Bengals Booth Podcast: Sledgehammer

and analysis from my broadcast partner Dave Lapham. Then, in this week's fun Fact segment, will hear from the Bengals player whose first name means belonging to God in Hebrew, a name he was given after nearly dying in childbirth. The Bengals Booth Podcast is brought to you by Bengals Picks and Ultimate Bengals The free to play with tickets and signed merchandise up for grabs. Find both inside the

Bengals app. 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 my friend and mentor Sean mcdonnaughh I was in Boston to broadcast the Fenway Bowl over the weekend and had the opportunity to have dinner with one of my closest friends dating back to our days as students at Syracuse University ESPN, Sean mcdonnaugh.

If you conducted a poll of working play by play announcers, the people that do it for a living, and ask them to name the best in the business, Sean would be at or near the top of the list. Nobody in the industry combines humor and information better than Sean. My wife Peg describes him as the funniest person in any room that he's in, and that quick wit is on full display whenever he's behind the mic. But Sean has all the skills that make up a great broadcaster.

He's an outstanding storyteller, understand strategy and can explain it to the view has a flair for the dramatic, and always nails the big moments. I had some great professors at Syracuse, but I learned more from Sean than any of them. He's been a great mentor and an amazing friend. Now let's get to the highlights from Sunday's epic comeback

in Tampa. The official name for a baby goat is a kid, and that seems appropriate today here in Tampa, where the NFL's forty five year old gat faces a twenty seven year old prodigy whose career is off to a remarkable start. It's Brady versus Burrow, the goat versus the kid, and it's time for the pigskin to fly here in Tampa. Bengals have it first and ten at the forty of Tampa Bay, first drive of the game

for either team. Play action fake in AATs deflected and it is he intercepted by Davis at the thirty yard line of Tampa Bay. The Buccaneers will go for it on fourth and goal from the one. Brady in the shotgun, four net motions from the kibi's right to his left. Brady catches the ball he's back to throw he's looking, throws toward the end zone. Talk for the touchdown in the back left corner of the end zone by Russell

Gage burst and goal from the five. As the Bucks look to add to their ten nothing lead, Brady takes the snap, throws a screen out to the left, Godwin to the goal line, touchdown Tampa Bay. Three seconds left, so the half will end on this forty one yard field goal try by Evan McPherson. The snap Crispin puts it down. McPherson's kick very high. It is good. So the half comes to an end with the Bengals picking up some momentum. Trent Taylor Bactor return at the twenty three.

It's a fake and it blows up the Buccaneers as the punt protector Chiovanni Bernard had trouble fielding the snap. I think he was confused by it and had to fall on the ball. The Bengals are going to take over in the red zone and the Tip Bay Buccaneers punt team is looking at each Chuggle like, what are you kidding me? Brady bouncing in the pocket his throw hen steff dead after thirty one nice picked up by three flowers. He gets up and starts running it back.

That's just to celebrate, though I believe he was touched on the ground after the pick. Burrow catches the shotgun snap, forced to scramble right running backward. Penalty flagged down. Burrow way back and he gets sacked from a twenty six yard sack all the way back to the fifty. Devin White and Anthony Nelson bring down Joe Burrow. Let's see what the flag is? Yeah? Wow? Billow? Who major League Billow? An automatic first down instead of a twenty six yards sack.

Burrow waiting for the snap from Carrot, Joe has the ball, fakes to Mixon from the pocket, throws into the ends. Higgins, running along the back line, makes the catch for the Bengals touchdown. Brady, tapping both sides of his helmet, points out where the middle linebacker is Logan Wilson right over the center started to come. Brady looking to throw. He's

a tables. Wilson's got him. The ball comes out and the Bengals, grabbing at the thirteen yard n yes third down and goal from the three, trailing by five points to forty eight left in the third quarter. Burrel ready for the shotgun snap. Joe catches the ball from the ten, throws to the end zone. Boy goes to the ground. He's got it. Touch down the Bengals. Boyd with an emphatic spike as Joe Burrow delivers the touchdown pass. I'm third down and goal from the three. He takes the snap,

He'll hand it out for that bumbles the football. It bounces into the middle of a scrum at the forty yard Bob Logan Wilson says they've got it. Von Bell says they've got it. The Bengal real Burrow in the gun, mixing to his right, Chase out to the left, Boyd out to the right. Burrow, looking his throw put by, Chase heads for the end zone touchdown. Bengals Choe Burrow with his third touchdown pass of the second half, and the Bengals have a chance to go up by ten

and they in Jamar. Chase ran right through Keyan O'Neil. I mean just ran right through him. Hooked up. Neil went to hit him and Chase his now baby nah empty backfield for the butt shotgun snap. Brady retreats looking left, gets crushed as he floats it down field. The Bengals think it might be an interception. Get hit the grow HiT's an interception. Lap they're rulling it an interception? Really, is that your main Pratt? Yeah, it's Pratt hit the ground.

Oh no it didn't. I thought he hit the ground to hit his arms. That's an interception. But he's touched right there. Burrow stomps his left foot or receiver goes in jet motion. They fake it to Mix and Wilcox to the five to the goal line, hit his hometown Betchell. Wilcox stores a touchdown have the Bengals put it away

with two twenty one to go. Tom Brady threw a touchdown pass with forty nine seconds to go to make the final score look a little more respectable for Tampa Bay, as the Bengals won by eleven thirty four to twenty three. Prior to that game, when Brady had a lead of seventeen or more points at home, his team's record was eighty nine and zero. You can update that to eighty

nine and one. It was a remarkable turnaround. On their first four drives of the game, the Bengals had a tip ball interception, followed by three straight three and outs. After each team had had the ball four times, the Bucks had outgained the Bengals two sixty one to thirty six, but beginning with her two minute drill at the end of the half, the Bengals next seven possessions went field goal, field goal, touch down, touchdown, touchdown, hunt, and then touchdown.

Te Higgins scored the first of those touchdowns, and I talked to him after the game. See, you want to come back from seventeen nothing to thirty four consecutive points. What was it like for you guys out there today? First half was tough, especially offensively. UM. Defense, they they was moved a ball on our defense. Um, you know, the first and the first turnover and then the was it three or four three and outs? That hurt? That

hurt bad. That's not who we are. UM. And then you know, we came in a halftime, you know, talked it over, see what we had to do to execute the game plan. We came out in the second half. He was able to do it. This team is really battle tested and it show you had a touchdown catch, Tyler had a touchdown catch, Jamar had a touchdown catch. Mitchell Wilcox had a touchdown catch. Just a great example of all of the weapons this team has. And Joe uses I want to say, that's the first time I

know all three of us had a touchdown in one game. UM. Then Mitch coming home to his hometown is scoring. Man, That's that's amazing. UM. But yeah, man, Joe was able to find us all and you know, put us in a great position to the score was it amazing to be on the sideline when the defense was taking the ball away from Tom Brady in that offense four straight

times in the second half. Yeah, man, it was crazy. Um, you know, I'm sitting on the sideline like trying to you know, trying to catch my breath and stuff, you know from the previous drive. And the next thing, you know, we're back on the film like all right, they gotta go back out there. But you know, Hans out to the defense man going out there and get four turnovers, you know on you know, one of the best quarterbacks, if not the best quarterback to do it. Um, it's

you know, it's amazing. Brady was hot early. Could you just figure we just have to stick with it eventually we'll get going. Yeah. Man, we just had to stick to our plan who we are, and man, it all played out perfectly for us. You know, defense came in, came came big, um, and you know our offense was able to go out there and um, you know score and we played kind of merry football. That's you have initial six straight wins, solo possession of first place in

the AFC North. How does that sound? It sounds good, man, But it's still still a lot, a lot more work to do. We've got a tough team coming up there in Foxborough, so we gotta gou out there and you know, do we do in execute the game plan next week. Appreciate your time. It's always thanks to Thank you. Joe Burrow finished twenty seven for thirty nine. That's seventy four percent for two hundred yards, with four touchdowns, one pick, and a passer rating of one oh four point six.

Brady through for three hundred twelve yards and three touchdowns, but he had two interceptions and lost two fumbles, with a passer rating of ninety two point two. One of his interceptions came after he got leveled by Joseph Osay. Dave Lapham caught up with him in the locker room. Defensively, what did you guys talk about at halftime? Was it just cleaning a couple things up? Do you make big adjustments? What was the deal at halftime? You came out in

the second half and suffocated them. We did exactly where we talked about turnovers wins games, and at the end of the half there our offense was rolling, so we knew they're finally you know when they get their rhythm going. They're unstoppable. So our goal was to get them the ball, whether it's with stops, turnovers, and um, it just so happened. It was turnovers. Five possessions in the second of first

five possessions, two interceptions, two fumber recoveries. They botch a punt um where you know it goes down as a fourth down stop. But that's another possession that doesn't end with a kick. Five straight possessions. Have you ever been part of that? I've never seen that. I never have and that is great. Um, that's that's kudos to coach lou the coaches figuring out what we need to get adjusted.

That's the that's kudos to the players listening to that and executing it because you know, I'm just you can call whatever you want, but if the players don't go execute, it's nothing. So that's Uh, that's the whole team defense and goods up to us bunkering down and settling down as a family once again. Um, next man up. You guys have done it all year long. Uh, there were guys.

Sam had an injured injured calf. You got Hendrickson, you know that has the broken wrist from the back end defensive players are going down to injury, and Kim Taylor Brick goes down with the shoulder problem. You know, everybody just steps up and assumes an additional role, expands the role. What is it about this football team where everybody just has that mindset. It's it's because we care about each other so much. And when you see a guy go down, um, you don't want that guy to be down, So you

want to play for him. You want to step up for him, you want to make him have peace of mind that you know, just because he's out, he's not letting a team down. So UM, that's just what it what it speaks to just um, the love we have for each other, winning to play for each other. The next guy knows that, and if a guy goes down, he knows, um that he has that peace of mind that we have his back. This defensive football team and

team in general, is it the closest you've ever been around. Absolutely, And we just keep getting closer every day through um. And it happens through battles like this. You know, I mean, things and things aren't it was going to go away, and obviously things are gonna go away. And we were able to gel together and that just you know, adversely, Bill's bonds and that's exactly what it's done today. Heck of a job out there, man, And I know it's not easy playing with what you're playing with, and a

bunch of you guys are toughening it out. I mean, it's that time of year, December football. Everybody's beating up a little bit, right, Zamba football. But you gotta buckle down, yes, sir. The Bengals Booth 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. As you heard in the highlights, the Bengals final touchdown was scored by Tampa native Mitch Wilcox, who also played college ball in Tampa at the University of South Florida. How awesome was it to score your first NFL touchdown in your hometown where you played your college football. That's pretty dank cool. You know, this great moment, you know, try to spike it as absolute hard as

I could. Um, I think it went in the stands and we're not getting back bets all right, when did you know you were going to be one of the coin toss captains today? Uh, you know, Zach told us shortly before the game, and Kappa and you know, just really really cool for as a gesture for me to walk out there, you know, just being a type of a native and you know, and it was awesome, awesome moment. Who is here to watch? Uh, sixty plus sixty seventy plus, so a lot of people friends and family and great

great support. Um, you know, just unbelievably thankful for them. Describe the touchdown. It looked like a very well conceived play for that situation. Yeah, I know, kind of a late league. Um. You know, we've been running running a lot of run plays where I stick out on the defensive end and you know, um late league designed lake lead and uh, Joe put it on me and ran ran for the rest. So is there a ball in that locker somewhere there is? Yeah, definitely congratulation, Thank you

very much, appreciate it. Just to clarify, Mitch didn't get the ball after his touchdown catch because his spike bounced into the stands, but he was given a game ball by Zach Taylor. Speaking of Zach. He spent four minutes with Lap after the game. I've never seen anything like that. Five turnovers and well, two interceptions, two fumble recoveries, and then the box which goes blowing fourth down but doesn't

end them a kick. Five possessions in a row. Crazy, Yeah, great job by our defense, special teams, Great job by our offense finishing off those drives. It's really you know, at halftime we're done, seventeen to three. There's no panic. There's a sense of calum knowing that we're gonna have plenty of opportunities and we just went out there and created them. Really and really proud of the job that the coaches and the players did there in the second half.

I think thirty one points on about one hundred and fifty yards offense because, like you said, the short fields, but you finished it, you know, you took advantage of it and just flipped it, flipped that football game. Yeah, that's just take advantage the opportunities you're given. And it's not always going to be pretty. It's a team that that won a Super Bowl, you know, two years ago, and they've still got a lot of those players. They

know how to win their tough team. They could very well win their division to make a running the playoffs on their side, and so for us to come down here and handle some adversity on the road. Really proud of the effort of our guys. December Football. Sam injures that calf during the course of the game. Cam Taylor Britt was some sort of a shoulder injury during the course of the game. But guys, as they've done all year for you, next man up, guys step up, expand

their role. Yeah, that's the effectation. Nobody wants to be the week link. When guys opportunities are called upon, they take advantage of them. Are rosters really strong right now? From top to bottom. We got belief in everybody, and so I was really proud of those guys had to step up so offensively, what I mean, Joe Burrow throws four touchdown passes in the second half. What are you most proud of though about your football team? Like, like you said, there was no panic, it was all poised,

all composure. Is that a contain interesting? I think our defensive special teams made some great plays to put us in position. Offensively, we stayed calm, They threw a lot at us. We solved the problems as it came to us, and when the receivers got the balls in their hands, they made the plays that we need him to make, and that was that was critical to get a win like this on the road. What did you say to

your football team at halftime? It was it poised composure comm at halftime as well that we had not played up to our standards and we're gonna get plenty of opportunities in the second half, and it was going to start with our defense coming out strong to get us some momentum. And that's exactly what they did. How big was that field goal drive that you went on right before halftime to go in with a little bit of momentum.

It was good. We just hadn't had a first down and seemingly forever and since the first drive really, and so we just needed to feel that momentum a little bit. So that was good to get this points on the board before halftime. The first drive, you wouldn't faced third down you're moving the ball, and first down the tip of damn thing and another tip ball interception. It's crazy how many of those have occurred. But I mean, you were slicing and dicing and pretty good there in that

first drive. Yeah, we had a good of them, and that's just going back to getting the first first down. Once we get that first first down, we're rolling. We went four straight three and outs after that, and that causes a little bit of problems for the offense and then the defense has got to go right back out there, you know, and that that probably aided in some of

the struggles that they had. And coach finally, uh, first place, you have a you have a game lead now with three games to play, doesn't change the way you approach anything. It's one and all. As many times you can go one and all. Right, Yeah, we're just gonna worry about putting together right plan going on the road in a tough environment, and so we'll take a quick nap on the plane and get ready for a short week here. The Raiders ended up coming back and beating the Patriots. Uh,

that's that's that's that's pretty interesting. But as we know Bill Belichick, that's an opportunistic football team. I think they have I think they've scored on five returns or something. I mean, typical of what they're about up there, I guess. Yeah, they play really good team complimentary football, and I've seen them went on a punt return. I've seen him one on defensive touchdown. So played him enough times. Know that you got to be at your best and be ready

to go on a tough environment. All that matters is what we do next. We don't have to worry about anybody else. We just got to focus on ourselves and have a chance to put this one quickly behind us and refocus on again a tough road opponent next week. As Lab mentioned, next week's opponent, New England, lost to the Raiders, and it was on one of the craziest final plays in NFL history. Here's how Bob Socy called

it on the Patriots Radio network. Now, at a third and ten three seconds left, Jones will give it to Steven Sandy started Rod. He runs it up the middle, hippy Chandler Jones slips and hit across the forty five. We're a stiff arm off at tackle of the forty he lost the football and Jacob me Meyers picks it up. He circles back and he throws it across the field. Trip.

Oh my god, just picked up my Chandler Jones. He breaks away to the thirty he runs to the twenty, he runs to the ten, He run to the aude th touchdown. Raiders night. This might be one of the dumbest teams I've ever seen. That final dig came from former Patriots quarterback Scott Zolak. A Boston Globe headline called it the dumbest play in the history of the Patriots,

who are now seven and seven. New England is the eighth playoff seat in the AFC, and keep in mind, only seven teams get in, so the Bengals will be facing a desperate opponent in Foxborough. 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.

I don't know it for a fact, but I'm thinking that is the first time in Tom Brady's twenty three NFL seasons that a defense took the ball away from his offense four straight times. An unbelievable performance by the Bengals defense. I don't think I don't remember ever seeing four consecutive possessions at any level turn the ball over. I really can't remember seeing that. Maybe I have, maybe it's happened, but particularly with an offense that's being led

by that guy, I mean, you don't expect that. And then the fifth possession was a botch kick, botch punt that you know, they ended up messing up a call and the thing ricochets off to you if Varnie Bernard's helmet and that doesn't end, that possession ends without a kick, a punt, extra point of field goal. So I mean, five possessions in a row. It's mind boggling. It really has never seen it before. I'm scrambling to flok at my own notes. Here we go. The Bengals had the

ball six times in the second half. Their average drive start was the Tampa Bay thirty seven yard line on six possessions. It's crazy. I mean, what they have like a little over one hundred and fifty yards offense with the with the scores that they had in those five turnovers, those five possessions, I mean, it's it's absolutely crazy. And they left some points on the field too, you know. I mean, but I think the field goal is big.

Right before the half just to get a little bit of momentum, you know, move the ball some to see if first down happened, because they had three or four or three and ounce in a row and they just couldn't. They couldn't get in rhythm. That got them in rhythm a little bit. And halftime I was asking people, you know what was talked about at halftime totally ploys, composed, nobody was losing their mind. It was just, look, you know, we know what we can do. Let's just take advantage

of our opportunities. And the defense gave them opportunity after opportunity after opportunity. It was absolutely nuts. Not a huge yardage game for Joe Burrow, partly because they didn't have to go that far to score touchdowns, but four touchdown passes, all in the second half, and nothing came easy. I'll give the Bucks credit. When it got into the low red zone, they were really tough, but Joe managed to find guys to score. They did. They did a good job.

Their defensive backs were very, very physical ten yards in the ten yard area, coming off the line of scrimmage, even in the five yard area, I mean, you're allowed to put your hands on receivers so they would do it past the five yard area, but then they'd pull off and the officials weren't looking until the very end, so they weren't calling it. And I had to be frustrating to Jamar Chase and other guys Tee Higgins and there.

I mean, it's ridiculous the advantage that they allowed the Tampa Bay Buccaneers defensive backs to have and credit them. It wasn't me and called. So they continued to do it, and they did it over and over and over again, and they were taking, um, you know, taking some plays away from Joe Burrow and his White House. No doubt. I mentioned to Jamar Chase that it was quite the

duel between he and Carlton Davis. And I must have given Davis a little bit too much credit because Joe is having no part of that considering what he felt where the number of times he was held. Yeah, I mean, Jamar was he was grabbed. And I will say though that Davis is a physical guy to be able to. You know, even if you do grab Jamar Chase, he usually just overpowers you. But they they had a plan and they stuck to it. Defensive backfield coach and their

defensive coordinators like, look, let's do it. If they call it every once in a while, so be it. You know, we will probably come out on top. I don't think they called it once. I don't remember a defensive holding call like that that should have been called when they were grabbing guys during the courses are out like that. But you know, I think now that can all be sent to the league office for a review and hopefully, you know, they'll be warned about it and look for

it and all those kind of things. So I don't think it's going to be something they're gonna have to deal with week after week because basically it's illegal. They got aware of it. So this team started going two. They were four and four when they got their rear ends kicked on Monday Night football in Cleveland. Now they're ten and four in a loan, in first place in the AFC North, with a lot of confidence, in a

lot of momentum. Six wins in a rows, like we talked about before when it was at five, it's hard to do at pe week level. In the NFL, it's really really hard to win six in a row, and I think it's harder to win six in a row in November and December, because that's when teams are figuring out who the playoff teams are and they start to play a different brand of football and they start to get in a rhythm and to sink a little bit better. They just teams improve. I mean, most teams are a

different football team in November than they're in September. And sometimes it's due to getting guys back from injury, and teams get worse, you know, lose players to injury. But this football team has been able to just stay very nice. Even Keel continue to improve. The aircraft went up every single week, and here they are playing their best football at a great time. Let's talk about the injuries. Sam Hubbard hurt his calf. He exited the locker room in

a walking boat, probably precautionary, but nonetheless. Hendrickson's out with a wrist injury. Hubbard's at least was out today with a calf injury. Mike Kilton had a pretty aggressive pregame warm up, so that boat's well for him. But they've got to try to survive some time here without some of the really good defensive players. Yeah, Janeln Davis broken thumb. He didn't play Trey Hundricks broken wrist. He didn't play. I will give Tyler Boyd a lot of credit playing

with that dislocated finger. That had to be very painful because it was not your you know, your ordinary dislocation. It was a compound where the bone came out of the skin and now they're worried about effects and they have to surgically put it back into place. And he was blocking and trying to he was keeping that hand down and they're be doing a good job blocking with

one hand. I dude is a tough guy and a hell of a football player, and I know his teammates and his coaches really respect and appreciate what he gave him out there. And that's that's what this football team is about. To me. When I look at guys that step up and the next man up kind of thing, I don't want to be the guy. I don't want to be the guy that lets this team down. So they're playing at such a high level for individually, collectively

every way they can. I expected more giddiness when I got to the locker room after railing from seventeen down against Tom Brady. It was pretty business like, considering that the nature of this game. Yeah, I think I think they were a little bit hacked off about the way they played in the first half and rectified it. But it was like, that's what we should have been doing, you know. It was almost like, this is what we expect that this is what we anticipated bebe we arrived

at it in a different way. But you know, we have other games to win and this is just one of them. Said they beat Brady, now they try to beat Belichick on Christmas Eve. The killer bees Brady and Belichick and Belichick is he is a different greta catboy. He will have a defensive game plan that will look totally different than anything the Bengals have seen all season long.

He just at this stage of the year or two, particularly November in December, when you're playing for playoffs, I mean in September and even into October, he's still seeing what his team can and can't handle. But then once he realized and determines what they can how much they're capable of consuming, man, he will throw everything at you. And uh, it's really going to be a challel for this offense to recognize, communicating and get on the same page. It will be a short week for both teams since

next week's game is on Saturday, that's Christmas Eve. 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 Bengals offensive lineman La Elle Collins. Let's start with your first name, La Apostrophe El. Share the story of what it means and why you were given that name. So my name means it's Hebrew. It means belonging to God. We have an l tradition in my family. Everybody name starts with the nail, except my

brother because he's a junior. And you know, my mom and my grandmother came up with it. I read that it was attached to a difficult childbirth. Well, when I was born, I came out with the umbiblical car wrapped around my neck and uh, you know, doctor was the doctors was just amazed that, you know how I was still functioning right and breathing, and but they quickly got that from wrapped around my neck and h you know it was it was a great day. It was my

mom's birthday, so it was a special day. Your mom sounds like quite a character and a remarkable woman. Describe her and some of the things you got from her. She is a wonderful woman. You know, I can't be more thankful for being raised by such a strong woman. I mean, she taught me, you know what hard work looked like, just through her actions each and every day, you know, working howevery many jobs it took just to take care of me and my brother and my sisters.

And you know, she did a fantastic job. And now she's retired and I get to take care of her. Ellen reading up about you a little bit, I would admit this caught me by surprise. You are an eagle Scout. Typically I think of like a punter from BYU being an eagle scout. But that's not easy. You've got to earn twenty one merit badges, you have to do a

service project. Is that a big point of pride for you? Absolutely, because you know, during that time, that was like the first thing I was kind of a part of before I got into sports. And my mom she just kept us involved in different things to you know, just give us some some exposure and you know, just trying to put her kids in the best best position to win. And you know, as I got older, I kind of you know, I was kind of like, uh, you know, I don't know if I want to continue to do this, Mom,

I want to just focus on sports. But she made me stick with it, and you know, I'm I'm faver grateful for that. A big accomplishment to your teammates and coaches. Now, I don't I don't know, I'm not sure, but it's it's definite me out there. We're doing fun facts with Al Collins. You're a big man, sixty four three fourteen pounds on the roster. Were you always that kid who dominated over you know, everybody in the back of the class photo? Oh? Yeah, you know absolutely. I was always

the big kid in class. And I didn't realize I was always a big kid in class until you know, we used to have to line up from chartest the tallest, and then I started to realize, you know, while I was at the back of the line. Every time. You're from Baton Rouge, Louisiana. You stayed home to play college ball for LSU. Was it a childhood dream to be a Tiger? You know, Honestly, I didn't grow up like

a big football fan or anything like that. Um, you know, I started playing football which it was a great story. I had a little cousin by the name of Peewee, that's what we called him as his nickname, and he was the smallest guy in class. So one day he came up to me and he asked me if I wanted to play football, and I was like, yeah, you know, I love to play football. Used always play outside of the pe but I never knew anything really about it. And you know, I went out there for my first practice.

I never forget the first time did a drill. I got hit in the stomach and I was like, whoa, this is what football is. I don't know if this is for me. And then you know, my coach kind of told me like, hey, you gotta get you get low. You know, low man wins, and you know I quickly figured that out, and you know, it's something that you know, changed my life all the way from just my little cousin acting to me if I wanted to play football,

And now here I am. You know, I don't even know how many years years ago that was, but here I am. And you know, I'm very fortunate to be able to be in this position. So the Bengals have your cousin Peewee to thank for you wind up by being a football player. When you were in high school and in college, you blocked for former Bengals running back Jeremy Hill. He turned pro year before you did, And I read that while you were still at LSU you came up here to visit him while he was with

the Bengals. What do you remember about the visit and did it feel like you were coming full circle when you joined Cincinnati this year? Absolutely? You know, I remember just you know, being super excited for my buddy. You know, I was there the day got drafted to the Bengals, and I just remember the moment of joy, excitement, everything like that, and coming up here to visit him, and

just remember how cold it was. I think it was probably the coldest place I had ever been at the time, and they were playing Jacksonville and I was sitting right by the tunnel actually, and you know I've seen him busts a long run right up the right sideline and he took it to the house, and you know, it just gave me, you know, a very great feeling, because you know, I mean I remember walking in you know, my eighth grade year, well, going into my ninth grade year,

my eighth grade summer, UM, and he was already you know,

working out and everything like that. And I remember going to going to work out with him and he was benching more than me at the time, and I was struggling with the way and he was helping me out, and you know, just over time, you know, um, you know, it was just you know, it's it's a very special thing because when I look back at it, you know, I never in a million years would have thought I would have been playing here, and here I am, and you know, this is this is a great place to be.

What was the best part about your college experience at LSU. I would have to say, you know, it's so many great, great things that that I experienced in college. Um, but you know, going to the national championship my freshman year, that was a one of the one of the best experiences, UM. Coming straight out of high school going joining the ls of Tigers and you know, not even playing much. I played.

I played little bit my freshman year, but you know, in that type of game and that type of environment, just to see, you know, what that did for the city, what that did for the team, and you know, it's just how excited everyone was, and you know, winning the SEC championship that year, you know, it was it was special and unfortunately we didn't win the game, but you know, I learned a lot from that whole process, and you know, it was special, especially because it was right there at

home in New Orleans, so, you know, literally hour away from where I grew up at and all my family was there and it was just ill. Never forget that moment we're visiting with l Collins. From many NFL players, the draft is one of the best days of their life. In your case, it was a nightmare. You're expected to be a first round pick. Shortly before the draft, it came out that the police wanted to talk to you about a murder victim that you happen to know. You

weren't a suspect. Your name was totally cleared, but the timing was such that you didn't get picked. Can you describe what you and your family went through. It's one of those experiences where, you know, every day I kind of looked back at that moment in time in my life and just wonder, like, you know, what life would

be hadn't that happened. You know, because shortly after you know, I went to Dallas and I you know, I had a I had a great experience, and you know, I was able to meet my girlfriend now and you know, we had two beautiful kids, and you know, you know, you just think about you think back at times like that and you just kind of like just wonder, like where with life or life look like? You know, what would life look like without my two beautiful kids? And

I wouldn't trade it for the world. And you know, as I got older, you know, I've grown to just understand that things happen in life that you can't control sometimes and you know, you just have to figure out what it is that you know, this experience is trying to teach you. And it really just opened up my eyes to just life and things that you know, I mean a twenty one year old and could never even imagine. I mean at that time, you know, it's like your

life is just getting started. You know, you work so hard. I went back my senior year, you know, just to solidify myself as the best tackle in football, and you know, I compassed a lot of great things that year as well, and you know, just to go through that process and have it all taken away it was. It was definitely a nightmare. But you know, here I am now in my eighth season, and you know, I just thank God for everything that I've been through, everything He's prepared me for.

I feel like, you know, mentally, I've been able to just tap into a whole other level that I didn't even know that was there, and you know, I learned a lot. You spent the last seven years with the Dallas Cowboys. They're called America's team for a reason. What was your experience like in Dallas? It was great from the moment I got there, just you know, meeting with Jerry, meeting with the whole organization, having my family there, and

you know, it just was amazing. I really didn't even understand like what it was truly like to be on one of, you know, one of the best organizations in the world, you know, Dallas Cowboy And you know, I can't think you know Jones family enough for giving me the opportunity, because I mean, when you come out of a situation like that, it's not a lot of people that will stick around, and you know, whether you know they know who you are not, you know, and mister

Jones embraced me in my situation, my family and and spent seven years there, and you know, they gave me an opportunity to, you know, do a lot of great things and I'm forever grateful for that. And you know, you know, I can't thank him enough. You became a free agent this year and signed with Cincinnati, and you have been reunited with your first NFL offensive line coach, Frank Pollock. It seems like there is a tremendous mutual respect between the two of you. Guys. Why is that

the case. He was my offensive line coach in Dallas my first three years, and he was there every step of away from the beginning. You know, he was a great coach. He's still a great coach, and I mean

he taught me pretty much everything I know. And you know, I feel like, you know, when you come into the NFL and you have a coach like that, you know, not only you know, prepares you to have a great year, but I feel like it belongs your career in the NFL because every and he taught me has gotten me up to this point, and you know, I continue to

learn each and every day. I'm happy to be back with them and be up under him and learn everything that I can, and I mean he he does it, no, you know, better than anybody I've been around, you know, as office of line coach. I think he's the best old line coach in the league. I write a few wild card topics now to wrap things up with L. L. Collins. How difficult is it to catch us seven foot long, two hundred and fifty pounds shark? Oh man, it's a

back burner, you know. Um. It definitely had my arms locking up, you know, But it was fun, you know, it was. It was a great time. I was with you know, some of my former teammates and you know it was something that we did every year, and you know, it was it was. It was a great, great time, great memories, gay camaraderie with the guys. Frank Pollack calls you a glass eater, but one article just wrapped you as a lovable teddy bear? Is that accurate? Off the field? Absolutely?

You know, I'm you know, on the field, you know, it's all about just getting a job done and doing it at a high level. And you know, off the field, you know, you know you can't be all just game time ready, you know, so you know, I get to just enjoy my life, and you know, enjoy the people that's in it, Enjoy the people that's been here for me throughout this whole time, and and just really, you know,

be thankful for what I have. You know, I'm a guy that you know, came from nothing, um, you know, and I just watched my mom worked very hard, and you know, I caught on at a young gage and I understood, if she can work this harder, I could work even harder. And you know, I just couldn't be more thankful for where I'm at. Are you a bit of a shopoholic? And if so, what do you like to spend your money on? Um? Well, as you know, I've been through stages where you know, there's things I

like to buy, UM. And you know, now I'm at a point to where you know, I feel like just because I have money, you know, UM, you know, it's it's good to to invest and and and do things like that. But if I'm out shopping, you know, I like to I like to dress nice obviously, so I like to buy nice clothes. Uh. You know, at one point, a few years ago, you know, I was, I was I was able to have enough money in my ACCOUNTCIL brought me some some nice cars and I got I

like to collect classic cars, old school cars. You know, I have a nineteen sixty three Corvette sting Ray, I have a sixty nine Camaro. I have a seventy two hivelle Um. You know I have a few more other classic cars. I'm a big cars guy. You know. My grand my granddad, he was big on cars and toys. So I like those type of things. And you know, I also have a great financial advisor, Latavia's. He's great. Um. He's really gotten me involved into investments. And I bought

my first movie this year. I can't say the name. And then you know, I've got a few real estate projects going. And you know, I have a trucking company that I've been you know, owning for about seven years now. So you know, there's a lot of great things. The biggest thing is, you know, set myself up for life after football and making sure my family is taken care of and making sure mom never has to work another

day in my life. So um, you know, I'm very grateful for that, and that's that's what it continues to push me. My dad has passed away, but you would have been his favorite. Bengal because he loved classic cars. Who is your all time favorite athlete in any sport? And why? Oh, that's a tough question. You know, it's a lot of It's been a lot of great athletes that I've watched over the years. Probably my sisters because

they were all athletic. M I got to watch one of my sisters run track in college, which for me, it was like wow, like she's on a big stage, like all these people are here watching her run, and you know that was great. Then you know, my older sister, she was a track runner. She was always fast, and it wasn't until I was able to talk out to high school to where I was able to kind of, you know, run where they couldn't catch me. But I always needed a head start because they were always fast.

And you know, outside of that, outside of that, you know, you know my siblings. You know, I would probably say Jarvis Landry. He's probably one of my favorite sivers, one of my favorite teammates ever had in college, and you know, he's did very well for himself in the NFL level and I was just start. He played the game like

offensive linement. Just he was tough, physical, He made the great catch, just you know, all around all across the board, and you know, he was just always super just you know, it's a great football player, and you know, I think his energy, you know, I watched a lot of teams feed off of that energy, and you know, he's definitely one of them all the time favorites. Final question, and this is kind of deep. If you could meet anybody

in history, who would that person be? I guess I would go back into like all the way to the beginning to where like my family like really came from and the roots, and just like I wish I could just go back and just see all the generations and see you know, everybody that's you know that part of

my my my my family chain. Um. I think that would be pretty cool because I heard my mom always talk about like her grandparents and um, you know, her aunties and things that you know, I've never got a sense of meat and so probably you know, all the way from the beginning my family tree. It's a great answer. Tell us all of us what your family means to you. I really appreciate your time. Best of luck the rest of the year. I appreciate it. Oh day, 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 signed merchandise up for grabs by Paycorp, 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