Bengals Booth Podcast: Start of Something

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It's the greatest thing since pay Corps Stadium. Other than the Roman Colisseum, which has had one name since eighty a. D Stadium name changes are not unusual. Consider the Miami Dolphins who play at hard Rock Stadium. It opened as Joe Robbie Stadium before becoming Pro Player Park, then Pro Player Stadium, then Dolphins Stadium, then Dolphin Stadium, then Land Shark Stadium, sun Life Stadium, and finally hard Rock Stadium. The Bengal sixteen year agreement with Cincinnati based pay Corps

comes at a critical time for the franchise. Here's what Mike Brown told me before training camp when I asked him about possibly changing the name of Paul Brown Stadium. Well, I think my dad would have understood. I think he would even have approved it. In his mind. What mattered most was the team. This gives us a revenue stream if we go forward with it, and we need that for doing things such as the indoor facility we're building to help us when we get to signing some of

our headline players. That's going to be a real challenge. We have things to spend that money on. Believe me, Paul Brown is not only the most innovative coach in football history, he was probably the most innovative coach in sports history. This partnership with pay Corps will help the team he founded compete for Super Bowl titles. In the modern NFL. Now, let's get to Friday's preseason opener against

the Cardinals. It didn't start well for the Bengals, as a forty yard pass interference penalty on rookie Allen George helped the Cardinals score on their opening drive play action fake bootleg left throwing to the end zone, touchdown Arizona Andre but Shelley with the touchdown catch and the Cardinals score on their opening drive. The Bengals answered with a sixty yard run by Chris Evans on their first play from scrimmage. Unfortunately, it didn't count due to a holding

penalty on Thaddeus Moss. Later in the first half, Evans had a five yard touchdown run that didn't count due to another penalty on Moss. I talked to Evans about his rotten luck after the game. The final stat sheet is not going to show all the things you did tonight. Unfortunately, had a sixty five yard run. He had a five yard touchdown run. Unfortunately they both got wiped out by penalties. He had a forty yard kick return that counted, But was kind of a strange night for you, which you

made all these big plays and they didn't count. Yeah, I was just and being in a preseason this is all about getting it on take I'm saying, and I don't really care about the innisthesisis zona coaches that I could be trustworthy and make a play when time come. Let's discuss the sixty five yard run first offensive play of the game for the Bengals. Did you know pretty quickly it was coming back? Or didn't you find out

until after the play? I didn't find out until after the play, and I was like heartbroken because I was like man like, I was running as fast as I could do, had an angle, and but I got it on tape. So I'm not really you know what I'm saying. The coaches know that I could do that and know what I could do, So I'm not really mad about the you know what I'm saying, the highlight or anything, as long as the unit saying. Coaches know I can do it, you know what I'm saying, Rather they we

fixed the blocking off front or not. You know what I'm saying, I got that in my toolbucks. How about the five yard TD? Same thing, yes, sir, And anything they need me to do, any any opportunity at GAM's gonna make the most of it rather get called back or not. You know what I'm saying, I gotta you know, man's gotta do what I gotta do. We're chatting with Chris Evans. The first kickoff returning that you did came very late last season, so you're still kind of raw

in that category. That forty yard kickoff return to feel good. Yeah it, hit it and get it, hit it and get it, hit it and get it. You know what I'm saying. Everybody up there the front line, and to me, is the hardest thing to do in football. It's to run backwards, set up and to block a grown man running full speed. So I gotta I gotta help them out by hitting the whole heart and just being decisive and just making sure that you know what I mean,

I can I can get them on their blocks. If I can just so them, I can just set it, block ups and hit hit what I need to hit in it and make it everything work for everybody. Always looking to correct things that went wrong in the preseason game. I guess the big thing for the team tonight would be cleaning up those penalties. Yeah, I mean, yeah, we gotta clean up a lot of stuff. Just come with you know what I'm saying, locking in and attention to detail.

And then you know what I'm saying, We're in training camp, so you know what I mean. We just got to lock into the to the small things and especially the guys. Guys who were in don't typically get rested during the week, so it's kind of hard to you know what I'm saying, to get that live rep and you haven't gotten them any practice shorts. For my best, that's just the name of the game. You gotta be able to do it. Yeah,

it's some great place tonight. I wish they would have all counted for your sake and the team's sake, but like you said, you put it on. Take congratulations for that and best the luck next way. Yes, Officially, Chris had eight carries for minus three yards, one of the most deceptive stat lines of all time. Arizona led nine nothing at the end of the first quarter before Evan

McPherson put on a show in the second. He made a twenty three yard field goal to put the Bengals on the scoreboard, then added a pair of bombs from fifty eight yards away. On the Bengals b logo, Chrisman is ready the snaff, the put down, the kick it has the disco yeah is yeah, of course it's good. Evan McPherson, coming off the greatest rookie season by a kicker in NFL history, drills one with the room despair

from fifty eight yards away. I agreed, Danni's good from at least sixty And the thing is it could up so quickly he gets a media trajectory. He doesn't overswing. This guy is incredible. Duper is set right, knee on the ground, catches the snap, puts it down. Oh my, Fierson's kick is oh, yeah, good, unreal from fifty six yards away. Evan mick hab no Fearson, unbelievable. I don't know what to say. Fifty eight and fifty six in the pregate preseason opener. Just a phenomenal performance for the

fans in attendance at this point. I mean, is this becoming routine for you? Um? I mean right, My job is just to go out there and make the field goal that they call me to make. So I would say that, Um, I'm getting a little more comfortable in the system with you know, the operation had a year to I've had a year to kind of work with them and just get comfortable with them, and they make my job a whole lot easier than it has to be.

And so with with not having to worry about any of that and just having to worry about just kicking the ball and really overthinking it, I feel like it's kind of gotten a little bit easier. But I don't want to say that because I know there's gonna be times where I got to revert back to what I'm doing now and where I struggle and got to pick myself back up. So but right now, just feel like

I'm kind of hitting the ball pretty well. I'll say, between the preseason practices and this preseason game, I think you've only missed two kicks out of probably forty five by now. How has that affected your confidence level going into your second NFL season? Well, you know, I wish I wouldn't miss tho two obviously. I think one of them came the last practice before this game, and it did hurt me, just because you know, Darren can hold that above my head that he aysd me and I missed.

But no, it gives me a lot of confidence because I like to relate. You know, a lot of the practice kicks to the game kicks, and so I've just been really trying to get better in practice, and so I really don't have to we're about anything in the game. I just kind of go out there and do what I've been doing all week. It's remarkable show you amaze us on a regular basis. Congratulations on two long wins tonight. Well, I appreciate it, and hopefully we continue to amaze you.

Mc pherson was definitely the bright spot of the first half. Starting quarterback Brandon Allen left after one series to be evaluated for a concussion, and Arizona led by two touchdowns at the half twenty three to nine. It got lopsided in the third quarter, second and goal from the six shotgun snap Guarantano rolling out to the left cocks the arm throws caught at the goal line, touchdown John Trey Kirkland with the catch, and the Cardinals have scored their

fourth touchdown of the game. The Cardinals added a fifth before the quarter was over and led thirty six to nine going to the fourth, but the Bengals ended the game with a solid quarter, empty backfield for Jake Browning, who's passed for a hundred and fifty nine yards in the game tonight. Three receivers left, two right. Browning rolling out to the right, being chased from behind, throws downfield Patrick with a catch at the twenty five and he

gets pulled down at the nineteen yard line. Third down and goal from the one, Browning hands it off to jack Quez. Patrick sticks the ball forward. Touchdowns Bengals as jack Quez Patrick scores Cincinnati's first TV of the preseason. Then, on the Bengals final drive of the night, quarterback Drew Plitt out of Loveland High School in Ball State, got into the game and led the team on a ninety four yard touchdown drive. He was helped by an incredible

one handed catch by rookie Kendrick Pryor. Then went back to Pryor. On the eleventh play of the drive, third down in three at the Arizona twenty five yard line, Plitt waits for the shotgun snap, fakes a handoff to Patrick. He's gonna float it toward the end gun and Prior He's got it right at the goal line. Touchdown Bengals as Hendrick Pryor makes his fourth catch of the game.

Have this one. It's for a touchdown. Prior finished with four catches for eighty nine yards, but didn't keep the ball after his touchdown catch that went to his quarterback. We're in the locker room with Drew Plint after an impressive debut six for six a touchdown pass, seven yard run for good measure, How thrilling was that tonight? It

was nice? Um, I don't know about thrilling. I think it was just like, you know, kind of weight off my shoulders to be able to get in there and get those first couple of reps um, and you know, going for six, six or six is something you want to you want to start your first drive as um. But I had a lot of help from wide receivers, oh, line, everybody all around me. So you know, at the end it was a thriller, but starting it wasn't more of a weight off the shoulders. How would you review prior

as one handed falling over backward, left handed catch? Unbelievable? That yeah, I don't think there's any other word for it. And that's you know, huge for me going six or six, but for him confidence booster going forward. Um, he's a great player and obviously had that touchdown the end too, so UM, looking to capitalize on that and keep keep moving forward as the third quarterback. While Joe's been out, you haven't been able to get that many reps in practice.

What was your comfort level when you got the chance to play tonight? Yeah, I mean I haven't been comfortable with the plays. It's more just getting out there and actually seeing a defense against him and not just drawing them up on a board or on a piece of paper.

Us the biggest difference. And you know that that's where a lot of the weight comes off my shoulders as I've been able to, you know, go out there and play and see those plays against a defense, and you know read it and you know execute the play that's supposed to get the way it's supposed to go. Do you have a big rooting section here tonight? I did. I have my my family and some friends here, so um, I know they were excited to see me out there

on the field. In general, did you think you were going to get in it had Brandon not had concussion like symptoms? Did you think you were going to get a chance to play? Coach told me there was a chance he was gonna try to, But obviously, you know, circumstances the way they unfolded so able to get a drive in and luckily made the most of it. You know, but you never wish anything to happen to Brandon or

anybody else when it comes to injury wise. It's just you gotta take advantage of the opportunity that you get in front of you. Is it a cliche to say this was a dream come true? And it's not. I would absolutely say that. You know, growing up here in the Greater Cincinnati area and coming to games all the time, being able to throw a touchdown in Paul Brown Stadium was unbelievable. And you have the ball. I have the ball. Yes, what happens to it? It's gonna go home and it's

gonna stay in a case at home for sure. Congratulations. That was the fun to watch. Thank you very much. I appreciate it. The final score was Arizona thirty six, Cincinnati twenty three, and the killer stat was penalties. The Bengals had eleven for one hundred and four yards, the Cardinals had two for twenty and the Bengals also committed the game's only turnover. Dave app them spend three minutes with head coach Zach Taylor after the game. Take me

through your assessment of the football game. What did you like? What did you not like? I thought we started a little slow, you know, and got ourselves in a hole it was hard to dig ourselves out of. I thought the guys responded really well in the fourth quarter, got some positiblementum, going, some good energy, and so we just got to continue to build off that end, you know, and play better, better football in all three phases, you know,

in the first half of the next game. So eleven penalties, I know, you don't like that for over one hundred yards. I mean that that puts you in some some tough down and distance situations. There's no question about that. They only had two for twenty yards. And then that ultimately, you know, translated to they handled third down. You had a tougher time because the down and distance situations, and it just started a snowball a little bit. Yeah, that's

not what we do. That's not how we play football. We got to be more disciplined than that. And so we'll take a look at it and see where the issues were at led the NFL FUS penalty yards last year. Either you were the most disciplined team in the National Football League. Take great that, don't you. Yeah, we gotta take a great pie in that and win another turnament battle, you know, And we didn't do that today either, So

those are cheers we got to improve on. How About on the other side of things, Drew Plitt goes in the football game and doesn't have an incompletion, has a perfect quarterback rating, and prior made some plays. I mean, some guys made some plays for you. Yeah, it's really good to see him get an opportunity there with with his one drive and took us down and scored a touchdown. So that was really good to see for him, I'm saying.

But a bunch of other guys stood out, you know, so they'll be fun to watch the tape and and really assess all the performances. It'll be it's a story that Plick can tell his kids, his grandkids. I mean, it's something you know, no matter what the situation, you get in a in a National Football League game and a team that you grew up rooting for and you get an opportunity to shine, and he's shown brightly that's big. Yeah.

You work hard and you're ready for the moment and good things can happen for you any update on injuries, particularly, Um, what's going on with your with your quarterback is a is it a concussion You're still trying to figure out what it is or yeah, I think they diagnosed with the concussion. Sold just where it's Athletax comple yes, And

how do you feel all your quarterbacks played tonight? I thought Jake was put in some really tough, tough positions, not always his fault, mostly not his fault, I would say, and did a good job managing the team and keeping calmness about him and try to get a body organized and leading us down there for touch on his last drive. That was good to see. So you know, we'll watch the tape and have a better assessment of it. But but I was impressed with the way he handled himself.

Jake really throws the ball in the run very well. I mean a couple of throws he made just stepping out of bounds, we're right on There were dimes right on guy's shoulders as they were stepping out of bounds. Pretty impressive. Yeah, it did a good job throwing on the move and extended plays. And you just need your quarterback to move the team any which way they can coach Hopefully none of these knicks are serious. Hopefully everybody's gonna be all hands on deck and get ready for

preseason game number two, traveling New York the Big Apple. Yep, that's what we're hoping for. Thanks her, Thanks Dave. Before getting the laps postgame analysis, I want to share one more postgame interview. It's with rookie d defensive end Jeff Gunter. And as you'll here, Friday's game was very meaningful to him and his mom. We're in the locker room with rookie defensive lineman Jeff Gunter. He had a sack, a couple quarterback hits, knocked down a pass. How'd you think

your NFL presecs and debut went. Um, definitely a lot of room for improvement. Um. I was happy to, you know, get the sack. I didn't know they gave it to me, But you know, I definitely got a lot of stuff to fix, and you know, I'm just getting back into the lab. Well next time we had practice and going over those things. You know, you played a lot tonight. Yeah, you almost had a complete game tonight. How are you doing physically? I'm a little sure, but you know, it's

a blessing. I can't I can't complain about reps, and hopefully I showed them what I can do my special teams. I'm on defense. Anything in particular stand out about this level of competition and playing in it and for the first time, just the details. You've got to be really precisely the details. And you know, I'm I'm a young guy just being my fresh experience. I think it's a skys a limit and you know, I just gotta get

back in the lab. Like I said, the Cardinals off fence features the quarterback rolling out left and right a lot. Was that a challenge for you to be chasing that guy all over the place? D I. I was a little tiger. But you know what, man, I had fun out there. I appreciate the Cardinals, you know, for coming out and playing us, and you know, I'd love to play him in a regular season. Who was in attendance

and what did this game mean to you? My mom came and I don't want to get too sappy, but she was diagnosed with cancer a while ago, and this is her first time, you know, coming out of the house since she's been going through radiation. So it's just um, it was good seeing her and no, she's okay, and

we kept our tradition going. I went and talked to her before the game, and you know, while I was warming up, Man, it was great to see her and you know, just playing in front of herm at the world to me, getting a sack in front of herm at the world to me. And I hope she's proud of me. I'm sure she is. If anything could make her feel better under those circumstances, it had to be seeing her son in an NFL uniform for the first time. Yeah, you know, this is her dream just as much it

is mine. She put in a lot of work to get me here too, so you know, hopefully, um, you know, she gets some shine off this as well, because you know what I'm saying with how her I wouldn't be here, and I just thank her if I aught to sacrifice a seam made and you know, hopefully I did enough to you know, make a smile. We'll be rooting for Jeff and his mom. If you believe in the power of prayer, Keep them in your thoughts. Now, time for the radio guys recap. All right, lap final score wasn't pretty?

Got a little bit better? In the fourth quarters. The Bengal scored two touchdowns. But the big, glaring, obvious, biggest problem in week one of the preseason, eleven penalties for more than a hundred yards. Yeah, and like I said during the broadcast, at least penalized team yards wise in the National Football League. Took great pride in that, and that can't happen. You know, you just can't give up a football field. And you know, poor Evans big old run of sixty five yards and taken away a five

yard touchdown run taken away. I mean, you know, his stats look horrible, and he didn't play that poorly. I mean he made some plays, but yeah, they put themselves behind the eight ball. They took, took points off the board by penalty, gave up massive field position opportunities by penalty, and then you throw in the turnover. I gave him

a short field at the twenty one yard line. Eleven penalties for over one hundred yards and he basically give them points and they ended up getting a touchdown instead of the defense buckling down and holding it to a field goal opportunity. So the self destruction level was high. You know, there's no two ways about it. They lost the turnover battle, they lost the penalty situation, they lost third down, they lost red zone. It all just snowballed.

And I think a big, big part of it was the fact that they were just you know, giving things back because of penalty. Most of the starters didn't play, including Jonah Williams, Alex Kapa, Ted Carasle Collins, four of the likely five starters on the offensive line, but the two leading candidates to play left guard did play and played half apiece Jackson Carmen and Cordell Volson. What do

you think, Yeah, I don't. I don't think anybody up front necessarily did you know a job that you could be proud of, Although sometimes it's hard when when as as an offensive line, if it's disintegrating, a guy might be playing decently in terms of what his responsibility is, but it just looks so bad around him it's hard to tell. So I think, you know, you've got to take a further look, you know, at the tape. But yeah, there were there were too many breakdowns. Um, you know

that hand placement was an issue. They were holding holding penalties, Um, they were I'm not sure if some of the free runners were schematic because they were so basic with what they were running, or if it was a simon error that were causing some free runners. But quarterbacks were either getting hit or forced out of the pocket and they were running around like wild men. So um yeah. Overall, uh, this is not a a performance that you're proud of as an offensive line as a group. There's no question

about that. You know you have miles to go before you rust off after this one. Two undrafted wide receivers have had good camps, Kwamie Lasseter and Kendrick Pryor. Advantage game one of the preseason goes to Kendrick Pryor, who is outstanding? He really was, And you know Plt was perfect because Prior had that miraculous one handed catch to keep him perfect and knowing completions, perfect quarterback rating. I mean, it's a it's almost a you know, a fairytale dream

for for Plitt. Prior though, I to get a chance to speak with him after the game, and he just very confident. I said, what are your strengths? And he rattled off about five things and you know, I just you know, he understands the situation, no matter what the score is, no matter what is transpiring, do your job, and the coaches want to see that, particularly when things aren't going well. Guys that can focus and concentrate and put adversity aside and do their job and try to,

you know, rectify the problems and write the ship. Those are the guys you want to go to war with. And he understands that. So I think he's a pretty mature young man. I think he understands there's an opportunity here available to him, and he's he's not going to let it go easily. He's gonna grab on and hold on tight. What did you think of Jeff Gunter and Zach Carter? I thought that, you know, Gunter did flash. You know, he's he's definitely got get off boy. He's

got first step quickness. He's one of those guys that's got a long, long body. But when he comes off the ball, he comes off like an arrow out of a bow. He doesn't stand up. He comes off with some surge. And you know, every good pass rusher that did I've played against or seen, they don't make moose in standing in place. They make moose answing to the quarterback. And I think he has the innatability to do that.

You know, I think he's I think he's got some potential, and I think he get over zealous at times, you know, getting up the football field maybe too far and creating a natural lane between himself and the defensive tackle. The quarterbacks who had some good mobility took advantage of um, you know one time on a twist he didn't, you know, keep his contain Uh So, I mean there are things, there's always things to work on, things to improve on. But just in terms of traits raw ability he's got,

he's got a lot to work with, I think. And then uh you know, inside our our boy from Florida. Now there's this guy. He's a three technique guy that can can cause you some problems. He can he can convert the line of scrimmage. He can be disruptive, very physical. He has an ability to make himself small you know when he when he needs to. He's he's got some talent as well. Between the two of them, I think they get too two young guys that are gonna, I'm

going to help this football team. There's no question. Aside from the eleven penalties, what do you think bothered the coaching staff the most? Tonight? Anything really obvious in your opinion, I think, you know, the slow start in general, you know, I just don't think that. I think obviously the opponent came out a little bit more enthused, a little bit more ready to make a statement. Early in the football game. I thought the Cardinals, you know, just took control of

the tempo from Jump Street. And I think that bothered the coaching staff a little bit, because I think they've been over backwards to try to keep them fresh for this. You know, we're not going to bust your butt, you know, during the week, but we expect that to pay off on on game day, even if it's pre season game day. And there was no payoff at pay Course Stadium tonight for the way that they you know, they worked them

during the week and in the fourst greg days. We'd be going home after something like this and I wouldn't be sleeping. I'd be thinking, oh my gosh, that first practice is going to be so brutal. He is going to kill us. I don't think that's what Zach's all about, but I do think that I would. I would definitely make a very stern statement that, hey, if you want me to take care of you, you better take care

of me. This better be a two way street. You know, I don't want to have to defend you guys for you know, lack of enthusiasm or effort or things of that nature. Dax Hill had a couple of past deflections, had a near interception in the end zone. Do you think he showed them exactly what they're hoping he would? Shall?

I think so, you know, it'll be interesting to you know, we don't really know until you study the tape if there were things he could have also done that he didn't, whether it was just a little bit out of position or slow to react or whatever. But I'll tell you you know, he's a quick study. He understands football. Um. The installation process has not been a you know, a difficult scenario or a difficult process for him. So and his his his closing speed, his recoverability speed just shows

up all the time. Even if he is a little bit out of position. It sometimes that may play to his advantage in the NFL, because you know, if you're a little bit out of a position, then you realize that quarterback when he sees a you know, a gaping scenario like that, he's and this guy can recover because of that speed that he has. So there were a couple of instances where speed that guys have did show up and h and that's what you're looking for. How

would you describe Evan McPherson at this point? I mean, it's mind boggling how well he kicks the football. I don't think I've ever seen a guy with as much earned confidence as he has maybe Burrow. Other than that, I don't know who, you know, it's it's it really is really phenomenal. I mean I think he I asked him, I said, on a beautiful night like tonight, when you hit that fifty six fifty eight yard what could you hit from? Do you thank you because it was nice

out there? I don't know, I'm thinking sixty three, sixty five. You know, it's it really is. It really is amazing. And you know, I asked him about never overdoing the swing like you know golf, you know, you hit your purists shots when you're in total rhythm, and that's he swings at the you know, fifty eight fifty six yards like he does the thirty two yarders. You know, he just he's never he's never had a whack in that regard Man, He's got an explosive leg He's he's uber talented.

I mean, fourteen for fourteen in the playoffs and three of them from beyond fifty, so I think he only missed one from beyond fifty in the regular season. I mean, it's it's unbelievable. The longer the distance, the more confidence I have in the guy. It's crazy, it's nuts. Last thing, I don't know what Zach Taylor's plan is for playing the starters. I don't know if they'll go in the second preseason game or the third, or not at all. Maybe they'll only play in those practices against the Rams.

Do you think tonight's result could have any impact on that leading to the second preseason game against the Giants. I don't. I don't know. That's a that's a great question.

Only Zac, I guess, could could answer that question. But I think I think that that he's he's basically making that decision based on the fact he doesn't want to lose anybody, and in tonight's preseason games, some guys were lost, So I think you get the validity validation of that decision making process, and you know that would not be shocked if the quote starters only get one series total in the preseason, maybe just one if it's a three

and out. I don't know, maybe it won't be just one, but I think it's going to be minimal, if at all. I really believe that. But I do think that those those workouts against the Rams or when they're really going to evaluate where they are, because that's good. That's a good athletic football team on both sides of the football, and the ones will be going against the ones and

it'll all be controlled and everything. But you can tell if a boy, you know it, made a mistake here, maybe we need to play some of these guys in that third preseason game a little bit longer. They didn't look very good against the Rams. At least you have that as a barometer before that last preseason game. So I think that's when they're going to make that decision based on how all that unfolds against the Rams. I think the Rams practices are going to be the tilting

point in that kind of thing. The end results wasn't what Bengals fans were hoping for, but it was fun to be back in the booth. It was fun. The National Football League is it's one hell of a piece of entertainment. There's no question about it. I mean it's it's a tremendous show, and it's all unscripted, so you never know what you're going to see, and sometimes you know it's like, no matter how many games you witness, I never saw that before. Oh, I haven't seen that

in a long time. Those are the great things about the game. The Bengals Booth podcast is presented by Ultimate Bengals, the free to play fantasy football game. This past season, Ultimate Bengals awarded a weekly winner during the course of the year with tickets, autograph merchandise, and money can't buy experiences all up for grabs. Find Ultimate Bengals in the app Store and Google Play. Now, time for our first Fun Facts interview of the season, where you get to

know the person under the pads. Time for some fun facts with a Boo Durami Sire, a rookie cornerback who's joined the Bengals this training camp. I don't know that there's a better story in this camp or in the entire NFL than yours. A boot Tell folks what you were doing last year when the Bengals are facing the

Rams in the Super Bowl. I was working at Donato's delivering pizzas with tears in my eyes, going from door to door giving people their pizza and seeing the game through their window basically and trying to listen to it on the radio as much as possible. So with that in mind, what does it mean to you to be playing in an NFL preseason game on Friday night? Honestly,

it means everything to me. I've had this dream since I was a kid kid, and you know, it seemed like it was slipping away slowly and slowly with just a slim chance. You know, after that Super Bowl, I definitely thought my chances were absolutely done. And to think that, you know, the team that was playing in the Super Bowl is the same team that was going to bring me along, I never would have thought that's how it would have played out. But I'm super thankful. So this

preseason game means absolutely everything to me. We're chatting with a Boo Durami Sire. You were born in Sierra Leone but went to high school near Columbus, Ohio. Explain what your mother did and moving you to the US and why my mother, you know, we were refugees. We had to find refuge here in the United States because there was a war in my country and basically we had to escape and comes to the United States, and from there, my mom had to work two three jobs at a

time just to make a living for us. And you know, I didn't get a chance to see her that much, you know, growing up, and it was very difficult for us. But she made those sacrifices for me. So when I'm in situations like this and I have to bust my butt each and every day, I mean, it's easy compared to what she had to go through. So she's my

motivation each and every day. And you have a brother that you didn't see for nine years, correct, you know, the way things didn't work out the way that she wanted. She could only get one of us here, and sadly she had to choose. But I was the youngest, so she had to bring me along, and you know, me and my brother didn't get those adolescent years together that we could have been building a relationship. And it's kind of upsetting. But you know, till this day, him and

I are still working on it. You know, I'm thankful and grateful for my mom fighting so hard because I very much do love my brother and he's a very big influence on me. We're doing fun facts with Aboo Durrami soire. So. After a great high school football career near Columbus, you went to Colgate University in New York State. You had a great career there, three times first team All League. What was the best part of your college experience? Honestly,

just you know, those championships that we won together. I mean, those individual awards, they were they were cool and all, but you know, getting a ring and being able to shake hands with my teammates and hear that clink sound from our rings touching one another. I think you know that that was the best part of the experience in just celebrating that together as one was better than any of the individual awards that I received. So when people look at number forty three on the roster, they will

see you listed at five nine, one eighty five. You are almost the exact same size as Mike Kilton, who's obviously become a great NFL player. But Mike wasn't drafted and you weren't drafted. Not uncommon for a guy your size, but it was extra tough for you because the year you came out, was at the height of the pandemic and it was hard to get a gig as an undrafted free agent. Yeah, that that was you know, Honestly, I think that was the most humbling experience for me.

I think if I would have come out at the time I did, things would have been completely different with me. And honestly, I think God, you know, did this for a reason. And those two these two years I spent was very humbling and just you know, getting closer to God and getting closer to myself and my family, just going around what I truly want in life. So I think this came at the perfect time. And seeing seeing

people like Mike Hilton really motivate me. And he's a person that definitely you know, stands next to me and takes me under his wing and make sure that you know I'm doing the right things and always there to answer questions. So you know, I feel like I got here at the time that I was supposed to get here. So the Cardinals game will be your NFL debut, but not your pro football debut. You played in Germany last

year for the pots Damn Royals. Described the German Professional Football League, it was all love you know, of course, the competition level isn't the NFL, but there's no competition like the NFL. But it was still competition. You know, I was going against all American wide receivers each and every game. I was going against you know, guys that were in the NFL. Guys I got an NFL tryout, so you know, it wasn't just any walk in the

park for me. But the experience was absolutely amazing. The fans were so lovely, the team, my coaches, you know, they treated me like family. I almost didn't leave because of how much I loved it, and I was actually signed to go back there the day before I got the opportunity to come for a workout here. But Germany was definitely you know, I plan on visiting once the season's over. I plan on going back to seeing my coaches in the offseason and just spending time with them

because I really built a family out there. I'm not sure i'd ever heard of the German Football League. Did you even know it existed before someone mentioned the opportunity to possibly play there. I never never knew that there was football outside of Canada and the United States. And then I got a phone call from David's soul, and I was hesitant on the experience just because I'm just like,

you know, this is not my dream. You know, this is not what I've wanted for myself, and I had to move over four thousand whiles away from everything I know and love. So I was very hesitant, But there's a gut feeling that told me just take the leap of faith, Just take the leap of faith, and I just wanted my gut and honestly, it was the best decision I've made. So you've had some other jobs in addition to delivering donados during the Super Bowl last year.

What are some of the other things you had to do while you were staying in shape and hoping to get a football opportunity. I was personal training for a former Ohio state strength conditioning coach one to Ohio. I worked at the Amazon warehouse. I worked at BJ's restaurant. I worked at best Buy. I did door dash, I worked at Donado's. You know, I was. I was doing

a lot of things. I actually lost my last job at best Buy due to COVID in twenty twenty its going into twenty twenty one because my family caught it. So you know, I was actually laid off in my job for six months, so you know, things were very difficult for me. But at the end of the day, I just something just told me just keep going. I

go to ram sire as our guest. Have you shared any of this with your NFL teammates a little bit, a little bit um, just some you know, I'm closer to some guys than others, but you know, I'm waiting for that moment when you know, they really want to hear what's going on, and I'll you know, I'll tell them everything. But I don't want to just throw everything on somebody right away. You know, I'm not a person that likes to give my luggage to others. It's a

nice way of putting it. So in talking to some of the coaches about you, they say, you know, you're so appreciative, got a big smile on your face. You're grateful for everything that comes with being an NFL player. Can you touch on that this was an opportunity that I didn't see coming in the last four months. I

never saw it coming. So the days that it's hard to get out of bed and it's hard to push through that extra rap or it's hard to push through that, you know, just trying to just finish that last rep of sprint. Like I think to myself, you know, I'd rather be struggling here than struggling putting gas in my car and going to deliver pizzas or having to you know, I'm appreciative everything that comes with this, no matter how hard it gets. I asked for this, I prayed for this.

This is what I wanted, and this is what I got. I would rather have it this way than any other way. So where were you delivering those pizzas? Was that back in the Columbuss area. It was in the Columbuss area. It was about ten minutes away from my home. It's definitely an experience. You know. I made decent money, of course, not what I wanted to do. But at that time I was working probably two three jobs, and you know I would leave in the morning, come home for an hour, change,

go to my next job, go work out. It was very difficult, but I knew those were the sacrifices I had to make of, you know, not spending money on things I wanted to, but things I needed to making sure that I, you know, didn't go out and all that type of stuff. You know, for about two to three months, I was kind of just to myself and just it felt like a dark place. But in my eyes, I knew I had to make those sacrifices in order

to get to where I wanted to be. So if you're listening to the game on the radio while you were delivering, you might have been listening to me and Dave Lapham. You know the Bengals games do come in and Columbus, Hey, they do. They I probably was listening to you. I just didn't realize it had too many

emotions running on through my mind. So is there a bit of an off factor in being here and trying to cover Jamar Chase and Tyler Boyd and in interacting with Joe Burrow, etc. Oh it's my first month here. Was such an off factor? I mean, until the State's still an off factor. I'm still I'm starting to get used to it each and every day because you know, they are they are They're just regular people at the end of the day. But you know, there is still

an off factor. Definitely still an off factor. But they think about this thing that I love the most is they treat me as if I'm one of them. None of them, you know, even with the season that they had last year, Jam Marches being, you know, the rookie of the year and Joe Burring Burrow, you know, taking the Bengals in the Super Bowl like they don't it, They're and glowed about it. You know, Burrow treats me as if you know, I was the same as him.

Shamar doesn't talk down on me. He talks to me as if I was a friend, as you know, I just won the MVP or something. So something about this team that you know, they don't dwell on the last season, you know, they treat it everyone like a brother. And I really really appreciate that, and honestly, that helps motivate me and push me forward. Last thing, who will be watching on Friday night at Paul Brown Stadium and will tears be flowing down your eyes during the national anthem?

You just said that, and I just got chills on my body and I almost started tearing up. My mother will be there, my brother will be there, my cousins will be there. Like I'm starting to think about it and I'm starting to get emotional myself when I step out on the field the first time. If you guys have the cameras on me, you will see tears come out of my mom my eyes. If you find my mother in the stadium, you'll see her crying to Boo,

You're an easy guy to root for. Best of luck throughout the rest of camp and hopefully our long NFL career. Thank you so much. I appreciate it. That's that's going to do it for this episode of The Bengals Booth Podcast, presented by Ultimate Bengals. Download Ultimate Bengals ahead of the twenty twenty two season. It's free to play next level

fantasy football with fantastic Bengals prizes. Get it now on the App Store and Google Play, And 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, and thanks for listening to The Bengals Booth Podcast