Bengals Booth Podcast: Just The Two Of Us

Hi, get everybody, I'm Dan Horden.

Thanks for downloading The Bengals Booth podcast. The Just the two of Us addition featuring a very special conversation with rookie wide receiver Jermaine Burton and his mentor, former Bengals pro bowler TJ. Hushman Zada. The Bengals Booth Podcast is 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

It's the greatest.

Thing since a History of Rock Music in five hundred Soft that's the name of a podcast that started in twenty eighteen that I recently discovered and began listening to. The host is an Englishman named Andrew Hickey, and his research into the history of each song is simply mind boggling. Andrew is up to song number one seventy four, which is a two part episode about I Heard It through the grape Vine. I haven't listened to that one yet, but I've picked out a few songs that I like

So this pick means This pick means something to me as I've been training this kid for a long time and now he's going to be drafted by the Bingles.

So with the eightieth pig in a twenty twenty four.

NFL draft, the Cincinnati Bingles select Jermaine Burton, wide receiver Alabama.

That night, it struck me as a remarkable coincidence that the Bengals selected a player that Hushman Zada had been working with for four years, but it wasn't really a coincidence. Before the draft, TJ was among several people that the Bengals reached out to to learn more about Burton. Nobody questions Jermaine's talent, but there were some questions about his Adamude and Hushman's out to help convince the Bengals that

DJ.

Let's go back to draft night. You're waiting in the wings to announce the Bengals third round pick. Somebody hands you a card and you see the name Jermaine Burton, this guy you've worked with for the last four years. What was your reaction.

I was shot, man, I was shot because you don't expect any of that to happen. And so when I saw the name, I look at the car and I'm like, wait, wait, wait, ain't no way. And so I was backstage and I actually got video of it, me and Me and May got on FaceTime when I was backstage, and literally as I'm getting ready to walk out, I'm like, I'm gonna call you after I gotta go announce it.

Like it literally went that way.

And it's good though, because I I've known Maine. I actually met him when he he was at Calabasas Hogh, but we didn't really know each other.

We met, but I didn't really know him. He didn't know me.

Then he came out when he was with Georgia worked with me a day or so, didn't really know him either then. And then it was a couple of years ago where we really like honed in and spent a lot of time together and like I got to know Maine.

A lot, not not from a just as a person and as a man. You know, it's a time.

I mean, we didn't have conversations of things outside of football. So when I saw that, I was happy for him because we had to talk prior to the draft. You know, it doesn't matter where you go, it's what you do when you get there.

And Maine has a Maine is the first round talent, and everybody know that.

He know that he's the first round talent, and so if he plays up to his ability and his talent, the Bengals got a steal for sure. But yeah, when I saw his name, was shocked. Man, I couldn't believe it.

So Jermaine, let me go back to the timeline. Before the rest of us saw TJ on TV announce the pick, you had received the phone call from the Bengals and face timed him right.

Mm hmm, that's where life went down. Yeah. No, so I got the call and then TJ called me.

I got video.

I got video, like somebody from the NFL actually recorded.

Me talking to him and he sent me that video.

It's pretty like it's a pretty neat behind the scenes type of thing because he recorded it.

And yeah, it was crazy.

Yeah, no, they had they gave me the call and to be to be like, to be completely honest, of I wasn't even in the room with the rest of my family and friends. I was actually sitting Uh. I was actually sitting in the other room on the bed alone and I was just thinking to myself because I was just saying I was slipping, and it was just me like so much reality was hitting me at once, and I was like, this draft process is real, deal like and so all.

I could just think is just that, like, bro, like what Like?

I didn't know what was going on because I know my telling, I know myself, and I know who I am as a person. So when I was just when I was just slipping and you know, I'm seeing a lot of other guys go before me, it was just it was sparking a lot of hunger in me, honestly. So at that point, after past that second, past all that stuff, I didn't care if I went four, fifth, sixth, I didn't care anymore. I just wanted a team to

I'm like, bro, what they what they got going on?

Like I'm just sitting there this just mad at myself, like and out of nowhere. I just a I see the Cincinnati, Ohio number called me and I'm like what.

I'm like, bro, Bingles got a pick coming up? Like I'm like, hold on, bro.

Like so I sat up straight and I answered the phone and it was Zach Taylor and I was just sitting there and I'm just like, oh my God, like I'm like bet so.

Yeah, so this is where I'm at. You feel me.

I honestly feel like I couldn't have went into a better position. I just think it's crazy how God really works out things. And I don't care what pick I could have been anywhere first second or anything. I feel like if I would have known I was going to this team right here at that pick, I would have picked that from the jump, and especially after, you know, knowing what I know now and being here and knowing how this you know, team really operates an organization as

I'm blessed and you know, I wouldn't rather be nowhere else PJ.

Hearing him describe that weight, did that sound familiar? Obviously you had to wait even longer.

It's frustrating. But at the end of it doesn't matter, man, Like it don't.

There's gonna be some guys that were drafted in the first round that can't play.

We all know that second round the same.

But it's gonna be some guys drafted after Maine that everybody's gonna say, why didn't he get drafted higher? It's an inexact science. Jermaine's in the perfect spot. You would a quarterback that's one of the best in the league. You would you would a group of offensive coaches and Zach Taylor and picture that they understand how to put guys in positions to be successful. And so it's on you now, and so it's on Maine to make sure he's in a type of shape he understands the offense.

Like bow bow bow. I'm like, damn, you know this.

Already like, and so he was locked in as soon as they drafted and they sent him the playbook and no lock. We got on the field and he was able to line himself up and he had just got the playbook. So I said, okay, it means something like that. That right there showed me he was investing in himself. And so all he gotta do is make the plays. You got the quarterback, you got other receivers and Jamar

He's way faster than the forty times that he ran.

I don't know what he was thinking and what he was doing, but he's so explosive, he's big and so like he's one of the top receivers in the country coming out of high school. He was one of the top receivers in the country in college. When you look at his yards per catch, to me, it's where you go. And if you can go play with Joe Burrow, I would walk from Cincinnati to California if I could do that, or vice versas California. If I can't, Joe Burrow gonna

Yeah, and let alone and let alone, you know, despite the fact that you've been playing with Joe in a side guys like t and Jamar Like like when I tell you, this entire team is like, Bro, that's so it.

Bro, this whole team is amazing.

Like every person I met, every VET I met, was completely just welcoming and you know, just was just instantly just took me in and was like you know what's good, like we know, we happy.

To have you this worklet's this, this that, And you.

Know, honestly, I didn't expect that, like cause you know, going into the league, you go, you know, you expect some bets to like try to like on some freshman freshman you're a college type deal like, and it was.

Like, Bro, it was the complete opposite.

Like so I've got nothing but complete different vibes from everybody. So I'm actually I'm cool with some vets. Now, you know, we've to change numbers. We've talked about some certain things, and Bro, I didn't expect that not one bit at all.

I'm expecting some Vest to even just walk by like yeah, I'm like, man, but I ain't get none of that.

I'm walking by Vest, I'm like he not, he not, He's not finna say nothing. It was good little bro like this and that this, and that you need anything, holler at me. I'm like what, I'm like that, like okay, cool, so bro, everything and stuff like that.

Because the more comfortable I am with.

My team bro, the more comfortable I am playing so and especially after knowing everybody's ways, so I feel like it's different from when you want to feel with these guys. When you get to know their why too, and why they're playing and what their motive is, you know, it's a it's a different feeling because.

Now you know why they're playing.

Now you know that you got to stay on them too, because now you know their situation. So now you know that whatever this going on, this going on, they came

You need it.

So it's it's a complete difference in that and that makes a big difference for me as well.

So I just I've connected with this team on in ways.

I didn't think I was going to at a at so early, and you know, even though it's still so early, but you know, this is exactly the path I visioned I wanted to take, but I just didn't expect it.

So, Uh, everything's great, PJ.

When you announced the pick, you said, this pick means something to me. Are you invested in his success in Cincinnati?

He knows that.

Like listen, me and Maine have had conversations, like prior to the dread, Like I had a couple people call me and say, listen, I know you training your Maine. Uh, this is what we've heard and I'm not going to go into the team and I'm not going to go into what was what was said to me. And we had a conversation with this team. I did, and I kind of told him who I believe Jermaine and is a person and what they were saying, whether it was right or wrong, And so I told Mayine this, like, listen,

It's always gonna.

Remain respectful, but you know, the tone made raise here or there, and we had a conversation. And so when I said that, it meant something because we had just had this conversation about what people perceive you to be, whether you agree with him or not. Perception is reality, but you can change that perception and I'm gonna try to help you change that perception.

And for now to for it to.

Be with the Bengals, it was like, well, this is even better, and so that probably was it. Like it's what like I grew up a Cowboys fan, I'm not a Cowboys fan, Like the Bengals are my favorite team and that that's who I root for, and so I can root for the team that I root for it now and.

Really, really really genuinely.

Want to see Maine succeed because he's with a team that I root for and I'm personally knowing.

So it's no secret some of the things that were out there before the draft temperamental, maybe some maturity issues, things along those lines. Have you specifically tried to help Jermaine with that stuff?

We talk about like, aren't we all temperamental? Really, let's just be honest. Everybody's temperamental. Who was just even killed at all times? And so I don't I want an athlete that doesn't care. Can we harness you know that? Can we control that? If you can play sports at a high level, at some point in time, you have to be able to control yourself. So he can do that. And so I want somebody that cares. I want somebody when things aren't going the way they anticipate them to go,

Again, He's never never approached me that way, and so it was.

When teams do that, it's kind of disheartening because you you you are affecting somebody's future.

If you don't want to draft a kid, just don't draft them. But it's funny.

I met with a team not too long ago, and I said, man, it sounds really crazy and it's really.

Cocky, but it's not. And Maine knows. It's from the guys. There's not one guy, not one guy that I trained that hasn't gone to the league and done very very well. Not just okay, everybody that I've trained has done very very well.

Eventually I'm gonna get that one. But as of now, I'm bad in a thousand and it's really about me. It's the kids that I'm training are just so good they make me look good.

So, Jermaine, if my math is correct, you were six years old when TJ set the Bengals record for most catches in a season and went to the Pro Bowl one hundred and twelve catches in one season. Did you know anything about his career when you two guys started working together.

Yeah, I knew. I knew.

I knew quite a lot because you know him and Oho two really great receivers, and you know, it.

Was so much online about everything.

I used to see so many kind of videos and all kinds of stuff from practice to gain film and to interviews and even after I got training with him and stuff like that, Like I go home sometimes and I even look up some stuff like I want us, I want to know more and see more. And it was just funny because after everything I'm like looking up and after seeing the kind of player that he was, it just matched up with him so perfectly. I was like, Bro,

It's not always just football.

You know, it's not always just just oh, we're not just doing straight drills, just straight drills, just straight drills.

You know.

In between that, you know, we tend to take about five to ten minutes and we'll we'll talk real life sometimes, and you know, it's always good. You know, hear coming from TJ. Because TJ's been through a lot and he knows a lot. He knows a lot of people, so it's always some knowledge that TJ drops on you uh, other than football when training with him. So and it's a lot of stuff that we have shared and told tweet and like.

You know, spoke on.

But I'll lead that to the exclusiveness of just knowing TJ, because that's just you know, that's just how he is. And so it's a lot of stuff that you know, he's put me on Game two and told me and this and this and that that I never shared because, like I said, I just leave that up to this exclusiveness of knowing him and training with him. So you know, everything is just appreciated from him, and you know, we still have a lot of work to put in, tons

And I still.

Remember that day, you know, when I came there and he was, you know, telling me what was being told about me and you know, everything and what was being shared and he and the next thing.

He said after that was I'm going to help you fix that and like literally just like that.

And you know, we had another conversation after that, and that conversation really went far with me because it hit me differently because you you know how connected well connected TJ is. So when he's telling you something like this, regardless you like it or not, it's true. So regardless of how I felt about it, and regardless of what what what was being said, it was one hundred true. So I sat there and I was like, you know what,

And you know, this is a good.

Work that day, man, because it was what was you it was it was wrong. Yeah, we had it was a good work out that day, by the way.

It was a good work out.

So we put it out yoh yeah, but it's always good work man.

But yeah, dude, that that that that that that.

Day specifically meant a lot to me because that was the day that, you know, because after he told me all of that, his next words was, I'm gonna help you fix that.

Like we don't fix that like, and you know, that's exactly what happened. So it's all good.

I can hear in your voice that you appreciate somebody who shoots you straight mm hm. You don't want somebody to shutarcoat things, right, Yeah.

No, especially especially in the manner of this is what it is. Boom boom boom boom boom.

Now we're fixing it, not this, you know, uh nah famn, this is what's being said. This is what we're doing to fix it, like and that was just that. And that's how TJ is with everything he talks about, Like, he shoots it straight to you, and you know, it makes it easy regardless if you like it or not.

And I feel like the part that really helps you more is how he shoots it to you.

Because a lot of people could bring something to you and they could say it and go around this curve and about how they do it. With TJ, it hits you differently because of how straight up, how straight up it is, so that it strikes you more and it's like it makes you think about it more. It doesn't make you think about like I still okay, it's all good, Like it's not that bad. Like nah, it's like, bro, this is what's being said, like this is your future, this is your career, Like do.

You want to be looked at as this? Do you want this?

Like?

Okay, so now we got to change this, like and you know that that was the moment where I really accepted at the fact that what was being told and what was being said about me, it might not have been true to like to myself, but at the end of the day, if this is how people view you, this is what you're gonna be viewed as.

So regardless of if I was like, man, it's not you. I don't care, that's not me. That's not me. Bro, it's like, fam, Like what are you just gonna do to fix it?

So you know something, it is a bullet you gotta bite and you know, change it regardless if it's not, if it's true or not. And that was that's that was a maturean step I took, uh because you know, like I said, no matter what you just perception is the reality.

More With TJ and Germaine in a moment. But first, here's a quick reminder that the Bengals Booth podcast is 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 is the official

Mean Steve is a little more compact. Mains is a lot taller than than Steve, a lot taller. But the toughness, yeah, you know, because Steve ain't no punking Steve at all, and then you ain't punking Maine either, And so the the personality aspect of it, yes, the explosiveness, yes, it's.

Really hard to like.

Receivers are better man like when when you try to start comparing receivers to of today to receivers back back in the day.

The receivers are just better.

They're they're they're bigger, they're faster, they're better route runners or quicker, they know more, and so it's hard to really compare. Now you can the physical traits, yeah, the explosiveness, yes, I can see that. The the the personality of when the game starts, I'm gonna talk my and it don't matter if you want to talk back.

Then it is what it is. But I'm not I'm not backing down for sure.

And so that perspective of it with him and Steve and explosive it is. Yeah, we're out running a little different just because of the body types.

Right.

But as I'm saying this, I'm actually trying to think of who I could compare Jermaine. To give me some time, and it's gonna take some time for me to kind.

Of figure that one out.

It'll come to you at some point. I want to circle back to what you were saying earlier, TJ about Jermaine having the opportunity to begin his career with Joe Burrow as his quarterback. Jamar Chas and T. Higgins also part of the wide receiver crew. Your breakout season in the NFL was your fourth year when Carson Palmer got his chance to be the starting quarterback. Suddenly, you know,

I mean, I think is mutually beneficial both When I go back to.

My career, I was hurt a lot my first three years in the league. Hamstring and groins my first three years. And then Marvin was like, you get hurt again. He didn't say it in these words, but basically, you get hurt again, your ass is gone. And so I had to figure something out and it just so happened to coincide that I got Peter Ward broke he broke his leg, and when Doug broke his leg, I got an opportunity to play and the rest is history.

But a quarterback, it helps. But to me, football is a ultimate team game. When you have.

Eleven guys and then everybody's relying on each other, you have to have everybody doing their job at a high level. If it doesn't if the old line don't block, doesn't matter who the quarterback in the receiver r No, if I dropped the ball, doesn't.

Matter that the old line block.

Well, you know, if I'm open, the quarterback makes a bad throw or he makes a great throw on it. I mean everything that has to work perfectly in a game of football just to have a successful play.

And you want to do that snap after snap after snap. And so.

Between Mahomes, Joe Burrow, and Josh Allen you can mix and match. Ever, those are the top three quarterbacks in the league. If you can go into the league with one of those three is your quarterback, you're winning. You're a winning And so for Jamaine, he has a chance to change his family's fortune through the game of football, and he has a head start, a bigger head start than a lot of others, because you got Joe as

So, Jermaine, I've noticed in the first few practices that we've been allowed to watch, when the quarter come out to warm up, the four quarterbacks are off to the side before the team stretches. Even you always catch Joe Burrow's passes, his idea, your idea. How did that come about? And is there something to it?

Honestly, it's kind of funny because usually we'll go out there, the rookies will go out there, and we'll put through like a few drills before the rest of the guys come out. So I noticed that on a certain time. So we get out there at ten point fifty. I still don't know the exact time Joe and the other quarterbacks come out, but I know it's around the time that when we finish these drills, about like three to five minutes later, the quarterbacks are walking out and they start warming up.

So I was like, Bro, every time I see none walk on the field, I'm warming up with.

I was I'm the one that's catching this back and bro, because the ones that was catching the passes.

With the equipment guys. So I'm like, and you know, the equipment guys will put on glosondo stand right and now.

I'm like, oh, I'm I'm like, bro, hold on, let me, I got let me get I got that.

I got you gay like I got it. So yeah, I made it. I made it, you know, as standard to myself.

As soon as I see nine steps on the field, the warm up, I warm up with him.

When you hear that, TJ, what do you think.

Smart, Hey, you want that quarterback to feel comfortable throwing you the ball.

I mean it's it's very simple.

And so the sooner you can get that that feeling of comfort and that that trust, it's more of a trusting.

And the crazy thing is with with Jamar and t not being there you.

Used to, You're gonna build up trust a lot, a lot faster than you normally would. And so for his talent, gonna his talent is gonna carry it. You see that, you see the exposion as you see the size. Now it's building the trust of the quarterback, of the coaches, and your and everybody else, your teammates. Once you start to do that, now we're starting to run downhill instead of working up here.

Jermaine, I'm glad you mentioned coming out early because I've noticed that as well. It's you and Cale Burgess, undrafted wide receiver from Sunny Cortland where Dan Pitcher went to college. You two guys are out early every single time with the wide receivers coach Troy Walters, it looks like working on your releases. Is that what you're getting extra work on?

Uh? Yeah. Also I look at it, it's more more of a warm up. You know, I'm a rookie.

Uh, I want to go into every practice already ready. I want to go into every practice like as soon as something happens, I'm just.

Ready to go. I'm just ready to go. So, yeah, we work on releases.

Yeah, we work on this, We work on that, We work on some catching, but more so the fact I just really to me, it's just more of the move around, move around before we actually start practice, because whenever practice do start, I don't want to make it look like I'm starting like. I don't want to make it look like I'm just now starting like. I want to make it seem like I'm already, like I'm I've been moving like so when.

We're doing whatever and whatever, like you know, I just want to be.

Ready to go at all times, and I just want to show them that, you know, I'm just a guy that's ready to go, you know, from a from a energy standpoint, from a from a just mindset, standpoint.

I'm just I'm ready for whatever.

So you know that's why I'm able to just hurry up and just go over there as soon as Joe comes out and just catch passes from him, even though it's like twenty passes or fifteen passes, like, bro, whatever, how many, how many ever passes he needs the warm up because sometimes he needs fifteen, sometimes he will get twenty, like so whatever, I don't care, I need it all.

Got that, I know how, I know how he likes to throw the ball.

Now I know how what kind of quarterback he is now is so now that we got that feel out the way now is all right? Now we're into the playbook standpoint of how he likes stuff and how he does things. And he's a real detailed quarterback and a timing quarterback. Joe doesn't need to throw bullet passes because he's so detailed on timing that from split to depth to coverages that he's so detailed on timing that the ball is going to just be there based off time.

To be a bullet pass.

It's just boom goes to his progressive step, step drop back whatever, boom And yeah, he's amazing, bro, I'm not gonna lie. He's a he's he's wired different, and it's it's it's so, it's crazy, it's crazy.

I can't. I can't a lie to you.

A couple more questions before we wrap this up. You've had this relationship with TJ now for four years, but in recent weeks you've started a formal relationship with Chad Johnson as well. Has that added to your feeling of connectivity to the Bengals franchise.

Yeah, it was kind of funny because before he came out to practice the day before, I was on a scooter.

I went to Kroger because Kroger.

Sat I got like this little chicken in this little already heated up for you. You can just grab it and like feel me and go. So I went up there before bed.

Like it was like seven or something like that.

So I'm like, I'm like, I hopped on a little bird scooter, went up to the Kroger, and then I'm on my way back and like, as I'm pulling him to the hotel, I see him standing by this car.

Who is this?

Like, who did you sitting next to this? Rose Rory is like, I'm like did He turned around and he.

Was like what's up baby. It was like, you're like a pleasure man, It's a pleasure to meet you this that. I'm like, man, it's a.

Pleasure to beat you. Man Like it's good brod he like, And then we chopped it up. You know, he was telling me about his soccer tournament. He down here competing in for a soccer tournament for a million dollars and uh, you know, he.

Takes soccer real serious. Bro He's He's hilarious. You know.

I thought it was crazy to meet him in person. He told me he was gonna be at practice the next day.

Uh.

So I came home.

I made sure I put my jersey in my bag, and I was like, yeah, they signed him off, so.

But no, yeah it was great. You know. O Jo hopped in there and did a couple of drills with us, you know, and yeah, it was great. That practice was amazing. You know, that was a I didn't take that for granted.

I was enjoying the moment because I thought that was that was a moment for me.

TJ. Did his voice just sound like Chad to you?

It did to me.

Little bit when when Man got drafted, Chad literally he called me he was like, so you're training, tell me about him like he wanted, Like he don't ps. He called me and was like, tell me about him. So we actually got on the phone and I was kind of telling Chad about Maine, and so I mean, Chad alive.

This is me.

Uh, when you think of the Bengals, you think of a few people.

The first person you think of is Chad.

When you say the Cincinnati Bengals, everybody is gonna think Chad first.

And so.

When I think Cincinnati or anybody says the Bengals, they always think Chad.

I don't call Chad Ocho because I just I can't do that. I call other people will refer to him as Ocho. But you think Chad, and then you probably think me. And so.

That to me when when man got caught, he called me tell me about it. And so then for Main and a meeting, we both gonna try to give him all we can give him. I'll spend a lot more time with Maine and Chad will, but I'm gonna try.

What is your biggest piece of advice for Jermaine for his rookie year in the NFL.

Oh, that that's very simple. Man. Effort. We can always control that. Always control the effort we give.

We may not like the results or what comes from it, but we always give it.

Are off, we give it, are off, We walk out with our heads. Oha. I love it.

This has been awesome. I really appreciate you guys taking time to do this with me. I know Bengals fans are really going to enjoy it.

Jermaine.

We're so excited to have you in Cincinnati being part of this franchise. And if you have TJ. Hushman Zadat stamp of approval, which you obviously do, then we know the Cincinnati Bengals got a great wide receiver in this year's draft. Yes, sir, take care, guys, Thanks again.

Gonna make it happen. We gonna make it happen.

As soon as Mini camp over with, we gonna get back to work. So y'all, no worries, Yes, Erski, no care.

That's going to do it.

For this episode of the Bengals Booth Podcast 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 is the official healthcare provider