard him say a couple of times, that's football. That's football, guys. So in my mind, I've been involved in some of

that kind of situation. In my mind, that means, you know, I have no control over this, and it doesn't look like it's very good. I mean, that would be awful if he's out for the postseason, because he's got a Super Bowl ring with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, and he got hurt in the first playoff game and wasn't able to play in the Super Bowl. One of the reasons why he's with this team is that he saw that it was a contender and he wants to get back

and play this time. Yeah, and you look at it from an offensive line standpoint, first fourteen games of the season, plus you know you have your whole line intact. You lose your right tackle Collins, then you have a game that doesn't count, and then you lose your right guard.

I mean, so after going the entire season with the offensive line taken every snap together up until the very end of it, here the final two games where they played games, they lose their starting right side that they got in free agency who were playing well for him, callus in Kappa the Sea Brothers. I mean, that's a blow. If indeed that's the fact. Last year, the Bengals destroyed the Ravens offensively. Now, in the second of those two games,

Baltimore is ravaged by injuries. The Bengals were playing the B squad, but the first time around, the Ravens were largely healthy. In the two meetings this year, Baltimore's defense gave Cincinnati a lot of trouble. Joe Burrow through for two of his four lowest passing yardage games this year in those two games against Baltimore. I think it's I think it's a philosophy of defense. McDonald is a guy that he's not gonna let teams get over the top.

And they tried a few times, Joe Burrow trying to get over the top multiple times with various receivers, not just one receiver, multiple receivers, and there was always somebody there. There was nobody running wide open. There was one where maybe the ball was under thrown a little bit, put

a little bit too much air under it. But their combination of disguising pressures, they'll they'll put five, six, seven guys in the box and they'll only rush three or four, you know, and you don't know which ones are coming, and you don't know how they're coming with twists and

everything else. And they got consistent pressure with that. And but then at the snap of the football, they're dropping multiple people back and they're playing very deep umbrella coverage and then people had taken underneath stuff running under after the snap of the football, they have a good scheme. They really do. And McDonald I think he's grown to the job. I think he's gotten more confident as the season's gone on. I think his players are more confident

than him. He's more confident in them. They're playing much better football than they were in the beginning of the season. I'm impressed with what they've done defensively, and they are not going to be an easy football team to deal with next week in the playoffs. I can tell you that I don't want to tack your voice much longer. But do you think the Ravens head back to Baltimore feeling good about today, even though they lost by double digits. I think they feel like they learn some things. I

think they feel like we've got some intel. We've got things that we know that we can expand upon. Things we know we can take too, you know, the second level of what we showed. You know, there's always cat and mouse going on, and I've been there. When you play a team at the end of the regular season, it's the first one you face in the playoffs. I mean, you drive yourself nuts thinking are they going to abandon everything? No, They're gonna be who they are. They have an identity.

They're gonna do things they know they do well, but they're always tweaks, you know, a package to the second and third level, and what is that second and third level? And that uncertainty is what drives you crazy as you try to prepare and anticipate what they might be doing. So, I mean, what you have to do is just study, study tape you know of them all year of the progression and what they've done through the end of the season,

including your football game. And Frank Pollock established rules as best you can to recognize and communicate what they're doing and keep the rules as few and as simple as you possibly can. Fortunately, you're not on the road dealing with that crowd noise in Baltimore and having to deal with all that crap. So having the home field advantage I think is a big plus in that regard, you know, and that's where it's going to start, you know, particularly when you got guys you know that don't have any

just minimal snaps. The only snaps they have together at right guard and right tackle. So what took place today against the Ravens, you know, So, man, it's going to be a challenge for Frank Pollock and so all year long, it's been next man up, not just next next man step up. Next man's gonna step up big time in this one. I think if I'm the Ravens, I'm thinking we started our third string quarterback and his first NFL start.

We rested our best running back, we rested one of the best tight ends in the NFL, and we made him sweat and if not for short fields and a defensive touchdown, their offense didn't do that much against US. I think that boosts Baltimore's confidence heading into the playoff rematch.

I mean, yeah, when you look at it in the second half, three and out, two plays, fumble, eight plays, subtle for a field goal, three and out, three and out, four downs, lose the football three and out three to the last four possessions or three and outs, you have a four down stop. I mean they shut him down. They shut him down defensively. It it is going to be It is going to be a challenge. I mean, I think you won the football game, but I don't.

I don't think those guys were in there celebrating win against the Ravens like you said before. I think they were celebrating the entirety of the season, particularly after what happened Monday night. I think they're just saying, man, after we dealt with that, you know, we still won it. We still finished it. We did what we needed to do. We don't have to have a coin flip to decide where we're playing. We have a pretty good idea of who we're playing and where we're playing them. We just

don't know when. So um, yeah, it was. It was, particularly when I was looking at the offensive lineman and talking to those guys. I mean, I've been there. I know what that's you know, it's like you're you're content about a lot of things, but you know you may have lost a comrade, a comrade in arms, and that's never good, never a good feeling. So they were having an emotional tug of war. I could see it, I could feel it. I've been there. I know what it's like.

It sucks. 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. 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 defensive tackle BJ Hill.

If the Internet is accurate, your full name is Bobby Jean Hill Junior. Have you always been called BJ? Oh? Yeah? Um, this is always born. It was called Bjum Bobby, Um, my dad's that's his name. 't just go BJ. So how about on the first day of school when they're reading off names, did the teacher used to say Bobby Hill and your your schoolmates chuckle? They did even still to this day when people always did like, oh, your

name is Bobby, but yeah, my name is Bobby. But yes, that's why I go by go by b J. Yeah, we're doing fun facts with b J. Hill. Your mom was asked once to describe you when you were little, and she interrupted the reporter and said, he was never little. Did you always tower over the other kids? I did. I was always the big guy in the room playing sports too. I always stood out, you know, I was always I was always big. Everybody was just way way

smaller than me. Did you like it? I loved it, you know, I always came in handy playing sports, you know, just have a recess and stuff like that. I loved you were from Oakboro, North Carolina, a town of about two thousand people forty five minutes or so from Charlotte. Describe Oak Borrow, Um, it's a small town, hard working people who love each other. One real light. I think they might put two and just a couple years ago. But this is a great town that I love. The

supported me so much. U. I love going back. I love going back to elementary school there that I went to. I've going back to my high school that I went there. This is a great town that you you would love to live in. Oak Burrow is very proud of you. I believe Super Bowl Sunday was renamed B. J. Hill Day. Will you always go back always? That's mess my hometown for sure. I always got special place in my heart. Um yeah, I will always go back and get back

to my community there. You attended West Stanley High School, where you scored a thousand points in basketball. You played baseball. You remember the track and field team. You obviously excelled in football. When and why did football become the sport you emphasized like basketball is my first sport. And now I know, like my probably my sophomore junior year stopped growing. So I'm like, all right, I don't think basketball is gonna be before me. So I was like, you know what,

I think football. I think football is the sport. When it came time to pick a college, you chose NC State, about two hours away from home. Y NC State, UM just felt right. Um, the coaches there, UM, the recruiting classes there, we was recruiting it. It was just perfect, perfect time and perfect great group of guys. Um. I did grow up with the you know, the light blue school fan. I'm not gonna say in the name, but

it just felt right. I just fell in love with the coaches there and the culture and it just felt like more like home. Um. And she stays like more like a country type of vibe and that's what I grew up on. One of your college roommates was one of your current teammates, Jermaine Pratt. Were you roommates by choice? And why did you hit it off? Um? They just put us in the room. To be honest, We graduated at high school early and UM, January they drew us in the room. Four of us. UM, it just popped

off met him. So it was four roommates met him. Was on one side and the other two on the other side of the apartment. So it's just so it worked out. Man, it was perfect. I'm glad to be here with him. It has been great. So after four great years at NC State, you were drafted in the third round of the twenty eighteen draft by the New York Giants. Describe your draft experience. Um, it was awesome. Like, like I said, oak burw was behind me. It was. It was one of the biggest days of my life

for sure. Um, you know, just a great opportunity to go to a big city to show my talent. Um. Um, it was really a great experience. Emotional, No, I didn't get really emotional, but you know I was, you know, very excited. Um, Like my family is very excited. They just knew how much work I put in. I mean, I wasn't surprised because I knew how much work I put in to get to get there. So, as we mentioned, you're off to the big city, New York City. Might

it changed from two thousand people in oak Borough? What was that like for you? It was definitely different. You see this is way more. It's just way faster. Um, a lot of people, a lot of traffic, A big shitty I'm like, what is going on? But I just fell in love with I loved I loved the New York it was it was great. Uh the food there was amazing. Just going to city, take the train in or take the waterway, the boat over, it was, the ferry,

it was. It was great. The Giants have had some of the best pass rushers in history, Lawrence Taylor, Michael Strahand, and others. The team record for single game sacks by a rookie is held by you. You had three against the Chicago Bears. What stands out about that game? I was on fire. That game as one of the probably one of my best games. Um, I don't even say it was. It was a good game. I was just

on fire. Everything it was clicking. Um. I did hold the rookie record for the season, but somebody broke it I think two years ago. He's actually really a really good pass rusher. But yeah, it was great. Like I said, everything was clicking on the on the day. What's the opposing offensive lineman look like when you are torching him that badly? This is a long day for him. Man, it's when you get three Saxons and one day. A lot of people haven't done it, and I was fortunate

to be one of those guys that done it. It was amazing. So you spent three years with the Giants, you went through training camp before year four, and then just before the start of the season you got traded to the Bengals in August of last year. It's obviously worked out great for you and for the team, but that's a whirlwind situation. Was it difficult at first? It was because you're just leaving a place which that you knew for the last three years, you grew upon with

these guys on your D line. It was just doubt. That kind of sucked is knowing that you were leaving, Especially when I got told I didn't know I was going to first, and then when I found out where I was going, I was like, you know what Blues here, he's a d C. He he's seen me play before. Jemaine. I called him. He's like, man, you're not coming here. You're not getting trade. It was like, all right, you see the next day. Then I was like one of the flight the next day came here. He met me here.

It was like it was everything just worked out perfect, man, everything lined up how I was supposed to be. Just grateful to be here. Man. They gave me a chance to show my talent. Yeah, you had a great season. You were into contract extension, and in the AFC Championship game, you made one of the biggest defensive plays in franchise history. Down by eight in the third quarter, you intercept Patrick

Mahomes to set up the game tying touchdown. Were you surprised when you jumped up and the ball SMATs you right in the hands for that pick? I knew the ball is coming out fast a place, so I knew I had to get my hands up, just get my just get a tip if I want to call it, or a tip. That trade had been right behind me to pick it off. So it was a pretty cool play to make, especially in that time where we needed to turn over the get to start it. And it

was just a great play, great great timing. Right there after that play and after some of your other big plays, you do. The rock the Baby celebration is their personal meaning behind that. I'm a Russell Westbrook fan. Um. I just like the way he plays basketball, the way he dominates the way he you know, just go about the way he's stuff. And I see him do it, and when he does it, like it just likes to fire

in me. I was like, I like that, So I look, he stole it from him, not even looky hiki, I stole it from him, And um yeah, it's I just I just look what he does on the court. So while we're on the subject of celebrations, earlier this year, you tried to do the equivalent of a Lambeau leap at pay Course Stadium. I guess it's a jungle jump when it's in Cincinnati. It did not go particularly well. Is that harder than it looks it is. I'm gonna, you know what, we'll get it turned over. This week.

I'm gonna try it again, see see if I can make it. But it is, it is very high. Um, I was shocked out how it wasn't for I'm like, oh, I can make it anything. I don't think I'll be able to get up there. So what will be your technique if you try again? Well, you do more of a kind of a pull up move. I'm gonna tell somewhere to push me up there, give me up there. Help me out, have me throw me up there something all right? A few wildcard topics now for b J. Hill.

What do you like to spend your money on food? Like fancy restaurant food or buying stuff that you you know, prepare at home during the season. Fancy food all season. I like I like to grill. I like the going and grill a little bit. BJ Hell is a grill master just a little bit. Do you have a go to one of my favorite things that cooks that everybody loves my chicken wings? Like cook a little secret sauce I can't tell you about, but yeah, it's pretty good.

All right. I'm salivating just at the thought of it. You host a football camp for kids, a free football camp back home in North Carolina. What's your message to those kids? Um, just a dream big and that you can do anything you put your money into. You don't have to be football, You don't have to be any sports. It can be a teacher, it can be a fight to fight, it can be a police, whatever it is. I just like whatever you pig just be great at be successful, And you don't have to make a lot

of money to be successful. I think being successful is up to you. It's what you think successful of being successful is. And UM, that's why I tell them all the time, even when I do other little events back at home. I work with another another nonprofit that back at home I do a lot of work with. UM, tell them the same thing. UM, just just dream big and you can do anything you want. It's a great message. Final fun fact for b Jhill, and this one's kind

of deep. If you could meet anybody in history, an athlete, an entertainer, a statesman, who would that person be. Hmm, that's a great question. I'm gonna say my grandparents. I never met my grandparents. They're all past and I heard I heard a lot of great stories of how hard they worked, Um, what they did to provide for our family. Just just talk to them and just see how life was and like what they did to you know, profile

from my family. I'm sure they would be very proud of their grandson and the success he's had in the NFL. I appreciate your time. Best of leuct the rest of the year. Well, thank you, sir. That is Bobby gene Hill Junior. That's going to do it for this episode of the Bengals Booth Podcast, presented by Cattering Health, the official healthcare provider of the Bengals, by Bengals Picks and

Ultimate Bengals. They're free to play with tickets and signed merchandise up for grabs by Paycred, 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 more Bengals fans find us. I'm Dan Horde. Thanks for listening to the Bengals Booth podcast