Bengals Booth Podcast: Winner

Hi, get everybody. I'm Dan Board and thanks for downloading The Bengals Booth Podcast. The you Know You Look in at a Winner Winn a Winner audition as the Bengals earn their first home win of the year by beating the Las Vegas Raiders forty one to twenty four. Coming up, radio replays, locker room comments and postgame analysis from Dave Lapham. Then in this week's fun Facts Conversation, you'll meet a Bengals assistant coach who is the son of a former

That's what's needed and they hope to get a jump started today at home against the Las Vegas Raiders. And it is time for the Pigskin to fly.

Here in the jungle, so rather than taking three points, the Bengals line up offensively. On fourth down and three from the twenty, Burrow with a long count might be trying to draw Vegas off side.

No, they snap it.

Burrow looking scrambling, throwing caught for the first down Tanner Hudson with a catch. He's brought down just inside the ten by safety Nate Hobbs, and the decision to go for it pays off. It's first and goal inside the ten. Cincinnati will line up in the shotgun. Chase Brown lines up to the right of Burrow. Quick snap, Burrow begins right, looking into the end zone. He throws caught on the back line, touchdown Chase Brown near the back right pylon.

And goal from the one from the right hash forty four yards away. McPherson's kick is up.

And it is good. Good.

It was very close to the right upright from the kicker's perspective, but it was on the right side of it, and Cincinnati has taken a ten to seven lead. Clock is running with forty three seconds left in the half. The Bengals have all three timeouts remaining, first and goal from the ten. Burrow catches the shotgun, snap flops the throw, passes caught at the forest yoc Bosh extends the ball over the goal line, touchdown Bengals. We have thirty two seconds left in the half. Third down in goal from

Burrow ready for the shotgun snap. Three receivers left, one right. Joe has the ball looking left, goes caught by Kasiki. He's at the twenty middle of the field. Ten five touchdown.

Wow, forty seven yards touchdown pass number five for Joe Burrow to tie his career high.

And how about a blown coverage? How about a missed assignment?

Nobody takes up Kasiki first and ten Raiders at their own thirty Desmond back to throw.

It's a deep drop. Hendrickson Saxum knocks the ball free. It's still loose and the Bengals fall as Logan Wilson recovers at the thirteen yard line. Ah four sack Day for big play Tray.

Okay, why the hell aren't they helping Mundford? Mundford's got a one on one and Trey Hendrickson.

Is abusing him.

Browning takes a knee and the clock will wind down with twenty five seconds to go. Both teams begin the march toward the middle of the field as the Bengals get it done here at pay Corpse Stadium and get their first home victory of the year, and they do so in decisive fashion, beating the Raiders forty one to twenty four. All right, let's start the wrap up by discussing the offense. T Higgins, Orlando Brown, Junior, Zach Moss, Charlie Jones, and Jermaine Burton. Didn't play more on Burton later.

What did you see?

How did you take apart this defense like you did?

You know, they got a great rush and they mix up the coverage as well and make it tough on your pre snap. So I just knew I had to get the ball out of my hands quickly try to get it to my guys.

We ran the ball well today, and.

You know, I love the game plan coming in, so everybody's got to be able to consistently do that the whole game.

A couple of times today, like you always do. When you're climbing the pocket. I'm telling you, man, you have eyes all over your head, the side of your head, the back of your head. I don't when you know to take a hard righte go left retreat? I mean, is that just instinct?

What is that?

Yeah, something I've always felt comfortable doing. Also understanding the coverages and the concepts what's good and what's not where and maybe you want to stand in and take a hit and make a throw, or.

Get out of the pocket and try to make a play.

So I feel like I'm processing pretty well right now.

Joe.

You were down to just four receivers in the roster for this football game. Kasiki was basically like your fifth and he had one hundred yards twenty yards a catch for you. But it didn't matter. I mean, just four guys. Do you go out and have, you know, one of your best days of your career. How do you explain that?

Yeah, we had guys step up. You know, Kendrick made a big catch. Mike obviously stepped up today. Andre made a couple of big plays. Chase ran the ball and caught the ball really well. He had a couple of unbelievable plays in the past game two, So it's nice to have that one.

You seem down the stretch of the football game to show up. Some frustration we repeeved about the pick six.

Was that the deal isn't good enough. It wasn't good enough in the second half. You know, well, we're not going to be the.

Best teams in the league when we play like that in the second half.

You know we're able to find a way, but.

It needs to be better. How big is it to have Chase Brown going downhill?

I mean north and south, running between the tackles, the running game. Basically the last four games of last in the NFL, not today.

Yeah, he's just gonna continue to get better and better.

You know what.

We got movement up front today and so hopefully we can keep that going and then get a quick turnaround. Joe, how do you how do you take care of your body? What do you do when you have a quick turnaround? You gotta play Thursday night against Baltimore on the road.

Yeah, you gotta get your sleep.

You gotta eat right, you gotta get whatever your routine is. You gotta speed that up because you only got basically two days to to get that right before before you travel. So I have a good process going. I know guys have done that before. Try to get the young guys.

To understand how quick this turnaround is going to be, and we'll get it going.

In credit.

Man, you made a bunch of really good decisions out there and forty one points nothing to sneeze. That hard to do against any team in the NFL. Man.

Thanks.

Jamar Chase led the Bengals with seven catches, but Mike Gasiki led the team in receiving yards. He had one hundred on five receptions and there was so much open field on his forty seven yard touchdown grabbing the fourth quarter that Mike said his wife Hallie would have scored as well. He also pointed out that she's a good athlete. It was the third one hundred yard game of Gasiki's career, and it was the first time that Chase Brown has

Marius.

Four sacks for Trey Hendrickson today, none for Max Crosby. How does that make you feel?

It?

Feels good, especially with the four sacks on Trade Park. That Man's a demon. Nobody I just feel like Man when he's one hundred percent, nobody can block him. Mind, he's one of the best I've ever seen. Man in the NFL said, I'm just so glad he's on my team. I'm beyonest with you, Man, I'm glad. I'm glad he's part of my team. I'm glad he's part of I said, I'm part of like helping us wain Man and I said, you had a great game and we just gotta keep building on it.

I mean, guys said during the week a big he is just not letting Max Crosby destroy the game.

He had a few wins.

Of course he's going to, but you did not let him have a dominant performance.

And Man's testament to the old line, man testament to coaching, you know, having a good game.

Plan, just trusting it. Like I said, I think, I think my tight ends.

But the chips they helped me with the running back a couple of times, and like I said, Man, but most of the time, it was like I felt like it was one on one and I just shot to you know, try to not get outside of myself to try to play with the great technique.

Try to play a long and try to like disrupt this game.

Man.

But like I said, Man, it's a great it's a great game plan we had from Coach Taylor and coach Pinchman.

So that's testament to them which stood out about facing him.

Man, that dude is not he has a motor. He does not stopped.

Like I said, he's definitely the one of the most active and best players I've ever played against. Man, and I don't played a lot of football, but overall, he's the probably one of the best players ever played against.

Unfortunately, doesn't stop people on these off side.

He took a shot at jab Man. I was just kind of confused. I thought they blew a whistle over early. But I saw him.

I was like in my tripp and I thought I was like, I thought it was a mombore. I'm like, I can't believe it happened. There was more shocked than me because I feel like they brew a whistle pretty rad.

We're chatting to the Marius snms. What did it need to not only win, but to dominate for the first time?

It felt.

Yeah, Man, that's a great a great first home win. Man, we just gotta keep building on it. Man, Like I said, We've got a lot of games left, but we just gotta keep building this right here is the building, Bark And I said, it's part in the home games, first first home team win. It's great, man, So we gotta keep building on it.

One hundred and twenty rushing yards for Chase Brown, his first one hundred yard rushing performance.

In the NFL.

That's what you guys have been looking to do to get the running game to go to go to that extent one hundred percent.

Man, we knew, we knew going in this game. Man, we want we wanted to run the ball a little bit. No, we want to pound that rock.

Man.

And I said, we got a great running back and Chase and I'm just glad he got, you know, show the world what he can do.

Man.

So I said, it's testament to the old line of course, testament to the coach. Coach Paulock called, and the runs, and then testament to him you don't hit it downhill and making those big plays.

I touchdown passes for Joe, second time he's done that this year. I mean, he is playing at an extremely high level.

Joe is gonna be Joe. He's one of the best of the NFL.

And that's why, like I say, it doesn't a problem, man, he's one of the greatest. I'll watch him work, he said. Like I said, he's a great leader, and like I say, it doesn't surprise the bat and he can do that every day. I feel like.

So normally, when you win a game at any level, you got the twenty four hour rule, you get to it, joy it for twenty four hours. From what I'm hearing, this is more like the twenty four minute rule. You got to play Baltimore on Thursday.

Yeah.

Man, that's the great part about NFL.

Man.

Always you know Osby ready, no matter what, Man, it's gonna be a long season.

And like I said, it just happens.

We played.

We played on Thursday, So we're gonna come in tomorrow, see what we did wrong, correct it, and then let's move on.

Man, there won't there won't be that many games where Crosby doesn't have a sack. That was the case today. Congratulations times, job.

Well done, I appreciation.

Okay, time to talk about another rookie, Jermaine Burton. With t Higgins out, Burton was expected to play a significant role on Sunday, but was not on the active roster. According to the NFL Z and Rappaport, Burton missed the Bengals walk through on Saturday. And it's no secret that Jermaine's attention to detail and professionalism has lapsed at times this year. Let's hear from Zach Taylor. We spent a few minutes with Dave Lapham after the game.

Big win, Coach, big win.

Youang forty one points on any in the National Football League.

That's a heck of an accomplishment. Yeah, it was a good way to finish. Proud of us in all three phases at big stretches in the game. Still some things we can clean up, which is encouraging when you win a game like that and you still feel like there's there's a lot more you left on the field.

But excited to get a win.

Man.

We got to enjoy its toughness league and we know that. And so I was onto a big THURSDA night game.

To get that first home win at pay Court and reward the fans.

That had to be pleasurable as well.

It's been too long, you know, it shouldn't take five games to do that, Proud of the turnout, proud of them supporting us. Could feel the energy in a very positive way, and I glad our guys responded the right way.

Second half of the Raiders, they had two fumbles, they had three punts, and they were stopping on downs in six possessions and your defense just slammed the door.

They did.

They did a great job, you know, And really the first drive was really positive. I felt like we got a third and ten stop there that turned into a DPI, which is the way it goes sometimes on some tough plays for SKOD opponents. But after that drive, I thought they really buckled down and got us some turnovers, limited the points on the board, and the often to be aggressive.

Your first five possessions, five scores, four touchdowns in a field goal. The four touchdowns were all in the red zone. You came into the game sixty seven percent in the red zone, tied for fifth best in the league, and go four for four at that point it was four to four. Might even worked out better than that. I mean, what is it about your red zone execution? Are guys believe in what we're doing.

Joe's not afraid to extend plays when the concept's not there and guys get on the same page with them. I thought we rained the ball well down there to put us in a position to throw it in. So just prout of the overall execution.

There in the second half, the first four possessions for the Raiders fumble, three and out, three and out, three and out. When you're calling plays, you know, as an offensive coach and the defense is doing that, what goes through your mind.

I couldn't get my thoughts together fast enough, you know, to get the next plays for the next drive.

And that's a great problem to have when.

You feel like you're just burning through plays because the defense has given you so many opportunities. And so here's a good feeling to have.

So your quarterback throws five touchdown passes height end slash wide receiver he averages twenty yards to catch five catches for one hundred yards. You're running back goes for other hundred and twenty. He has catches for thirty plus more so he's over one hundred and fifty scrimmage yards.

Pretty darn good day.

And we left some drives out there. You know, there was three drives. I know for a fact, that we felt like there was more meat on the bone there that we didn't capitalize on. And I'll give us something to clean up, you know, to be at our best, which we're going to need to be this Thursday.

So, coach, I mean gun hammered all game long.

Jermaine Burton was a healthy scratch and we're told that you have something to say after the football game about it?

What can you tell us about that. We're going to help him through it. You know, he's we believe in him. We're going to continue to give him opportunities as he earns it. We expect our guys to hold up to a professional standard that we've had for this team and this organization, and we're going to help him get there.

So is it just a matter of maturity not just on the football field, but off the football field as well, doing everything you need to do to be a professional.

That's a good way to put up sums it up, well, coach.

The thing is when when you only had four wide receivers active for the football game and Gasicki he's you know, he's kind of a hybrid guy. But for guys to step up like they did in your quarterback to believe in him, and they believe in him like they did.

That's a great sign, isn't it.

Yeah, we have enough to be successful, you know, And whether that's on the active roster of the practice squad, the way that we believe in our guys, anybody can step up and Kennrick pryor he gets an opportunity to come his way, he makes the play. Can be Devin Cochran coming in for a snap on a touchdown play and stepping up. And these guys have been coached well and they're ready for their moment.

They going a touchdown drive to start the game. But then, man, I mean, you know nothing. I mean the defense just says what what was? Were there any adjustments or was it just a matter of guys, Look, let's just do our jobs a little bit.

Do your job, you do it, do it to a higher level. Is that all it was? Yeah?

You know, they got us in a couple two semi explosive passes there and we had the third and ten the DPI that kind of was a kick and they got there for a moment. But you got to buck up respond and most times we do. But I just thought they did a good job gathering themselves after that drive and making some big stops.

That defense is the only team in the NFL that has not given up a play of forty yards or more. So, you know, they keep everything in front of them, the way that you just play after play. Took care of the football. Other than the pick six. I mean, Joe just talked to Joe. He's so mad about the pick six. He doesn't even care about the five touchdowns. I mean,

It is.

There's no doubt, and we're lucky to have him, and we're going to continue to lean on him and he's going to continue to play well for us.

Up next the Thursday night game in Baltimore against the six and three Ravens, who'll be Denver on Sunday, forty one to ten. This is the third straight year that the Bengals have had to play a night game in Baltimore, and the second straight year it's been on a Thursday. That is a significant disadvance. The Bengals Booth Podcast is brought to you by pay Corps proud to be the

You know, I thought the defense was extraordinary. Second half possessions for the Raiders two fumbles, three punts in stop on downs, I mean. And then offensively in the first half their first five possessions, five scores, four touchdowns, fuel goal, all the touchdowns on the red zone four for four they are so, I mean, it was a complete game, maybe in different spurts, but each phase supported the other. So we're looking for that, you know, that complete game

They didn't have Orlando Brown junior, and they didn't have a lot of their offensive weapons. But I want to focus on the line because Cody Ford started at left tackle, A Marius Mims spent most of the day trying to block Max Crosby. He didn't have a sack. Joe Burrow threw five touchdown passes. They had one hundred yard rusher, one hundred yard receiver. That's a great job up front.

It is, it really is. I mean I thought they rose to the occasion. I thought Joe Burrow was extraordinary getting the ball out of his hand quickly. Man, it's offensive lineman. That's your best friend when your quarterback gets it out and gets it out now. And he also did a good job manipulating the pocket you know at times as well, but other times, you know, he stood in the pocket and they gave him great protection. So again, a complete foremance. You know, Joe supported his line when

Chase Brown must have felt like he was back at Illinois, getting thirty two touches. That was the norm for him his final year there more than one hundred and fifty combined rushing and receiving yards. And you were salivating on occasion by the way he was attacking when he got the ball.

Yeah.

I mean, he is so explosive. His first step quickness is unbelievable, and I mean when he comes downhill, he is down hill means business. And I just love that. I mean, he gets to the line of scrimmage in a hiccup and then makes you know that first Greek cut and he's at that second level before they know what's coming. I really, I really respect his game, you know. And he had a twenty one yard run and was

The Raiders left tackle went down their backup left tackle went down. Hello, Trey Hendrickson.

Trey and Joe Burrow five touchdown passes ties his best of his career. Trey Hendrickson four sacks, the best of his career. And I mean the poor tackles. I felt sorry for the guys because you know, it's it's a situation where you can't win. Munford he's in trouble. I mean, he get bold. Now, when you get bold, man, that's a bad feeling for an offensive lineman. Now it's like you're gonna set real hard and he gets the edge on you, and it's like, oh no, do when I set soft, you're gonna bull me.

Do I set hard and firm? You know he's going to quick me.

And he was in trouble And the reason that he was in trouble is because he was going against the guy far superior. He shouldn't have been in that football game, but because of the other injuries, he was. And I'm sure it was Oh man, the NFL, it's the real deal, Trey Henderson. Yeah, this guy's legit. But Trey was doing well against everybody. He had just hit one of those games where he was a dominant force. And I'll tell

I know you spoke to Joe Burrow after the game. Late in the game, you were watching him on the sideline, and it was your impression that he was so upset about that pick six that he almost couldn't even enjoy his five touchdown passes. Did you get the sense that that was true from talking to him after the game, Yeah.

Pretty much, you know, and he said not good enough in the second half, of course, that's when his pick six occurred. He's just, you know, expects so much of himself. He's such a competitor. He expects high level performance and when there's anything that deters that, man, he just he's not a fan. So it's very interesting. And I thought, you know, he distributed the ball to all the weapons that he had. He only had four receivers and then Kasicki's a receiver. I mean, hacky really is. But guys

After he talked to him in the locker room, he did his usual postgame news conference and it went on for a long time. Today. Zach Taylor waited for him after that, which seemed kind of unusual to me, and I wonder if he just wanted to tell him something along the lines of, hey, you can enjoy this. I know the second half wasn't up to your standards, especially with that pick six, but you did throw five touchdown passes and we scored forty one points, right right.

I mean I think I think sometimes, you know, even though you think, do I really need to do that? Yeah, it's good to do that. I think Joe appreciates it. Joe doesn't need it, he's not looking for it. But I think when it's done, I think he really does appreciate it. And I think it's like, yeah, you know, a little reality check.

I did.

Okay, things were things were pretty good. But man, I mean, I just I just love the competitive fire in that guy. Man, it burns so intensely.

He is.

Uh, he's one of one in a lot of different areas, both tangible and intangible. He is He's made of all the right stuff. He really is, and you know it's I thought it was interesting at the end of the football game Burton went over to him by the bench area and it was you know, it wasn't it wasn't you know, Kumbay our time. So, I mean, Burton has a lot of growing up to do, he really does. And I think Joe's going to help him. I think the coaching staff's going to help him. His other teammates

All right, So bring on the Ravens Thursday Night football this week. Lamar Jackson at a perfect passer rating to and three touchdown passes. Derrick Henry ran for more than one hundred yards. He's on a pace for more than two thousand this season. I think as a team they're ravaging more than six yards a run for the season, which is ridiculous. But the Bengal should have beaten him the first time around. Every guy in that locker room knows they can go to Baltimore and win this week.

Yeah, I mean, it was a tract meet the last time, and it's going to be. You know, the way the Baltimore Ravens handle things offensively, they not only score on multiple possessions, they don't give you the ball. It takes them a long time to score on those possessions because they run the ball so well. So you feel so much pressure to handle score points, handle every possession successfully. It's almost like if you punt, oh man, it's worse. It's like a turnover. I can't give the football up.

Again, water, tea and rest, my friend.

Yeah, I'm telling you, it's that time of the year. I get about to the midpoint and I think my vocal cords are older than a lot of the rest of my body. They've been used so much and they just say, what the hell are you doing to me?

My Thanks to Lap for gutting it out despite the scratchy throat. It's time for this week's fun fact segment, where you get to know the person under the pads. Time for some fun facts of Bengals wide receivers coach Troy Walters coach in nineteen eighty four, when you were seven years old, your dad, Trent, was on the Bengals coaching staff under first year head coach Sam Whitch. Do you have any memories of the nineteen eighty four Bengals.

Not so much of the season, but I do remember my favorite player was Ray Horton. I remember Halloween, I dressed up in a twenties Bengals jersey and helmet because that was his number. So I do remember that he was my favorite guy, and that Halloween I dressed up as him and got a lot of candy.

Your dad spent the next twelve years coaching in the NFL for the Vikings and the Eagles. He also had college coaching stops at Notre Dame in Texas, A and M and some other great schools. Did that fuel your interest in the coaching life.

It really did.

Growing up around the game, I knew I wanted to be a part of it. Uh after my playing days was over, I wanted to play to the you know, as long as I could at the highest level, and I was blessed to play eight years in the NFL, and so I knew I wanted to stay around the game. I wasn't sure front office, general manager. And then, uh, you know, towards the end of my playing career, I

We're visiting with Troy Walters. You did have a great playing career, but is it true that you only had one scholarship offer.

Yeah, I did.

That was the University of Tulsa, and and that was non committable. So they had two or three other receivers that they were waiting to see what they were going to do before they had accept my commitment.

So I took a trip there.

I took a trip to Sam Houston State and then you know, just I'm a man of faith, so God just works incredible ways. With my dad going in my junior going in my senior year, he got a job with the Minnesota Vikings. And so my senior year I'm in Texas playing in college station. My dad's in Minnesota, and Tyrone Willingham was on the staff with the Vikings that year and the following year Stanford job came open.

Certainly worked out well at Stanford. It's been twenty five years since you played there, but you are still the school's all time record holder and catches and receiving yards. You also earned two degrees at Stanford, including a master's. What was the highlight of your Stanford experience.

Man, Probably the last year being able to play in a Rose but win in the Pac ten. At the time, you know, going into that last season, ninety nine season, we were ranked I think eight out of ten. Preseason, we lost our first game to Texas sixty two to seventeen or something like that, and we got in the locker room and Tyron Willingham said that we've got a champion in this locker room and we were looking around

That year you won the Bolitnikov Award. It's the top wide receiver in college football. One of the other finalists was Bengals number one draft pick Peter Warick. Do you think winning that award gives you instant credibility with the guys that you coach.

I think it does.

You know, they understand the award coming from college and what it means, and being recognized as a top receiver is a tremendous honor. And just going back, Peter Ward was my kind of my not my idol, but I looked up to him. I kind of patterned my wanted

What it means. And uh.

And then to play in the NFL also gives me credibility. And and I try to coach from a player's perspective, and so I'm trying to put my my my feet in the in their in their situation and and just uh and just make sure I understand what they're going through as I coach them.

Up.

We're visiting with wide receivers coach Troy Walters. The Vikings selected you in the fifth round of the two thousand draft. What are your most vivid memories of that draft experience.

It was a long weekend back then.

I think it was three days, so it started or maybe two days Saturday and then all day Sundays, you know, seven rounds and I got drafted in the fifth round. So I watched from the beginning and just made a note of all the receivers that were drafted, and you know, thought I was better than most of them that were taken.

Those were not the only Hall of Fame caliber players that you played with in your eight year NFL career. I want to name a few and just get your thoughts what you admire and respect about these guys. So let's start with a couple that you mentioned. Randy Moss.

Uh, the freak.

Side speed, athleticism, things he did on the football field just.

Just wiled me.

And uh, you know, I mean some great performances and so just the thing that comes to mind is just a freakish athlete and and really changed the way you know, receivers reviewed and and uh how the game was played. Chris Carter, Uh, probably the best hands I've been around, caught everything technician, Uh worked in the slot. So I learned a lot about slot running routes in the slot from.

Him, and and uh.

You know the things that he did on the field, the catches he made were tremendous. Peyton Manning, Uh the general detailed made everyone around him better. I was blessed to go to Minnesota, went from Minnesota, or went to went from Minnesota, which was kind of just run down the field, we're gonna throw it up to to you know, to to to our playmakers. To going to Indianapolis with more of a detailed precise you know, Peyton, if it was a twelve yard he wanted to be twelve yards.

And but he he.

Knew everyone's position, He knew what the defense was gonna do before they even did it, and uh, you know, prepared, studied. Uh truly one of the great quarterbacks of the game. Marvin Harrison quiet but a silent assassin when he didn't say a whole lot, but when he got on the field, uh, you know, he made DB's look bad. And and uh with his route running great hands, great hips. Him and Peyton were always on the same page. They had that chemistry,

Larry Fitzgerald, I knew Larry.

Funny story, Larry was a ball boy when I played for the Vikings, so I always kid him even to this day that he used to pick up my jockstrap and my towel and and put my unit equipment out in the locker room.

But you know, he's he's mister consistent in.

Terms of just great hands, route runner size, did everything the right way off the field on the field, you know. And I was able to kind of my last year and in two thousand and six in Arizona's able to kind of mentor him and and uh, you know, he's We have a great relationship and he's a great, great human being. Two more Kurt warner Man, Kurt awesome guy, awesome quarterback. He was a leader, uh when I was

Learned a lot from him.

Megatron Calvin Johnson.

Yeah, that was my last year, two thousand and seven. That was his rookie year.

And when he came in, you know, he was a top I think five draft choice, maybe two or three, and he came in and with a free agent mentality and just worked his butt off.

Humble, but just wanted to be great.

And I would put him right with the Randy Moss in terms of freak, in terms of size, speed, strength, ways he catched the ball for a bigger guy running routes. I mean, he was just he was amazing and had a tremendous career.

After you got into coaching, one of your first stops was Texas A and M, where there was a fresh out of college grad assistant on the staff named Zach Taylor. He reportedly said to him, when you become a head coach, don't forget about me. True story or urban myth, true.

Story, true story.

I saw it in him even back in the day, very detailed. He was in charge of the tight ends, and then he was a He was a GA, but in charge in charge of the tight ends, and he did all our signaling, so he was our signaler. So, uh, funny story. Our last game, we were playing Texas. If we win the game, we were cod Big twelve champs, and at the time, Sarah, his wife, was pregnant, and we weren't sure when she was going to go into labor, but whenever she did, he was gonna leave and and

Back back then twenty ten eleven.

All right, a few wild card topics now for Bengals wide receivers coach Troy Walters. Who is your all time favorite athlete in any sport?

And why Barry Sanders?

You know growing up watching him, small guy, small football player, but dynamic, make guys look silly. But think I think I respect him the most of these. Humble when he scored a touchdown, he just give the ball to the fisho very quiet, humble, and he's probably my favorite athlete.

As I mentioned, you won the Bulittannikov Award in nineteen ninety nine. The actual trophy is huge. It's fifty six pounds. It is the largest trophy in college sports. I assume you don't get to keep that. What does the winner get?

No?

They give you a Yeah, I have the trophy.

I have it at home, and when I was at A and M, it was it was in my office. I've put in my office a couple of different stops. Now it's downstairs in the basement, but it is heavy. It's hard to transport from one location. So wherever I wherever I have it, it usually stays right there. But it is definitely a heavy, heavy trophy.

All right.

If your current players want to see video of you from your playing days, what do you show them.

I've got a tape a cutup of one on ones form my time in Indianapolis. Clyde Christensen, my receiver coach at the time. A couple of years ago, I asked him for if he could send me all the one on one cut ups, and so I made a little highlight tape of me running one on ones during training camp OTAs, and so every now and then I'll put it on and show them that I used to be decent.

Other than playing in coaching football. What do you do well?

I hope my wife says. I'm a good father and husband. I love to spending time with the family. We travel around a lot when we have time in the off season. I have four kids, so just hanging out with them, and they're young, ten, eleven, ten, and almost three, so they keep me busy.

And got an awesome wife.

And love to spend time with her and just be a family man.

All right. Final question, and this one's kind of deep. If you could meet anybody in history, living or deceased, who would that person be?

I was, like I said, I'm a man of faith. So if I had to meet someone to be Jesus Christ, you know, I'm into the word, just all everything that he did and just the stories in the Bible, it'd be fascinating to meet him in person.

This has been great. I appreciate your time, keep up the good work and thanks so much.

Thanks for having me.

That's going to do it for this episode of the Bengals Booth podcast, brought to you by pay Corps, proud to be the Bengals official HR software provider, by Alta Fiber future proof Fiber Internet designed to elevate your home, business and community to a new level, and by Kettering Health the best care for the best Fans. Kettering Health