WEBVTT - Bengals Booth Podcast: Feeling Good 0:00:03.480 --> 0:00:06.320 I get everybody on Dan Horde and thanks for downloading 0:00:06.320 --> 0:00:11.040 the Bengals Booth Podcast. The It's a new dawn, it's 0:00:11.080 --> 0:00:16.759 a new day, it's a new life for me, and 0:00:17.040 --> 0:00:22.360 I'm feeling good. Addition, as Billy Price joins me to 0:00:22.400 --> 0:00:26.000 share his excitement about the upcoming season following the return 0:00:26.079 --> 0:00:30.120 of offensive line coach Frank Pollock. Then after that, I'll 0:00:30.120 --> 0:00:33.800 be joined by the always entertaining Pete Prisco, senior NFL 0:00:33.920 --> 0:00:37.720 columnist for CBS sports dot Com. Last year, after the 0:00:37.760 --> 0:00:41.360 Bengals draft to Joe Burrow, Pete said that the Bengals 0:00:41.400 --> 0:00:45.040 would win a Super Bowl maybe two with Burrow at quarterback. 0:00:45.400 --> 0:00:48.160 We'll see if he still feels that way after Joe's 0:00:48.240 --> 0:00:52.400 rookie season. The Bengals Booth Podcast is presented by Bud 0:00:52.479 --> 0:00:56.400 Light Seltzer. Refresh the game, and here's a quick reminder 0:00:56.440 --> 0:00:59.120 that you can have the latest edition of this podcast 0:00:59.200 --> 0:01:03.080 delivered right to your phone, tablet, or computer by subscribing 0:01:03.440 --> 0:01:08.160 on iTunes, Stitcher, Google Play, Spotify, or pod Bean. It's 0:01:08.200 --> 0:01:13.640 the greatest thing since the Crosstown tip Off Challenge. It 0:01:13.800 --> 0:01:16.800 started in early January when a Xavier fan left a 0:01:16.880 --> 0:01:20.479 one thousand dollars tip on a fifty five dollars tab 0:01:20.520 --> 0:01:24.640 at Zip's Cafe and Mount Lookout and signed it Go Xavier. 0:01:25.120 --> 0:01:27.680 A few days later, a UC fan left a one 0:01:27.720 --> 0:01:30.559 thousand and one dollar tip at Keystone Bar and Grill 0:01:30.640 --> 0:01:35.640 and Clifton and signed it Bearcats up by one. Ever since, 0:01:36.120 --> 0:01:39.480 fans of the best intercity rivalry in college basketball have 0:01:39.560 --> 0:01:43.240 been going back and forth, leaving huge tips and raising 0:01:43.319 --> 0:01:46.920 tens of thousands of dollars to help local restaurants that 0:01:46.959 --> 0:01:51.360 have been devastated by the COVID nineteen pandemic. Then Chad 0:01:51.400 --> 0:01:54.840 Brendall from the Bearcat Journal website and Rick Browing from 0:01:54.840 --> 0:01:58.440 The Musketeer Report challenged fans of the two schools to 0:01:58.640 --> 0:02:02.600 outdonate each other and raised more than thirty three thousand 0:02:02.640 --> 0:02:05.960 bucks in a matter of days. The Bearcat fans won 0:02:06.040 --> 0:02:09.960 that challenge by about five thousand dollars, thanks in part 0:02:10.040 --> 0:02:12.600 to you see football players who have made the NFL 0:02:13.040 --> 0:02:17.360 like Jason Kelsey and Connor Barwin. In any case, it's 0:02:17.360 --> 0:02:21.160 been an incredible display of generosity and obviously doesn't have 0:02:21.240 --> 0:02:25.040 to be limited to UC then Xavier fans. If you 0:02:25.160 --> 0:02:27.679 have the means to leave a fat tip and add 0:02:27.720 --> 0:02:31.160 a who Day next to yours signature. The restaurant industry 0:02:31.160 --> 0:02:35.280 can certainly use our help. Now let's get to football. 0:02:35.960 --> 0:02:39.680 The Bengals had a very productive two eighteen draft, selecting 0:02:39.720 --> 0:02:43.480 two cornerstone players in Jesse Bates and Sam Hubbard, as 0:02:43.480 --> 0:02:46.840 well as two productive late round picks in Darius Phillips 0:02:46.919 --> 0:02:50.600 and audentn Tate. But so far, first round draft picked 0:02:50.639 --> 0:02:53.880 Billie Price has not had the career that he or 0:02:53.919 --> 0:02:57.560 the team was hoping for. But Billy is only twenty 0:02:57.560 --> 0:03:00.520 six years old and has been reunited with a coach 0:03:00.600 --> 0:03:03.760 that was in his corner when the team selected Price 0:03:03.880 --> 0:03:07.360 twenty first. Overall, I spoke to Billy about that and 0:03:07.560 --> 0:03:11.399 much more this week. So you moved to Dallas, where 0:03:11.440 --> 0:03:14.959 it's normally pretty mild in February, and instead Texas is 0:03:15.000 --> 0:03:18.680 experiencing historically bad weather with more than a million people 0:03:18.880 --> 0:03:24.840 without power. How are you, your wife and your dogs doing? Thankfully, 0:03:24.880 --> 0:03:27.480 we're doing okay. We're in the northeast part of the 0:03:27.560 --> 0:03:32.200 Dallas suburbs, which is an area it's doing well. We 0:03:32.280 --> 0:03:36.240 haven't had any issues with electrical issues. Water has been fine, 0:03:36.280 --> 0:03:41.080 which is phenomenal for us. Actually, Hakimodenogy, who is in Garland, Texas. 0:03:41.360 --> 0:03:42.920 He was actually staying with me for the last couple 0:03:42.880 --> 0:03:46.120 of days just because they lost electricity. Power was going off, 0:03:46.240 --> 0:03:48.840 making sure you know that they had food, We were warm, 0:03:49.000 --> 0:03:51.560 Things were good. The dogs are definitely loving the snow 0:03:51.600 --> 0:03:53.240 because we didn't get any of that in Kentucky before 0:03:53.240 --> 0:03:57.720 we left, so definitely they're thankful. But everybody here is healthy, 0:03:57.960 --> 0:04:00.960 safe and warm, so I appreciate that. So you move 0:04:01.080 --> 0:04:05.440 there after working with offensive line guru Duke manny Weather 0:04:05.640 --> 0:04:08.360 last year. Correct, Yeah, just that and just kind of 0:04:08.360 --> 0:04:10.560 getting away I think at the mental space after a 0:04:10.600 --> 0:04:13.320 long season, you know, a long tough two seasons the 0:04:13.400 --> 0:04:16.200 last two years again not the success that we wanted 0:04:16.440 --> 0:04:18.480 with the team, and it's just it's good to get 0:04:18.480 --> 0:04:22.320 away mentally and really just kind of rejuvenate things. Take 0:04:22.360 --> 0:04:24.480 you a month to kind of let the body rest 0:04:24.520 --> 0:04:27.920 and then to get back then get back going with Duke. 0:04:28.760 --> 0:04:30.520 You know, right now, I haven't started training yet, and 0:04:30.520 --> 0:04:32.000 we're going to start ticking it up here with Duke 0:04:32.040 --> 0:04:34.880 here next week, just to get things going again, get 0:04:34.920 --> 0:04:37.400 the body movements going. I know that offensive linemen take 0:04:37.400 --> 0:04:38.599 a lot of force and take a lot of brunt 0:04:38.720 --> 0:04:41.200 during the season, and so it's appropriate to take that time, 0:04:41.320 --> 0:04:43.760 let your body rest, get the information down, kind of 0:04:43.760 --> 0:04:46.400 research your metabolism again. You know, you're you're eating certain 0:04:46.440 --> 0:04:49.000 things to make sure you're maintaining weight during the season, 0:04:49.279 --> 0:04:50.920 So it's just nice to kind of get a refresher. 0:04:51.839 --> 0:04:54.680 You know, the economy down here is booming. The housing 0:04:54.680 --> 0:04:56.680 market is going crazy. There are people move in from 0:04:56.720 --> 0:04:59.760 California and their tessa's doing a big investment down here. 0:04:59.800 --> 0:05:03.880 So it was a right move for long term financially. 0:05:04.000 --> 0:05:07.440 And again, I mean historically the weather is phenomenal down 0:05:07.480 --> 0:05:10.000 here at this time, So I'll take the sixty degrees 0:05:10.120 --> 0:05:12.040 versus the thirty that you guys got up north. So 0:05:12.200 --> 0:05:15.039 when you're working out with Duke, I'm picturing a bunch 0:05:15.080 --> 0:05:19.120 of NFL offensive linemen or top college offensive lineman they're 0:05:19.160 --> 0:05:21.560 hoping to be in the draft, you know, not only 0:05:21.640 --> 0:05:25.280 working out physically together, but also sharing trade secrets. Is 0:05:25.320 --> 0:05:28.240 that kind of what it's like. Oh yeah, and again 0:05:28.360 --> 0:05:30.880 it all caps off with you know, the O line masterminds. 0:05:30.880 --> 0:05:32.760 The Duke has really taken over. With the next that 0:05:33.000 --> 0:05:35.880 ends up happening in June. It's just it's really really 0:05:36.000 --> 0:05:37.960 nice to be able to kind of, you know, pick 0:05:38.040 --> 0:05:40.400 each other's brains on playing certain opponents in certain men. 0:05:40.839 --> 0:05:42.640 But it's nice to be able to kind of just 0:05:42.800 --> 0:05:46.480 be around like minded people and with the same purpose, 0:05:46.520 --> 0:05:48.960 in the same drive. And that's really really essential in 0:05:49.000 --> 0:05:51.599 the offseason for guys to be successful is to continue 0:05:51.600 --> 0:05:53.400 to keep those people around you, to keep you to 0:05:53.480 --> 0:05:55.920 keep your edge, and to keep you striving to be 0:05:56.000 --> 0:05:58.479 the best. Again, there's only twenty two all pro. There's 0:05:58.480 --> 0:06:01.200 only twenty two you know, all pro guys, those are 0:06:01.200 --> 0:06:03.000 the things you really want to strive for every year. 0:06:03.960 --> 0:06:11.800 Biggest benefit physical technical or mental. Mental and technical for 0:06:11.880 --> 0:06:15.280 sure are the top two m I believe everybody lifts, 0:06:15.400 --> 0:06:17.480 you know, everybody's going to do their core exercises or 0:06:17.480 --> 0:06:21.680 squads or benches and stuff. But that really for us 0:06:21.839 --> 0:06:24.040 is how you translate that lifting into some of the 0:06:24.120 --> 0:06:26.920 technique work, you know, and then once I get you know, 0:06:27.120 --> 0:06:29.200 for this year, you know, doing the technical work and 0:06:29.240 --> 0:06:31.280 the mental work with Duke to come back in with 0:06:31.360 --> 0:06:33.840 Coach Pollock here again, you're going to be able to see, 0:06:34.120 --> 0:06:36.440 you know, the refines that Coach Pollock wants versus what 0:06:36.520 --> 0:06:38.560 we were training for you know, last eight weeks, six 0:06:38.640 --> 0:06:41.360 weeks with Duke, and there's a lot of carry over 0:06:41.400 --> 0:06:43.360 with it, which is phenomenal. Again, it's it's nice to 0:06:43.400 --> 0:06:45.920 be around like minded people who are all on the 0:06:46.000 --> 0:06:49.440 same page with the same purpose. So um. But it's also, 0:06:49.520 --> 0:06:51.880 like I said, mental, mental for me is always the thing. 0:06:52.040 --> 0:06:55.840 It's just getting refresh. Pick somebody's brain and you know, hey, 0:06:56.000 --> 0:06:58.160 this is how I see it, and somebody else might 0:06:58.160 --> 0:06:59.760 see it in a different way. Somebody might see it 0:06:59.839 --> 0:07:01.920 the same way. So it's it's nice to kind of 0:07:01.960 --> 0:07:05.760 get it an all rounded view on what you're doing, 0:07:06.120 --> 0:07:08.920 who you're playing, how to attack that person again, I 0:07:09.000 --> 0:07:10.840 know we have we've had many conversations and how do 0:07:10.920 --> 0:07:12.800 you how do you stop Aaron Donald? You know? And 0:07:13.000 --> 0:07:16.480 that was Those are long conversations, a lot of different people, 0:07:16.480 --> 0:07:18.800 a lot of different ideas of how to do certain things. 0:07:18.880 --> 0:07:20.880 But it's like I said, it's nice to be around 0:07:20.920 --> 0:07:23.920 those people. So you mentioned the return of offensive line 0:07:23.960 --> 0:07:27.320 coach Frank Pollock. You gave it an LFG and a 0:07:27.480 --> 0:07:31.440 bicep flex emoji on Twitter when that news was announced. 0:07:31.800 --> 0:07:35.600 Why it's just exciting for me. Again, that's the person 0:07:35.680 --> 0:07:38.240 who you know, helped draft me to this organization and 0:07:38.320 --> 0:07:40.600 to this franchise. Um. I had a lot of success 0:07:40.720 --> 0:07:42.920 my rookie year, did some really good things that you know, 0:07:42.960 --> 0:07:45.680 I was looking forward to growing on. Obviously took a 0:07:45.840 --> 0:07:48.160 pickup tour my plan or Fascia, you know, had a 0:07:48.200 --> 0:07:50.720 couple of setbacks with that. So it's nice and it's 0:07:52.160 --> 0:07:56.160 very optimistic to look forward to what this offensive line 0:07:56.280 --> 0:08:00.000 did in twenty eighteen with Joe Mixon healthy, with five guys, 0:08:00.200 --> 0:08:02.240 they were pretty consistent. There wasn't a lot of lineup 0:08:02.320 --> 0:08:05.440 change with that, and just seeing the technique work and 0:08:05.720 --> 0:08:09.280 how the rejuvenation of the run game was in twenty eighteen, 0:08:10.000 --> 0:08:12.040 I know that that's something every offensive line puts their 0:08:12.040 --> 0:08:14.640 foot on, puts their stamp on. We are going to 0:08:14.800 --> 0:08:16.920 run the ball at you. And when you have a 0:08:17.000 --> 0:08:20.760 phenomenal running back like Joe Mixon, you want to capitalize 0:08:20.800 --> 0:08:23.640 on that. So it's going to be again, I think 0:08:23.640 --> 0:08:28.720 the word rejuvenation is appropriate, and I'm so so looking 0:08:28.760 --> 0:08:31.880 forward to it. Joe Burrows said that after the news 0:08:31.960 --> 0:08:35.240 came out, Joe Mixon called him and was quote hooting 0:08:35.360 --> 0:08:38.880 and hollering, who's more excited, Joe Mixon or Billy Price. 0:08:40.000 --> 0:08:42.160 I gotta I gotta tip the half to Joe. I 0:08:42.240 --> 0:08:44.920 know I texted Joe as well, Um, you know, a 0:08:45.000 --> 0:08:48.079 little inside joke that we had going on. But it 0:08:48.360 --> 0:08:50.480 was just just exciting. I think everybody in the room, 0:08:50.880 --> 0:08:53.439 everybody in the building is just exciting, excited to get 0:08:53.520 --> 0:08:55.200 back to it. I mean, you saw what we were 0:08:55.200 --> 0:08:57.040 able to do with the past game, and I know 0:08:57.160 --> 0:08:59.640 Coach Taylor really likes his the past game and what 0:08:59.720 --> 0:09:03.360 he does with Joe Burrow, Te Higgins, Tyler Boyd and 0:09:03.440 --> 0:09:06.840 all the accessory pieces that we have. But it's going 0:09:06.920 --> 0:09:09.560 to be very nice to be able to compliment that appropriately. Again, 0:09:09.640 --> 0:09:11.319 Joe Mixon had one of his best years in two 0:09:11.320 --> 0:09:14.120 th eighteen. You know, I always bragged people he had 0:09:14.120 --> 0:09:16.040 a thousand yards or like three three games left to 0:09:16.040 --> 0:09:18.599 go in season, and that's phenomenal. And I know you 0:09:18.679 --> 0:09:20.880 see the numbers that Derrick Henry puts up. You know 0:09:20.960 --> 0:09:22.679 Joe Mixon is a guy who can do that same thing. 0:09:23.040 --> 0:09:25.280 It's just you've got to have the complimenting pieces and 0:09:25.640 --> 0:09:29.760 the work to be done up front. And I know, again, 0:09:29.800 --> 0:09:31.959 I know everybody in the offensive line room is on 0:09:32.040 --> 0:09:35.080 the same page. Everybody's excited about it. For our guys 0:09:35.120 --> 0:09:37.000 to get healthy, get in the right direction, and just 0:09:37.320 --> 0:09:40.280 just attack this and get put some respect pack on 0:09:40.360 --> 0:09:42.920 our name as it was in two thou eighteen, because 0:09:42.960 --> 0:09:45.439 that was the standard. And every year you raise that standard, 0:09:45.800 --> 0:09:47.880 it's you know. You know Joe Mixon, I was like, hey, man, 0:09:48.080 --> 0:09:49.520 I told him and say, hey, let's get you another 0:09:49.559 --> 0:09:52.160 thousand piece easy, and he goes thousand piece. Question mark, 0:09:52.280 --> 0:09:54.719 Let's go two thousand, you know, And that's the kind 0:09:54.720 --> 0:09:56.560 of thing. You want that standard to continue to rise 0:09:56.640 --> 0:10:00.120 and just have that have the pieces around you do 0:10:00.200 --> 0:10:03.199 what they're supposed to. We're talking to Billy Price. As 0:10:03.240 --> 0:10:05.400 you mentioned, Frank Pollock was a big voice in the 0:10:05.520 --> 0:10:08.120 room when the team drafted you number twenty one overall. 0:10:08.559 --> 0:10:11.440 Do you feel like he has extra incentive to help 0:10:11.520 --> 0:10:15.920 you excel in the NFL? I'd like to think so. Again, 0:10:16.000 --> 0:10:18.160 every time a man or a coach, excuse me, a 0:10:18.240 --> 0:10:22.120 coach puts his name on a player, he wants to 0:10:22.160 --> 0:10:24.839 see that person succeed, you know. And when I talked 0:10:24.840 --> 0:10:26.840 to coach Pollock, and you know, I told him, hey, 0:10:26.840 --> 0:10:28.320 I was down here training with Duke and he got 0:10:28.360 --> 0:10:29.839 a little pitch in his voice, and it was like, oh, 0:10:30.320 --> 0:10:32.679 you know Brian Winners, because Brian Winners trains with Duke 0:10:32.800 --> 0:10:36.080 A manny. Whether Brian is a guard for Buffalo, Frank 0:10:36.240 --> 0:10:38.960 personally picked McKay Beckton. McKay Beckton was training with Duke 0:10:39.040 --> 0:10:40.720 last year and he was a left tackle for the Jets. 0:10:41.120 --> 0:10:44.360 So having that familiarity of who you're training with and 0:10:44.480 --> 0:10:46.920 who the guy that drafted you, there is that sense 0:10:46.960 --> 0:10:50.120 of pride and I think that's it is a big deal. 0:10:50.760 --> 0:10:53.160 But again, I have to do the corresponding work. You know, 0:10:53.440 --> 0:10:55.679 the foundation may be laid, but it's time to go 0:10:55.880 --> 0:10:58.120 walk the path. Now, it's time to go and do 0:10:58.200 --> 0:11:02.520 those things and just be be the consistent piece and 0:11:02.760 --> 0:11:05.960 that's how you attack this going forward. So Trey Hopkins 0:11:06.160 --> 0:11:09.199 tours ACL in the final game of last season. I 0:11:09.360 --> 0:11:11.959 think that probably makes him a long shot to be 0:11:12.080 --> 0:11:14.599 back for the start of this season. What does that 0:11:14.720 --> 0:11:17.679 mean for you? It's to be prepared and to show 0:11:17.800 --> 0:11:20.599 up day one and to be the anchor that I 0:11:20.720 --> 0:11:23.520 was drafted to be and be the person, the consistent 0:11:23.600 --> 0:11:26.000 piece and let everything else shake out where it may. 0:11:26.480 --> 0:11:27.800 You know, I give my best to Tray. I talked 0:11:27.840 --> 0:11:29.360 to Trey I've talked to him a couple of times 0:11:29.400 --> 0:11:31.000 already this offseason. Just check him in on them and 0:11:31.000 --> 0:11:35.120 see how he's doing. Surgery went well, etc. But it's 0:11:35.200 --> 0:11:37.760 again again, be a piece of this room, be the 0:11:37.800 --> 0:11:41.040 consistent piece of the room, and do what I can do. 0:11:41.440 --> 0:11:43.880 You can't stress, you know, oh, wins Trey going to 0:11:43.920 --> 0:11:45.480 be back? Or am I going to not be the starter? 0:11:45.640 --> 0:11:47.240 Or what's going to happen in free agency or this 0:11:47.360 --> 0:11:50.360 that's to show up day one ready to go and 0:11:50.520 --> 0:11:54.480 be who I was that Frank drafted. You had to 0:11:54.600 --> 0:11:59.240 prepare last offseason for center or guard, and I'm sure 0:11:59.520 --> 0:12:02.000 that still has to be part of the calculus. But 0:12:02.160 --> 0:12:05.199 because of that situation with Trey, is your mindset this 0:12:05.400 --> 0:12:11.079 year center? No, unfortunately, I shouldn't say unfortunately, but to 0:12:11.160 --> 0:12:13.240 continue to be to be a Swiss Army knife. I 0:12:13.280 --> 0:12:16.559 mean last camp I was. There was no two days 0:12:16.600 --> 0:12:18.760 that I was the same position. It was, Hey, okay, 0:12:18.760 --> 0:12:20.120 you're gonna go left this time, or at the end 0:12:20.120 --> 0:12:21.720 of practice, we're gonna put you it right this time. 0:12:22.480 --> 0:12:25.360 You know, Trey take his shoe, his shoe fell off, 0:12:25.400 --> 0:12:27.520 go play center, you know it, just whatever is needed 0:12:27.520 --> 0:12:30.880 at that time to go do those things makes it tough. 0:12:31.320 --> 0:12:33.360 It does make it tough to kind of get in 0:12:33.400 --> 0:12:36.000 a rhythm and into a groove. But for this obviously, 0:12:36.080 --> 0:12:38.160 again I think that the first, the first drop of 0:12:38.200 --> 0:12:40.480 wood is at that center position. But again it's to 0:12:40.559 --> 0:12:43.400 stay refined and stay sharp during my training here with 0:12:43.520 --> 0:12:46.560 Duke at both left end right. If a given, if 0:12:46.679 --> 0:12:48.760 need be, if they want to throw somebody in or 0:12:48.840 --> 0:12:50.959 we end up signing somebody, it's you've got to do 0:12:51.000 --> 0:12:53.480 what the team is needed, whatever is needed for the team, 0:12:53.840 --> 0:12:56.719 and an attack with the best mindset possible. Chatting with 0:12:56.800 --> 0:12:59.800 Billy Price, the one game you started at center last year, 0:13:00.120 --> 0:13:02.360 you got a game ball for the win over Tennessee. 0:13:02.880 --> 0:13:05.680 Coach Taylor said the following after that game quote, He's 0:13:05.760 --> 0:13:08.800 everything we want our players to be about. He comes 0:13:08.840 --> 0:13:10.920 to work every day with a mindset of wanting to 0:13:11.040 --> 0:13:16.680 get better. His personality never wanes. That's pretty strong stuff. 0:13:17.200 --> 0:13:20.760 What was your reaction. I think it really really reaffirmed 0:13:22.280 --> 0:13:24.719 things I needed to hear within this franchise. Again, I 0:13:24.840 --> 0:13:26.480 was not I have not had the years that I 0:13:26.640 --> 0:13:30.080 was projected to have, and it gets to be frustrating 0:13:30.120 --> 0:13:32.800 and mentally it messes with you a little bit, But 0:13:32.960 --> 0:13:34.959 you have to take that mindset that again, whatever it 0:13:35.080 --> 0:13:38.280 is needed for the team, you have to do. Again, 0:13:38.480 --> 0:13:41.360 as I said, I wasn't playing any position two days 0:13:41.400 --> 0:13:43.480 in a row during training camp, and that's just what 0:13:43.600 --> 0:13:45.520 was needed. We had a couple of injuries. Guys went down, 0:13:46.120 --> 0:13:48.560 you know, somebody you know, I know, Mike Jordan had 0:13:48.600 --> 0:13:50.800 to have an excuse, and so you had to go 0:13:51.000 --> 0:13:54.480 replace and filth in for guys. But to understand that 0:13:54.520 --> 0:13:57.520 there is a value for me in this franchise no 0:13:57.640 --> 0:14:01.240 matter what position it is. It was nice to hear that. Again. 0:14:01.360 --> 0:14:03.000 You can't waiver, you can't change where you are in 0:14:03.000 --> 0:14:05.640 a personality. And again, if you're not having phone a football, 0:14:05.640 --> 0:14:06.839 you've got to go find it. You need to go 0:14:06.880 --> 0:14:11.480 find another job. And Yet, after that, and after hearing 0:14:11.520 --> 0:14:13.800 those kind words, and I'm sure they were hard felt 0:14:13.920 --> 0:14:16.640 from coach, you weren't in the starting lineup the next week. 0:14:16.720 --> 0:14:20.800 I mean to me, that would have been very difficult. Yeah, 0:14:21.520 --> 0:14:24.520 it was, But coaches have their own decisions and they 0:14:24.600 --> 0:14:28.440 make their own decisions based on what they want. You 0:14:28.520 --> 0:14:32.200 can't control that. I can control my numbers called whenever 0:14:32.400 --> 0:14:36.640 a shoelace or an unfortunate injury is to happen. You know, 0:14:36.720 --> 0:14:38.360 you've got to be ready to go, you know, and 0:14:38.440 --> 0:14:41.040 those you take the most out of those opportunities, and 0:14:41.200 --> 0:14:44.440 you strive forward. When your foot hits that field, your 0:14:44.480 --> 0:14:47.560 hands on that ball, you've got to make a decision, 0:14:47.600 --> 0:14:49.480 and you've got to go and be the best you can. 0:14:51.040 --> 0:14:53.160 It's not easy. I mean, it really is not easy. Again, 0:14:53.200 --> 0:14:56.800 I kind of it wasn't easy going into Wednesday practice 0:14:56.800 --> 0:14:58.280 and all of a sudden, okay, hey, but you're back down, 0:14:58.320 --> 0:15:00.680 all right, But I'm going to be ready no matter what. 0:15:01.120 --> 0:15:03.400 I'll be ready, you know, left guard, right guard, center, 0:15:03.480 --> 0:15:07.120 whatever is needed for that next week. So stuff. I 0:15:07.200 --> 0:15:09.080 know the fans and media people were a little bit 0:15:09.120 --> 0:15:13.920 more confused than others, but you block out that outside 0:15:13.920 --> 0:15:15.280 no ones, and you take care of the people inside 0:15:15.280 --> 0:15:19.280 the building. You could not have had a better college career. 0:15:19.880 --> 0:15:24.760 Four years starter at Ohio State, National champion, All American, 0:15:25.560 --> 0:15:28.720 Remington Award winner. So how do you deal with the 0:15:28.840 --> 0:15:31.760 roller coaster ride of your first three years in the NFL. 0:15:32.600 --> 0:15:35.000 First year was good, a lot of stepping stones, a 0:15:35.080 --> 0:15:38.320 lot of good things are done, consistent marks to go 0:15:38.440 --> 0:15:43.000 into a projected better second year, and the one thing, 0:15:43.120 --> 0:15:45.640 the thing that I could control was, you know, obviously 0:15:45.800 --> 0:15:48.480 your health. Your health in this league as wealth. I've 0:15:48.560 --> 0:15:51.680 heard many times there are things now that if I 0:15:51.720 --> 0:15:53.680 could have done my second year, I would have I've 0:15:53.680 --> 0:15:55.960 been down here training with Duke. I'd have been assessing, 0:15:56.040 --> 0:15:59.520 you know, your foothealth, your ankle, knee, elbow, shoulder health 0:15:59.720 --> 0:16:02.400 better throughout the year, and those things that you can 0:16:02.440 --> 0:16:05.760 control can help you, you know, continue to be healthy 0:16:05.800 --> 0:16:08.840 and be the consistent piece. I've got a great wife, 0:16:09.040 --> 0:16:13.760 I've had a great, strong support system around me. It 0:16:13.920 --> 0:16:16.520 really that makes a difference with this and it's not easy. 0:16:17.120 --> 0:16:21.280 Cincinnati fans are not are not the easiest to please, 0:16:21.320 --> 0:16:23.880 I can tell you that, but again, they care. There's 0:16:23.920 --> 0:16:26.280 a passion behind this fan base. There's a passion for 0:16:26.440 --> 0:16:30.040 excellence within this fan base. But for myself as a player, 0:16:30.640 --> 0:16:33.080 you you're not satisfied with some of the stuff that happens. 0:16:33.080 --> 0:16:35.480 You're not I'm not okay with, you know, giving up 0:16:35.480 --> 0:16:37.200 a sack at the end of the Philly game against 0:16:37.240 --> 0:16:38.920 Fletcher Cox, even though Fletcher is going to go down 0:16:38.960 --> 0:16:41.680 the Hall of Fame. You know, there's situations that, again, 0:16:42.040 --> 0:16:44.760 you can control certain things how you prepare and how 0:16:44.800 --> 0:16:47.000 you prepare all the year is going to pay dividends 0:16:47.480 --> 0:16:50.520 during the season. So that's really you reflect on it 0:16:50.520 --> 0:16:51.760 at the end of the season of Okay, what could 0:16:51.760 --> 0:16:53.840 I have done better? How do I assess things better? 0:16:54.200 --> 0:16:55.600 And then how do I continue to grow for the 0:16:55.680 --> 0:16:58.280 next year. So you're getting ready to get back after 0:16:58.400 --> 0:17:02.880 it would Duke, what about Bengals offseason activities? Do you 0:17:02.960 --> 0:17:05.159 guys know yet if it's all going to be virtual 0:17:05.240 --> 0:17:08.200 with the OTAs and the mini camps. No, And I'm 0:17:08.240 --> 0:17:10.679 waiting for a start of leage year to happen here 0:17:10.680 --> 0:17:12.960 in March, because again for me, I've got to travel, 0:17:13.160 --> 0:17:15.240 you know, thirteen hours back up north to come back 0:17:15.280 --> 0:17:18.760 up to Cincinnati with two dogs and looking beautiful wife, 0:17:19.240 --> 0:17:22.760 and you know, continue to figure out what the best 0:17:22.800 --> 0:17:25.160 timing is for that. I know our off season packet 0:17:25.240 --> 0:17:28.480 we have received from coach Bose, Garrett and Todd in 0:17:28.520 --> 0:17:31.000 the strength style, but as far as whether it be 0:17:31.080 --> 0:17:33.240 virtual or not, still waiting for the beginning of the 0:17:33.320 --> 0:17:35.560 league year just to have those conversations and then our 0:17:35.720 --> 0:17:39.479 NFLPA president to figure that out. So looking back at 0:17:39.560 --> 0:17:42.199 last season, Joe Burrow is having an excellent rookie year 0:17:42.280 --> 0:17:46.000 before his injury. What impressed you about your former Buckeye's 0:17:46.000 --> 0:17:51.800 teammate first game LA Chargers. We're going five wide and 0:17:51.920 --> 0:17:55.200 he's throwing that ball around like it's a backyard football. 0:17:55.560 --> 0:17:57.520 I think that was probably one of my most impressive 0:17:57.560 --> 0:18:00.000 because again we had an Xavier had an unfortunate injury, 0:18:00.720 --> 0:18:03.520 and you know, you know, Joe's running five wide against 0:18:04.720 --> 0:18:07.440 some of them an NFL defense, really an NFL defense, 0:18:07.480 --> 0:18:10.399 and he's just making decisions real quick and easy. You 0:18:10.440 --> 0:18:12.360 can see his brain moving around. He's his first game 0:18:12.359 --> 0:18:15.080 as an NFL player. I mean I was there and 0:18:15.240 --> 0:18:17.359 I just said, hey, man, just play your game, player game. 0:18:17.400 --> 0:18:20.119 We're gonna handle it up front. Everything was good, didn't 0:18:20.119 --> 0:18:23.159 get hit, walked right down the field. I think that 0:18:23.359 --> 0:18:25.159 was that was a special moment for me, just to 0:18:25.280 --> 0:18:26.760 kind of see him be able to do those things, 0:18:27.480 --> 0:18:29.520 and then as the season gone has gone on, just 0:18:29.640 --> 0:18:33.520 to continue to see him grow. And Joe's got some swagger. 0:18:33.880 --> 0:18:36.680 Everybody knows it. Everybody knows that kid is calm. He's 0:18:36.720 --> 0:18:40.639 collected back there, and he is Houdinia. I was just 0:18:40.680 --> 0:18:43.280 watching the clip against the Tennessee last thing of him 0:18:43.359 --> 0:18:45.159 just ducking and diving and just missing it. All of 0:18:45.200 --> 0:18:46.960 a sudden he dumps it off to Higgins. Actually, no 0:18:47.080 --> 0:18:50.800 twenty plus yard game. And that explosiveness is something that 0:18:50.920 --> 0:18:52.880 makes it very difficult to defend, as you see people 0:18:52.920 --> 0:18:55.639 trying to defend Levark Jackson and you know, having that 0:18:55.720 --> 0:19:00.439 explosiveness at elusiveness. I mean, Joe is a very very 0:19:00.800 --> 0:19:04.160 very special athlete, and again I'm glad that he's behind 0:19:04.200 --> 0:19:06.480 me and we're protecting them. So wrapping this up with 0:19:06.720 --> 0:19:09.480 Billy Price. People are hearing this as a podcast, they're 0:19:09.560 --> 0:19:11.960 hearing the audio, but we're doing it as a zoom call. 0:19:12.119 --> 0:19:15.200 So I can see you on my computer screen. I 0:19:15.320 --> 0:19:18.679 can see the excitement in your facial expression, just how 0:19:18.800 --> 0:19:21.680 eager you are to get back with Frank as the 0:19:21.760 --> 0:19:25.240 offensive line coach and try to have the year that 0:19:25.359 --> 0:19:28.800 you know you're capable of having. Am I accurate in 0:19:28.920 --> 0:19:32.600 seeing that in your face? Absolutely? I think I know. 0:19:32.640 --> 0:19:34.159 When Jay Morrison gave me a call a couple of 0:19:34.160 --> 0:19:36.159 weeks ago, he could. He was like, dude, you just 0:19:36.400 --> 0:19:40.160 you've seen this rejuvenation, and I'm like, it's just it's time, 0:19:40.920 --> 0:19:44.680 It's time. It's it's a very optimistic offseason. It's a 0:19:44.840 --> 0:19:50.080 very optimistic time in the Bengals franchise right now. Again, 0:19:50.119 --> 0:19:53.640 you've got a phenomenal quarterback, You've got excellent skill positions. 0:19:53.920 --> 0:19:56.040 You've got a defense that's continuing to get better, an 0:19:56.080 --> 0:19:59.239 offense that has continued to develop, continue to find its 0:19:59.280 --> 0:20:01.480 identity and really be able to take that next stride 0:20:01.560 --> 0:20:04.639 next year. Again, you don't listen to the media, I'm 0:20:05.160 --> 0:20:07.280 gonna hear reading who's gonna get cut, Who's this, Who's that? 0:20:07.520 --> 0:20:09.160 You know, who's projected to be in the super Bowl 0:20:09.160 --> 0:20:12.159 next year? Who cares? It's the excitement within the building, 0:20:12.400 --> 0:20:15.639 the excitement with what is going to develop as I 0:20:15.800 --> 0:20:18.040 was able to see it and witness it, and it's 0:20:18.080 --> 0:20:20.680 just I'm just excited finally going to be a piece 0:20:20.840 --> 0:20:23.280