Hi again everybody on dan Hoard and thanks for downloading the Bengals Booth podcast, the Baby This Is What You Came For edition, as we catch up with fan favorite Kay Adams on her annual visit to Bengals training camp. But first, Dave Lapham joins me to discuss Week two of camp and react to some of the most interesting
comments coming out of the locker room. 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 healthcare provider of the Bengals. Now here's a quick reminder that you can have the latest edition of this podcast delivered write to your phone, tablet or computer by subscribing wherever you get your podcasts. It's the greatest thing since a good season finale. The best TV shows
end the season with a bang. It was literally a bang many years ago on Dallas with the famous who Shot Jar episode, and more recently, I think every season of Breaking Bad had a great finale, including the one featuring Walt reading a book on the toilet. If you know, you know my reason for mentioning this is Sunday night season finale of the House of the Dragon on HBO. I don't want to spoil anything, but let's just say I found it anti climactic. The best shows leave you
dying to know when the next season begins. This one left me thinking, really, that's it. Thankfully, the best show on TV and radio resumed soon with the start of the NFL season. Now, let's get to training camp and this week's conversation with my broadcast partner Dave Lappham. All right, Lap, Once again, I have compiled some of my favorite comments from players and coaches over the last week or so
as we discussed the latest training camp developments. The preseason opener is coming up on Saturday night at home against Tampa Bay and Lo and Behold. The starters are expected to play, including Joe Burrow. It sounds like he's going to get a series due to the COVID protocols in his rookie year and injuries since he's had a total of three preseason snaps in four NFL seasons. Here is Zach Taylor on his plan for playing starters in the preseason opener.
This is something I've loosely talked to some of the guys. It's not something I've advertised with the team or anything, but I think a week and a half away, that's that's what's in my head right now. We just want to get a lot of work in. And it really is you know, with games and joint practices, there's there's not a ton of practice time once you start playing
your first game against Tampa Bay. Really, if you look at the calendar, there's not a lot before final cuts, and so just trying to make sure our team is prepared for the first week of the season. What work do we need to get done? And so these games factor into that.
So the Bengals have started owing to each of the last two years. What is your reaction to the starters playing in the preseason opener and do you think it'll help them get off to a better start once the regular season begins.
I guess, I guess only time will tell, but I do think that you know, being part of the part of the process where you go out there, when you go to the meetings, it's like you're paying a little bit more attention because you're actually playing. You know, you're not just you know, that's for everybody else that' stopped for me. It's not like you're not you know, observing, but it's like your focus, I think it's a little
bit it's a little bit more intense. And then you know, you go you start to go through your pregame ritual that you're going to use during the regular season. You know, when do you get there, what what's what's your protocol, what's your process when you go out on the field to warm up even before the your your position group goes out in the field warm ups and you go through your warm up procedures, then you cool down, then
you warm back up again, then you cool down. Then you have to go uh and do a final warm up before you go out in the football field with your with your team to start, you know, to start a game. Then the process of doing that, leaving the locker room, getting out out there on the on the sideline, and getting ready to go into a football game. It's not like it's not going to be the adrenaline rush and all that that you get in a regular season, but at least you know, you're you're going through some
rituals as such to become habits. And you know, the quicker you go through that, the better off you're going to be. How many snaps they take, you know, I mean, if Joe Burrow goes into that football game and hands it off three times and leaves the game, I mean, you know, all that other stuff we just talked about, I think is more important to him than anything than
anything that happens during the course of that game. But you know, it sounds like, you know, he said I might get hit, So I mean, I think he's anticipating that they'll they'll run their offense, not just hand it off three times and and uh and leave the field of It'd be nice to see them generate a couple of first downs and mix it up a little bit, run the ball in and throw the ball. Even if they do run, you know, only a handful of plays get something out of it from a productivity standpoint.
As a former O lineman, is it especially valuable for the O line to play in a preseason game.
I think it is. You know, now, I do think that one of the reasons that you play it in the preseason was to get your your rhythm and timing your communication, making calls, false calls, is it going to be verbal, is going to be non verbal? When will it be verbal? When will it be nonverbal? All those kind of things. You start to hone in on on that. And if you've played together, you know that's a that's one thing.
Now.
The only combination that hasn't played together is right guard and right tackle. However, that's going to a significant number of snaps anyway, however that's going to pan out. So I think I think it's important for for that that tandem.
Uh.
And then you find out in an actual live condition, game condition where you know when you're setting, if one sets short, one doesn't. At the line of scrimmage, you know you're more vulnerable to ets, and how do you combat that if that starts to become an issue. You work through a lot of those kinds of things. So I think there is some value to the offensive line playing together and just getting in a rhythm. And you know, I always make the reference that it's to me, it's
comparable to making a fish. You don't think about, you know, wrapping your forefingers and curling your thumb. It just becomes a natural phenomenon, you know, and that's when good offensive lines are playing at a high level. Man, the communication is like all of it's nonverbal. I mean it's like a blink of an eye or you know, a not of a head kind of thing. It's it's pretty impressive.
So after the first preseason game, the Bengals are going to have joint practices before the second and third preseason games against the Chicago Bears in the Indianapolis Colts. Is that close to playing in three preseason games?
I think it is. I do you know, I mean, particularly in the trenches, you know, I mean they may there may only be a period of uh, you know, live tackling or goal line short yardage might be take them to the ground, uh kind of scenario. But in in the in the trenches, man, it's gonna be you know, get your pad level down, come off the football defensively, you know, play your gap responsibility, don't freelance. Uh, make sure you're you've got your gap control uh in in
mind and executed. So yeah, I think I think from a from an offensive lineman standpoint, I think those joint practices are extremely valuable. And then you're working in pass rush drills against guys that you haven't been working against, and you're getting you just it's natural. You know, you start to take a bunch of reps against the same guys, you get in a rhythm and a routine, and you have a real good feel and understanding and you get comfortable.
This will make you uncomfortable, and there's nothing wrong with being uncomfortable as you're getting ready for, you know, the first regular season game, no matter who that opponent might be.
Let's turn to Joe Burrow. Forget about the preseason games. He's missed most of camp over the last couple of years. He's been in there for nearly every practice so far this year. Here's Joe on why that's so valuable.
That's hundreds and hundreds and hundreds of reps that you miss out on before the game if you're not out there for camp, and you know, little communication between receivers and quarterbacks, between offensive line and quarterbacks, situations that come up that if you don't do training camp, they're not going to come up until the middle of a game, and then you learn from it then, and you don't
learn from it in training camp. They're just you get so much better day to day when you're out there practicing the way that we do, and those rests are just so valuable to me.
Lap last year, in the first four weeks of the regular season, as joey from his calf injury, the Bengals scored three offensive touchdowns. That was in four games. Give me the lineman's perspective on having him out there for those hundreds and hundreds of reps, as he mentioned during training camp.
Yeah, it's huge. I mean, you know your guys out there and like Joe's talked about, he's not happy maybe initially with the spin of the football. Well you can kind of make some adjustments to how you're releasing the football and gripping the football and all that sort of thing in that rep process, all those reps. I mean, that's where you know you're trying things and okay, well that doesn't seem to work. Let me try this. Okay,
let's go back to that. You go through that entire process, and that's when you want to do those kind of things. You don't want to do them in preseason games necessarily, or you know, if you're not playing in the preseason games, missing a bunch of practice before those preseason games doesn't
help the cause whatsoever either in that regard. So I think not only for him them to work out everything and get the mental reps and the physical reps and everything that goes along with it, but we talked about how the offensive line has to be cohesive and in sync. The relationship between the quarterback and the offensive line is important as well in terms of you know, when he takes his three step drop, how deep is the five step drop, seven step drop. I mean, all these kind
of things. Everybody's a little bit different, and you want to have the guy that you're going to be going to battle with, you know, out there as many reps as possible, because I mean, repetition breeds comfort level, you know, mentally, and it breeds comfort level physically, so it breeds comfort
level of performance. And if you're doing the repetition of that over and over and over again with the same people, including the quarterback as an offensive lineman, it's big and running backs as well, you know, because guys read things differently,
they hit holes differently. It's just you have to get a feel for your teammate, and the only way you're going to get the feel for your teammate is particularly when pads are on and you're working hard and you're getting as close a simulation to game reps as possible, those are the most valuable reps for sure.
While Joe has been out there, Jamar Chase hasn't been. As contract talks continue, when does that become a concern.
I don't think it becomes a concern for for a while because they have such a history together. I mean they have thousands and thousands of reps, hundreds of thousands of reps. Those guys are banked. I mean it's like it's incredible. You go back to, uh, you know, the collegiate days, and there's there's a there's a lot that goes on at the collegiate level, as you well know, in terms of repetitions and everything. You build on that.
They they've had success together, they've won together. They finish each other's sentences for crying out loud. I mean they know each other so well. There's a relationship there that's that's extremely comfortable. And you know what you're what you're hoping to build up when you're doing all these reps that we're talking about with your teammates is trust and confidence and consistency of performance. And those guys are about as consistent as any two players in the National Football League.
They see the game of football, every nuance of the game of football through the same set of eyes. There's no doubt about that.
While Jamar has been watching Andre, Yosi Vash and Charlie Jones are both having good camps. Let's talk about the work that Andre did with wide receiver Guru Drew Lieberman in the off season. Chase Brown worked with him as well. Yosi Vash was raw coming out of Princeton, but he looks much more polished now. Here's Andre. You're catching everything away from your body. Is that one of the things that you worked on in the off season.
Yeah, I mean there's a you know, everyone thinks there's no technique to catching the ball, but there is. And every time we would start off a receiver session with my coach, it's about all about catching the ball. Like running. We would literally run full speed straight at him and if you didn't have your arms fully extended, we'd have
to do it again, you know what I mean. So just having the toughest situation to catch a ball every day at the start of practice is makes catching most other balls pretty easy.
I think is it second nature now?
I mean, I don't think about it. I mean the only thing I have to think about is whether I need to possesion, catch it or get my yak.
That's that's what I think about. Yeah, so there's a different way of catching it when that's the case.
Yeah, I mean, like I mean Ti is a master of possession catching, and then Jamar is a master of yak dude. So it's like you have two really good guys to learn from. And we also got taught that with our receiver coach. You know, there's times you know you need to you know, split the defenders, how to drop step into the ball and catch it, or just possession catching. I think as just playing more football, you definitely get more of a feel for it.
How did you get his name and decide to train under him?
I used to follow him when he trained Mohamed Sanu. I used to watch his YouTube videos maybe like pre COVID and then during COVID and stuff, and I was just working on my own. Yeah, so he had a lot of good things. And then I remember I was looking to train with people this off season, and I was searching, like the guys that I knew on Instagram and there's this video of him training Evan Ingram and he was just making him hold a plank and he said, how bad do you want it?
And that pretty much.
I was like, Okay, I think I.
Let me try this guy.
And then he has the best decision I ever made, in my.
Opinion, But that sounds like mister Miyagi stuff.
Yeah yeah, but he's he's a guru for sure, and he I mean, yeah, he's he's a mentor now and he really cares for you know, both Chase and I. So I think he's one of the best decisions I made, and hopefully I just keep growing with him and keep growing my career.
Andrey called it the best decision I ever made in my life. What stands out when you watch on Yosia.
Yeah, definitely in his football life for sure, you know, staying on his life, that's that's pretty impressive. The thing that I've noticed about Yosivah is he's probably seven or eight pounds heavier and st longer and bigger, and has not lost the step. He may have gained half a step, and it has not affected his quickness, his ability to get in and out of cuts, and then his speed
as well. That's the thing about him is he is very very fast, straight line speed, but he can also change speeds, get in and out of cuts, do all those sorts of things. A lot of the conditioning that he was talking about earlier in camp to me about was the one legged squats and doing all these things. I mean, he reworked his body, he reworked his techniques.
I mean, he.
Really busted it, and he made a big investment physically and monetarily to get better on his own, on his own. And they also worked with these group of receivers, worked with the guru who's worked with a bunch of defensive backs. So they worked against each other and so you know, you're getting NFL reps the entire offseason against high quality defensive backs all around the National Football League. So I think that I think that he realized that he belonged.
You know, I can do what these guys are doing. You know, here's a big sample size of what's available in the National Football League, and I'm doing everything as well and successfully as those guys are. So I think that was a huge, you know, mental confidence builder as well.
That's a great point because Mike Hilton was one of the defensive backs that was involved in those workouts. Then there's Charlie Jones. He will never be mister Universe, but he put on about eight pounds of muscle working with Bengals strength coach Joey Bose. Here's Zach Taylor.
I know that he made a point of emphasis with Joey to to let's get stronger. That's natural, you know, coming out of college and having to play receiver against the physicality, especially in this division. But but we also noticed he can he can play tougher and faster because he knows what to do and you're one your head spinning a little bit. And I've really seen Charlie. You know, we highlighted a play that he made today in the team meeting because you're seeing the confidence take over for him.
He knows what to do and so now he can focus on the nuances of how to do it as opposed to what route am I run at? What is the coverage? And so he's playing much faster than making a lot of plays for us. And he is a guy that I think has really had a solid start to camp.
When Charlie Jones was drafted last year. I think many people considered him to be the heir apparent to Tyler Boyd. Boyd had sixty seven catches for six hundred and sixty seven yards last year before going to Tennessee. It seems to me that after Charlie had some injury problems last year and then the Bengals drafted Jermaine Burton, he was almost like forgotten by many of people that follow this football team. But he's put himself back on the map so far in training camp.
He has and I think in two ways. I think Yosi, Vash, Charlie and Chase Round They're all fall in the same category. It was like, man, not only was it a physical adjustment of the National Football League. There's so much to learn, you know, and Charlie is a slot receiver. There's a
lot to learn in there. So I think they, all three of them, I think, made a commitment to improve themselves physically and to make sure that they understood every single thing there is to understand with respect to the playbook and assignments within every single snap that they're going to be taken, because that'll hold you back. I mean that held my mind, had held all three of them back a little bit as a rookie, some more than others.
But what they've done, and admirably so, from year one to year two, you realize, all right, I gotta I gotta get after it, and now I know what to expect. Now I know how much there is to learn. Now I know what the defenses look like that I'm learning against and the personnel involved. And usually you make that
big jump from year one to year two. These guys have Charlie being a great example, have prepared themselves for a big improvement of success from year one to year two with what they did both physically and mentally off season, Lapp.
As we record this podcast, the Bengals are eight practices in. We still have not seen Trent Brown in uniform as he rehabs an undisclosed injury. That means a Marius Mims has been the first team right tackle and people are praising him for more than his immense physical gifts. Here are Dan Pitcher and Joe Burrow, just how he is across the board.
You know, mentally he's plenty capable of understanding what we're asking out of him. Sure, he's had a couple he's had a couple of mas which are expected. He's not making the same mistake twice, you know. And and he's he's just really coachable, has a great way about him in the building, has a good blend of self confidence and humility. Uh that I think it's important for rookies
to be able to strike in this league. And I think that he just very naturally lives in that in that space and so really happy with a Marius Uh And what we.
See so far, my feeling on that guy's pretty good right now. His mindset, his athletics, in his size, his willingness to be coached and grow and learn is all in a plus. So this sky's the limit for that guy. I'm really said, he's on our team.
Are we getting close to the point where the Bengals should consider keeping a Marius Mimes with the first team even after Trent Brown is back?
You know, Dan, When I hear the offensive coordinator and the quarterback talk about an offensive lineman like that, it takes me back to Anthony Munyos. A lot of what I'm hearing there is exactly what Anthony Munoz was as a rookie, exactly, I mean, confident, kept it to himself, humble, I mean, worker thirst for knowledge everything they're saying about memes and then of course check every box of athletic
physical traits. I mean it is amazing, you know, to see guys of that size move is freely and fluidly as they do. They both had injury problems, another common in their collegiate career. There are so many commonalities between Anthony Muno's and Mims. Both last names begin with them. They're in the m club. But I mean he's the only guy that started his first game as a rookie in the offensive line at that tackle position. I mean
he's the only guy Mims might be number two. I mean he I think that watching him in camp, I see I see a lot of similarities with with Munyos and Mims. I mean, I think I think Mims is understanding it quickly. Anthony was a very quick study. Mims doesn't seem to be having any problems in that regard as well. It's important to both of them, and I'm not I'm not trying to you know, Jinx Mems with oh Man Anthony Munos. You know, if you don't, if you don't play like Anthony Munyo is a rookie, You're
a bust. I'm not trying to do that because Anthony Munoz is one of one in my book, no matter how many people there have played in the National Football League and will play in the National Football League. But I do see similarities.
I do.
I do see a lot of similarities that that take me back to that and I just remember that entire process with Anthony. And I think Mims is tracking a at a very good rate himself.
We haven't heard much about Cordel vols in this camp. Maybe that's a good thing. Have you watched him much and if so, what are you seeing?
Yeah, I mean, I think he's really worked at it as well. I mean Cordel Volston is I think even bigger and stronger, you know, and and he's he's always had an ability to uh to move latterally, change direction, those kind of things. He's he's plenty athletic enough. And you know it's very early that stample size is small.
But I think one of the things last year that became an issue for him was eagerness, a little over eagerness, over aggressiveness and in the in the big thing now is with with a year of snaps under your belt and uh having you know, success overall. When you look at that season, trust your technique, trust yourself, trust your technique.
You know, don't lapse back into old habits. You know, put stay calm, stay poised, and everything that Frank's been working with you on for a significant number of snaps. Now believe they're what's going to get you there. Believe they're the thing that's going to make you the player you want to be in the National Football League. And I think that process continues form.
Let's turn to defense. The Bengals wanted to keep DJ Reader. He went to Detroit on a two year, twenty two million dollar contract. The Bengals are actually paying more than that to Sheldon Rankins two years twenty six mil. They're roughly the same age, but Rankins is not coming off a major injury like DJ Reader is. Here is BJ Hill on his new teammate, Sheldon Rankins.
Oh, he's a pro. I love being out there with him, the way he communicates where we just like talk about ball. We kind of grew up with a similar He had a mighty line coach that had in college. He had in New Orleans. A lot of similarity there. The way we play and stuff like that. I love being out there with them.
Sheldon Rankins is obviously known for his pass rushing ability inside. Has he been getting pressure from when you've been watching the eleven on eleven drills?
Yeah, I mean, I think it's interesting. DJ Reader and Sheldon Rankins have opposite strengths as such. You know, DJ Reader the big you know, a lot of girth, no stuff for kind of guy, but can give you pass rush. Sheldon Rankins outstanding interior pass rush guy, but can give you good snaps stopping the run. So it's it's interesting they're they're they're opposite but effective, you know, still in
in in the way they're utilized. I think the big thing, the most noticeable thing once you get the game snaps, is that they'll be able to slide the interior of the defensive line from nose tackle to three T technique because they're both capable of doing it in the same type of way as b J. Hill, you know, and
Rankins and others. I mean, there's gonna be other guys in the rotation, but instead of taking that three technique and flopping him, you know, and keeping one player on the nose and moving that that defensive tackle on the outside shoulder of the guard from right to left guard based on strength to formation and motion and everything, and a lot of times when that guy's moving, they snap
the football and it's all it's disjointed. You know, your gap controls become a problem because you've got a guy that's not anchored and ready to take on a gap. So I think, I think that's an interesting difference. But yeah, I do think. I do think that he is a
pros pro. And I do notice, you know, we're able to be right near where the team is on the sideline during practice, and every time he comes out of a out of a team portion of snaps, he gets together with the guy who's out there with and other interior defensive linemen that might not have been on the and not on the field to replace him, and he
kind of brings them together and talks about it. So communication is a big, big part of the game of football, and he seems to be a guy that communicates on the field, in the huddle, in the locker room, off the football field. I mean, communication is what it's all about.
Last week, we discussed the progress of DJ Turner and Dax Hill at outside corner quite a bit. Let's talk about fifth round draft pick Josh Newton out of TCU. He got some snaps with the first team at outside corner on Friday. Here are cornerbacks coach Chuck Berks and head coach Zach Taylor.
Man. I love Josh Newton's competitive spirit, his tenacity, his willingness to learn and grow. He's taken on two positions, so he's showing that. You know, he has some position flex but just from an overall day to day approach, I'm extremely impressed with him.
He's competing his tail. I'll say that about him, and like all the rookies, you know, they will continue to be HIGs and lowers. But I love his energy. The guy loves football and he's there for a reason.
I think he's looked really good in the one on one drills that they do with the wide receivers. Do you think Josh Newton is better than advertised for being a fifth round pick?
Yeah, I think I think some people missed on you know, I think the Bengals were ecstatic when he was still there. They had him targeted like third round kind of guy, so when he was still there in the fifth they jumped at that opportunity. As the legendary Paul Brown said, Son, it appears the game is not too big for you. That's what he would always tell you. I remember as a rookie, you would look for that comment from Paul Brown because that meant that things were going well for you.
If it was the opposite, Son, it looks like the games maybe a little bit too big for you. You knew maybe days were limited, it was on a countdown. So I think Paul Brown, after watching Newton perform and compete, would be saying, Son, the game's definitely not too big for you. And I think that's the thing about him is that you know no task is overwhelming to him. He's ready for anything. I mean, challenge him. He's going to step up to it. And now that pads have
come on, I'm excited to see him in game. I think he's going to be a very, very sure, physical tackler. I think he's gonna get people on the ground quickly in a heartbeat. I don't think there's gonna be much yak against him. I don't think you're gonna see a lot of mistackles.
Our final SoundBite in this week's recording is about a crazy stat tight end. Mike Kasicki is in his seventh NFL season. He spent five years in Miami, won in New England. Now he's a Bengal. He has had a different offensive coordinator every single year of his NFL career. One year he had two. Here's Mike Kasiki every year.
This time, I'm doing the same thing I'm doing right now. Learn a new offense, learn a new plays, learning new signals. And I mean I was in Miami for five straight years, so it's not like I was changing teams left and right. But there was just a lot of turnover and the staffs over there, and so I will say that I've learned a lot of football because of it. So it's been, it's been. It's been a good experience.
So I looked it up. They actually had co offensive coordinators.
Technically you could say I had I had eight. Yes, So yeah, my fourth year in Miami we had co offensive coordinators.
Uh.
So yeah, it's been.
It's been. Uh it's been.
An interesting journey to say the least. But uh, like I said.
I've learned a lot throughout it, So it's been cool.
Explain how difficult it would be to have eight offensive coordinators in seven NFL seasons.
Yeah, uh, you know, there might be some similarity from concept standpoint, but the language can be totally different. You know. I mean this formation and motion and everything attached to it was called whatever, and then the next off season you have to unlearn and relearn now it's called this. And then one year you're unlearning relearning coordinators language that that is extremely difficult, and every coordinator has a point
of emphasis that's different. You know, I want to emphasize these formations, structures, concepts in the running game and this in the past game. And it might be it's never going to be identical. It's just a matter of how different are they going to be. The one thing that I noticed about him, and he's proven it during the course of his career, is his football IQ. I mean, you have to be able to handle that mentally is a challenge, There's no question about it, no two ways
about that. But he's a guy when he's in the you know, detaches and he's in a two point stance upright, he's checking things out and you almost can see like Tumblr clicks, you know, you can see everything just like churning in his brain. And it's almost like he's a quarterback as well, looking at pre snap stuff, making sure that he sees it the same way the quarterback does
and he's going to get on the same page. So he is an extremely intelligent football players, very very high football IQ and to do that, to go through that process, I think it shows it. And really, I mean you never hear coaches yelling at him or complaining about assignment bus. So he's getting it, man, He's getting the Bengals system down pad pretty quickly.
That's for sure.
We've got a preseason game coming up in less than a week. I don't know about you, but I've got some Tampa Bay Buccaneers homework to do.
Yeah, I definitely do as well Baker Mayfield. I mean, yeah, I definitely have some Tampa Bay. But I know they just paid their left tackle a heck of a lot of money just and worse, man, they're taking care of some organizations. I mean, I just wonder where the counterfeit printing machine is. I mean, they got to be printed somewhere.
Saturday's game at pay Course Stadium kicks off at seven o'clock. Our Bengals radio network coverage will begin at five, and among the things to look forward to is a lengthy interview with Joe Burrow that Lap and I recorded a
few days ago. Before we get to our next guest, we remind you that the Bengals Booth Podcast is 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 of the Bengals. Since twenty twenty one, Bengals home games have included a ruler of the jungle who leads fans in the hooday chant just before kickoff. There have been former players, Olympic medallists and die hard fans on the throne. And there's been one national media member who's become a fan favorite. I caught up with her on a training camp visit to Cincinnati. We are joined by the woman who Chris Collinsworth has proclaimed the Princess of
Queen City, our friend, Kay Adams. Here's my question for you. You've got this mutual love affair with Cincinnati and Bengals fans when you are at these other NFL camps to players or coaches get on you about that.
Yeah, I just came from Pittsburgh, don't orry. I showered and burned all of my clothing from Latrobe. But I did not bring anything into this beautiful Cincinnati. But yeah, oh you're Bengals fan, You're Yeah. Things are a little more closed off, things are a little more you know, territorial. But I'll take it. Let's go in the super Bowl and from everybody wrong, Well.
Thank you for burning the Steelers again, that's much appreciation.
Thanks for having me.
I think this is your eighth stop on a seventeen training camp.
Nineteen. Now we added a Falcons and Saints to be and somehow I don't think my team knows that breaking news.
I see a lot of frowns.
So no, it's so fun. We're having a bust.
Do you sleep?
Sure? What is divine sleep?
Do I sleep like more than four hours?
And I got three hours last night? The night before though, I got five, and then you know, system of average is about five.
Is there an intravenous coffee drip?
No, but I need a black coffee before I can do I am a different person on if I don't have sleep and I don't have a coffee, so I have a black coffee. Kat Rogerson my amazing steward. She sort of like runs my life and I just close my eyes and she lifts me from place to place. She always has a coffee from me first thing, so it's the best. And she's not here in my security. Wonderful Dan this morning did not hesitate to say do you need a Starbucks situation? I said please, but yeah,
but then it's like I need it. But then I get into a facility and then you feel the energy and the special part about not just the Beangals but every team. And why I want to visit so many is because thirty two have optimism. Thirty two teams out there say right now, we are so healthy, we are so motivated, we are going to win a super Bowl. And who does want to be around that.
I love training camp. I love talking to people at training camp. It's when they're at their most relaxed. You are an awesome interviewer. Think what makes a good.
Interview Curiosity and listening, and that's it. That's probably as simple as it is. Not adhering, you know, you have to adhere to your values and you I always My biggest tip for an interview would be, I'm always driven by curiosity, but it's what do I want to hear? What do I want the answer to be? Well, kind of I'm not not as far as manipulating it, but how can I frame this question to get the story
that will satiate my curiosity? And the reason I think I've had success at it in this world is that I love the NFL. I think that's very clear. I like celebrating the players, and I think that that helps me. I have the same curiosity as the fans out there in the stadium watching the games, and so I asked the questions they want answers to.
You finally get your chance to visit with Joe Burrow today.
I don't even believe. I kind of don't believe that it's your vision. It's been for three years.
Yeah, things have gotten in the way when you've been here in the past. So it's happening today, it really it is. It is. Yep, it's definitely happening.
I'm nervous.
Do you start with the hair, the backlist jacket? Where are you going to begin with with Joe.
If you talk to anybody at UP and Adams, I have a shelf life in the news cycle. I have the attention span of about him nat So the second once that was in the news cycle for twelve hours, I was done. So I like to move very quickly. You know, things that are still even trending right now, I'm like, it's old news. I don't like, what's the next thing? How do we move it forward? So now I'm onto you know, Zach Taylor's kids dyeing their hair blonde. I want to know what that's like. I want to
further the story a little bit. I promise you I will not I will very unlikely touch the hair the storyline with him. Where will I start? I don't know. I think I'll have to sense what his energy is. I have a feeling he's going to be very serious. Oh he'll be great, grab but I think he's a serious. I think he's a serious. Individuals are focused at all times, right me. No, So we'll see how it goes, hopefully. You know they say ever to meet your heroes. I
think that's how I'll probably start. You know, how is he going to impress me? That's what we've talked about. Now what should I ask him?
Dan, Shoot, I don't know. You're a great interviewer.
I mean you talked to him all the time, and.
I just had the chance to do a lengthy interview with him the other day and he was great. Here's the thing that I find most interesting about Joe, and maybe you can get to the heart of this. So, whether it's the hair or the past Paris fashion show, this dude is the most comfortable in his own skin of anybody I think I've ever met. He just does not care what other people think. So if you have a way of getting at the heart of that, I'd be interested to hear it.
I'm not Walter Cronkite, you know, Diane Sawyer, but we'll see. I'll see what I can do. It's fascinating. Does he have this sense of comfort now over time? Like you sort of said, I wanted to focus on football and now I have it And now you know, does that mean he's mastered football and can open himself up with other things like branding or did he always have this in him and he just now feels like it's time to step out and let those are clearly artistic I
believe parts of his personality. I would assume sort of shine and will that be a great thing for him as a football player or will he be scrutinized for it even more, which again he doesn't care exactly.
I mean, ultimately, if he does well on the field, nothing else really matters, and he will because he's Joe Burrow. He says that people have forgotten him since last year because he was injured. He's thirty ninth on the NFL Networks Top one hundred list. Give us the national perspective. Do you think people outside of Cincinnati are kind of sleeping on Joe Burrow?
I think it has nothing to do with anything except for the injury, and it's not I would have to defend the nation in saying that I believe that all injured players suffer this that you forget. I was just with the Patriots. Christian gonzale as the rookie last year, was on his way to a Rookie of the Year on defense situation got hurt. So whenever anybody gets hurt, you do forget them. I don't know if you deserve that ranking. If you look at his talent level, his
skill level, his success against other AFC opponents. I certainly you can make the case he should beat top five, top ten, but I think the injury is all that it had to do with. And I'm sure that that's the huge worry and storyline and concern on every defensive drill and snap out there with him. I'm sure Coach lou is like easy, he's Trey Hendricks in bad Boy, Like, I'm sure those things are going on because you do you know what you just said. You said he will,
He'll be fine because he's Joe Burrow. So few teams can say that, so few happened. What's happening here is so special, but it also puts an insurmountable amount of pressure and stress on one person. Though we did, of course have success without him last year, which should only give his team more confidence so they can go and take it away from Patrick Mahomes. And that's the storyline of the NFL. This your down, there's no there's cool
raven stuff. That's fine, let's beat them, let's win the division. But the story for ever, everybody in the AFC just has to gun for them, not repeating, and that's the story.
Bero Mahomes sweet too five pick out. I'm there with you.
Yeah.
So you had the great Willie Anderson on up and Adams several weeks ago, and one of the things that he said in your conversation was, I hope the offensive lineman play in the preseason, trying to help the Bengals avoid a slow start like they've had in the last couple of years. Zach Taylor is clearly watching because the offensive starters are playing in the preseason opener against Tampa Bay. Thank you.
I mean, if Willie says something, you got to do it. I'm just a conduit. I'm a simple vehicle for these sort of messages from Ah. That was an insane conversation. It was one of those pinch me moments. I didn't know he was going to be there. He was so gracious with this time, so honest. He has so much to give. He is so interested in giving everything that he's learned over his amazing career to younger o lineman. But I mean this a line. I'm super excited about
these big boys Cincinnati skyline. Let's go just talk to Orlando bront I'm looking at him literally my neck could not be further back. And he's one of the shorter ones here. I asked him, how does Joe Burrows see over you and he goes, I don't know, man, he just somehow gets it done. But very excited about that. I think one of the things that private what's being slept on. I do think the run game is being slept on. There's a huge hole. Joe Mixon a big game.
We wish him well, of course, but let's not sleep on what this duo, this one two punch can do. And Brown somebody that I think Zach was very measured and wanting to see more of him when he could, getting him into action when he could at certain times when he could last year, to see that and have confidence that he's the guy, and he clearly assaults this. So all am I.
You had Zach moss On up in Adams as well after he signed with the Bengals as a free agent. Do you think that that's kind of a sneaky valuable move by the Bengals because that one doesn't seem to be getting much juice around the country.
Absolutely, anybody that has experience, you need depth at the running back spot. We know that I haven't talked to him since he's been here, but he's always been delightful and you know, if you come on up in Adams, you're going to have success. What else can I say?
Are you bumm that you will not see DJ Reader here?
Yeah? If I'm being honest, sure, And I think he's one of those pieces that's really going to help them in the NFC over there. I think that he is a tremendous player. One of the first I would say. He was the signing that the Bengals made that when I was on Good Morning Football. I remember when it came across the desk. I looked at my producer Hamilton and was like, huh, it's a lot of money. That's an uncharacteristic sort of like huge paycheck highest pid. And
then we developed a friendship and a kinship. But I will say there's other personalities here that are you know, Orlando Brown is no less exciting and fun to talk to and some of these other amazing pieces. So from a personality standpoint, I'll miss him. From an energy standpoint, certainly, but you know, I trust with this what this organization's doing, and hopefully you'll make me look smart as usual.
The Bengals tried to keep them, it didn't work out. That's where it goes in the NFL exactly. Yeah, it's a business. But they did sign Sheldon Rankins, so two very different players, but two great players. But a major problem last year was stopping the run. Is that one of the things that you are going to be trying to get at the heart at while you're here at camp, trying to find out from Lou and others how they're going to do that better.
I have been tracking the Sheldon story for a long time. I think the departure reader was a huge hole to fill, and he can fill it. We've seen him have success before. He's a monster. I've been checking in in my dark arts ways throughout this process, and I can tell you that Sheldon is going to do just fine. And yes, I'm glad you mentioned him because he is somebody who is obviously going to have a huge role. I know
Lou wants to clean it up. He wants to clean up especially the run stuffing, and he's the perfect person to do it. We're all excited.
So I cover one training camp and it's hard to keep track of everybody and all the things going on. How do you do it? With thirty two?
I want to thank you for all the work you do, because I just listened to you truly, so that I'm up to speed with what's going on all across the country. How do I keep up? I don't know. I have a good memory. I guess I'm curious. I think it's curiosity that sort of propels me. Just the it's so good for me. You know, there's there's you have national media people who cover everything, and they don't know what's going on in the place, and it must be so
frustrating for you especially. You know, it's the tree tops of the conversations. There's so many and so much information, but all starts here. It all starts with you know, I'm sitting with Orlando Brown and there's an energy shift in him from last year that's imperceptible with a news article or a podcast, and it's it's to be here and sense those things in the hallway. That's the gift that you have and that you receive from this organization. So if I can get if I could get to
all thirty two, I would in thirty two days. I would do it in the minute because it matters so much to me. It sets the table for my entire agenda. You know, I'm in I'm in New York with Aaron Rodgers, and whether it's great or not great, I can tell you a lot of the things that I noticed that day are going to have an effect two months, three months from now, you know, me asking about Devanta Adams will see what happens. All these things sort of get
set in those places. So I don't know, I hop around. It's similar storylines. I'm drawn to energy. I think I think it takes energy. I'm drawn to dynamics organizationally between front office, GM coach, quarterback and receivers. Like here. I just I saw Jamar Chase here for a second, smiling walking through got to work out in. I said, I'm so happy to see you, and he goes, why wouldn't I be here? I mean, what else could you want?
And I hope people as I cover all thirty two people in Cincinnati realize how rare that is and to have Tea say let's go and do this. And I think you're only getting that because they know that they can win here, and you're not getting that a lot of other places because they don't believe that they can win there. And to have that kind of buy in, that's the kind of dynamic that I think is super Bowl bound.
I think you're very perceptive where Orlando Brown Junior is concerned because there is a.
Shift there, something going on there.
Yeah, so didn't go to the Pro Bowl last year. He was an alternate. But he's a proud guy. I sense that he's really hungry despite all he has accomplished.
I think he said hungry in our interviews six times, and I thought I had to do the internet in fasting that he's been raving about. But it's not that he told me that he had some I asked him, I said, how did you free yourself up the things that are weighing you down, the adversity, because there's a looseness about you. And he said, I just had a long conversation with myself about it. And he said that,
and I believe him. I could just tell that there's something about him where he could just sort of give it up. And I think that's a huge struggle. You're looking at other teams, you know, like let's say the Bills or the Niners having to get off the mat and say we can do this again as teams, and then individuals wanting, you know, a better year or want to to be more supportive. I think he feels more comfortable and that'll play out really well.
So you were in Latrobe, Pennsylvania yesterday, Oh gosh, home of Steelers camp.
Okay, here comes the light detect or test? Is that what's happening with what I saw in Latrobe?
Now we will go there, but obviously the AFC North is a beast, Baltimore and Cleveland as well. Hard Knocks is going to cover the division for the final several weeks of the season. Is it different when you bounce around? Do you get a different vibe when you're in Pittsburgh, Baltimore, Cleveland, Cincinnati?
I would say it was my first visit to Latrobe yesterday, and there is a very overwhelming feeling of purity and history for the NFL, the Steelers. Sort of it's brazen. It's right out there for you. Mister Tomlin seems giddy, which is a weird. I don't know if we're scared of it? Do we like that? He seems very excited about his plucking of one. Patrick Queen. I can tell you that believe he was going to play huge, and now he's got Minka and TJ. Watt and he's collecting
those infinity stones on defense. Let's see if they can put it all together. He's excited. You know they've got nause He's got a lot to prove because he doesn't have an option picked up, so he's going to be running very hard out there. So you know they're they're formidable. I would say the Ravens are you are your team to beat as far as feeling comfortable in the a f C and the AFC North, but it should be fun.
It's the toughest division in football, and I don't think anyone in this building would have it another way.
My wife doesn't get very excited when I tell her who I'm going to interview on a daily basis, But when I told her it was going to be you today, she's like, oh my gosh, I love K. I said, you've never met, but you know what you wanted me to say?
Hi?
Anyway, how much hard knocks FaceTime?
Are you going to get voice time? I'll get a lot of voice.
You're not going to just like, you know, show up in the hallways, you know when the cameras are.
Maybe they love using those local radio guy clips, which is fun.
That'll be great supposed to do it. Yeah, are we excited about that? Because you know, I feel like and isn't in the Giants camp in a little bit. I feel like, I don't know if you I don't know how much teams. Some teams love it and embrace it, in other teams not as much.
You know what. I'm excited about it because it's everybody in the division. See, there's no competitive disadvantage, So I think it'll be great. I'll certainly be watching love that. You're the best.
You're the best. Thank you, guys, Thank you so much.
Thanks Dan As I told Kay I think she's a great interviewer, and she talked to several Bengals on her training camp visit, including Joe Burrow and Zach Taylor. If you would like to see those conversations, just search for Up and Adams Show on YouTube. That's going to do it for this episode of the Bengals Booth podcast, brought
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more Bengals fans find us. I'm Dan Horde and thanks for listening to the Bengals Booth podcast