WEBVTT - Bengals Booth Podcast: Finish Line 0:00:03.480 --> 0:00:06.199 Hi, get everybody on dan Hord and thanks for downloading 0:00:06.240 --> 0:00:11.560 the Bengals Booth podcast. The The Thin is Mine addition, 0:00:12.000 --> 0:00:14.240 as we take a look at changes on the coaching 0:00:14.280 --> 0:00:17.239 staff and here from several players on what turned out 0:00:17.280 --> 0:00:19.920 to be a winning season, but one that fell short 0:00:20.000 --> 0:00:23.919 of the bengals lofty expectations. The Bengals Booth Podcast is 0:00:23.920 --> 0:00:25.840 brought to you by pay Core, proud to be the 0:00:25.840 --> 0:00:30.480 Bengals official HR software provider, by Alta Fiber future proof 0:00:30.480 --> 0:00:33.559 fiber Internet designed to elevate your home, business and community 0:00:33.600 --> 0:00:36.880 to a new level, and by Kettering Health the best 0:00:36.920 --> 0:00:39.519 care for the best fans. Kettering Health is the official 0:00:39.520 --> 0:00:43.080 healthcare provider of the Bengals. Now here's a quick reminder 0:00:43.360 --> 0:00:45.880 that you can have the latest edition of this podcast 0:00:45.960 --> 0:00:49.600 delivered write to your phone, tablet or computer by subscribing 0:00:49.880 --> 0:00:53.680 wherever you get your podcasts. It's the greatest thing since 0:00:54.760 --> 0:01:01.040 my ability to reheat leftovers. Aside from speaking into a microphone, 0:01:01.080 --> 0:01:03.840 I don't have many useful skills, but one thing I 0:01:03.960 --> 0:01:08.319 do extremely well is reheat leftovers. And don't take my 0:01:08.400 --> 0:01:11.039 word for it. My son Sam jokes that if the 0:01:11.080 --> 0:01:14.759 Food Network comes out with a show named reheat Masters. 0:01:15.280 --> 0:01:19.039 I would definitely win the title. My masterpiece came after 0:01:19.120 --> 0:01:24.040 Saturday's road game in Pittsburgh, when I brought home Sam's favorite, 0:01:24.240 --> 0:01:31.320 a Promante Brother sandwich, a Pittsburgh staple that features meat, cheese, coleslaw, tomatoes, 0:01:31.800 --> 0:01:36.279 and French fries all between two thick slices of Italian bread. 0:01:36.920 --> 0:01:43.520 The next day, I deconstructed that sucker, carefully reheated the meat, fries, 0:01:43.720 --> 0:01:47.560 and bread separately, and when I put it all back together, 0:01:47.960 --> 0:01:51.320 it was like it had just been purchased Food Network 0:01:51.400 --> 0:01:57.040 or not. I am a reheat master. Now let's get 0:01:57.040 --> 0:02:00.440 to football. The Bengals made changes to their coaching staff 0:02:00.440 --> 0:02:03.880 on Monday, parting ways with defensive coordinator lou Ana Romo, 0:02:04.320 --> 0:02:09.040 defensive line coach Marion Hobby, linebackers coach James Betcher, and 0:02:09.280 --> 0:02:13.080 offensive line coach Frank Pollock. As Zach Taylor says, the 0:02:13.160 --> 0:02:15.280 decision was his and his alone. 0:02:15.360 --> 0:02:17.760 Those were extremely hard moves for me to make. Those 0:02:17.760 --> 0:02:19.519 are all men that I have a ton of respect for, 0:02:20.280 --> 0:02:23.840 been through really high exciting times with, and do not 0:02:23.880 --> 0:02:26.960 take those decisions slightly. And I appreciate all that those 0:02:26.960 --> 0:02:30.320 guys brought to the table because They're like brothers to me. 0:02:30.400 --> 0:02:32.600 They worked hard every single day and those were not 0:02:32.680 --> 0:02:35.440 easy decisions to make, and we'll work to make those 0:02:35.480 --> 0:02:38.399 hires as soon as possible when that time is appropriate. 0:02:39.760 --> 0:02:42.440 I've been through a lot with all these guys, you know, 0:02:42.560 --> 0:02:47.079 and they work their tails off. They're part of really 0:02:47.080 --> 0:02:49.880 great moments for us. This is the hard side of 0:02:49.919 --> 0:02:53.320 the profession, and I just appreciate what those guys brought 0:02:53.320 --> 0:02:56.400 to the table and how they represented this organization, how 0:02:56.440 --> 0:02:58.680 they're represented me as a head coach, how they treated 0:02:58.720 --> 0:03:01.000 their players. I appreciate all that. 0:03:01.120 --> 0:03:04.080 Two years ago, Bengals fans breathed a huge sigh of 0:03:04.120 --> 0:03:07.359 relief when lou Anaromo didn't land a head coaching job. 0:03:07.760 --> 0:03:11.160 His ability to confuse the NFL's best quarterbacks was a 0:03:11.240 --> 0:03:14.359 major reason why the Bengals advanced to the Super Bowl 0:03:14.440 --> 0:03:17.720 and AFC Championship Game and back to back years, and 0:03:17.840 --> 0:03:21.440 earned him the nickname lou DEENI. But let's face it, 0:03:21.760 --> 0:03:26.239 the defense has struggled since finishing twenty fifth in points 0:03:26.280 --> 0:03:30.120 allowed this year and twenty first last year in the 0:03:30.160 --> 0:03:34.880 defensive DVOA metric. The Bengals peaked at number seven in 0:03:34.960 --> 0:03:38.040 twenty twenty two, but fell to number twenty three last 0:03:38.120 --> 0:03:41.960 year at number twenty seven this year. It certainly wasn't 0:03:42.000 --> 0:03:45.000 all loose fault, but Zach says it's time to try 0:03:45.120 --> 0:03:45.920 a new approach. 0:03:46.240 --> 0:03:48.320 Just felt like we needed a change and again, did 0:03:48.400 --> 0:03:50.760 not take that decision lightly, thought long and hard about it. 0:03:52.000 --> 0:03:55.040 Lusman doing this for six years here and the success 0:03:55.080 --> 0:03:57.119 we've had, I mean, he's been a big reason why 0:03:57.120 --> 0:03:59.480 we've had a lot of success. And so again this 0:03:59.720 --> 0:04:02.839 don't this slightly put a lot of thought into it. 0:04:02.840 --> 0:04:05.160 It's not an easy day for any of us, and 0:04:05.840 --> 0:04:07.520 just felt like we need to perform better as a 0:04:07.520 --> 0:04:10.560 football team. And so again it's not in any specific 0:04:10.600 --> 0:04:12.000 one area. I think we've got to be better in 0:04:12.040 --> 0:04:15.000 all three phases of our team. And these are the 0:04:15.000 --> 0:04:17.040 decisions I made today and will work to be better. 0:04:17.160 --> 0:04:20.080 Similarly, Frank Pollack helped the Bengals get to a Super 0:04:20.120 --> 0:04:23.800 Bowl with a starting offensive line that included Isaiah Prince, 0:04:24.080 --> 0:04:28.880 Trey Hopkins, Hachema Dentegy in Quinton, Spain. Those four guys 0:04:28.920 --> 0:04:32.400 had a combined total of one start in the rest 0:04:32.400 --> 0:04:35.279 of their NFL careers. I don't think Frank has ever 0:04:35.320 --> 0:04:38.880 received enough credit for that but this year, the Bengals 0:04:38.880 --> 0:04:41.080 were expected to have the best O line of the 0:04:41.120 --> 0:04:45.919 Borough era and finished nineteenth and sacks allowed per passing attempt, 0:04:46.279 --> 0:04:50.640 while PFF grated Cincinnati twenty seventh in pass blocking efficiency 0:04:51.320 --> 0:04:53.440 with Borrow, we know the Bengals are going to be 0:04:53.480 --> 0:04:57.240 a pass first offense, so Pollock's replacement needs to shore 0:04:57.320 --> 0:05:01.320 up the protection and make the running game and dependable. 0:05:01.839 --> 0:05:05.360 Here are Orlando Brown Junior and to Marios Mems. 0:05:05.160 --> 0:05:07.159 Frank Pollack did so much for me in my career, 0:05:07.880 --> 0:05:10.960 you know, honestly, you know, outside of the injury this year, 0:05:11.000 --> 0:05:14.400 Man I was off to a great start, and Man 0:05:14.440 --> 0:05:17.200 I especially in past protection, I made such a large leap, 0:05:17.680 --> 0:05:21.719 which is very rare from sixty seven year sixty seven. 0:05:21.920 --> 0:05:24.560 But Frank had a very large impact on me, man 0:05:24.640 --> 0:05:26.520 and he helped me out of my career so much. 0:05:26.640 --> 0:05:28.280 What was your reaction then you found out? 0:05:29.040 --> 0:05:31.040 You know, it's sad man, you know, just because it's 0:05:31.040 --> 0:05:33.920 our livelihood. He has such a great passion for for 0:05:34.120 --> 0:05:36.920 us as players and for coaching the game of football, 0:05:37.000 --> 0:05:38.000 the offensive line position. 0:05:39.120 --> 0:05:41.320 You know, it's sad. It is sad man. 0:05:41.560 --> 0:05:44.560 Like I said, I truly truly, like I said, had 0:05:44.600 --> 0:05:47.320 a great relationship with him, and it just hurts just knowing, 0:05:47.400 --> 0:05:49.280 like you know, a guy who's stalled on the table 0:05:49.279 --> 0:05:53.360 for me with this organization would help getting like basically 0:05:53.560 --> 0:05:54.480 like help getting me drafted. 0:05:54.480 --> 0:05:54.640 Here. 0:05:54.680 --> 0:05:56.800 Man, just see, he's gone man my short time that 0:05:56.839 --> 0:05:58.760 I've been here. Like I said, Man, I owe that 0:05:58.800 --> 0:06:00.960 man a lot. Man, he say, ever since I've been here, 0:06:01.000 --> 0:06:03.120 all he's done is that's pouring to me. And Coach 0:06:03.160 --> 0:06:05.440 made as hard as possible. Like I said, I sat 0:06:05.440 --> 0:06:07.200 down when I first got here and he said, I mean, 0:06:07.320 --> 0:06:08.680 I'm gonna be hard on you, right, And I said, 0:06:08.720 --> 0:06:09.960 that's the kind of coaching I need. You know what 0:06:09.960 --> 0:06:12.719 I'm saying, Coach, and I thrive on same with my 0:06:13.279 --> 0:06:16.040 sing with my college coach, honestly. But like I said, 0:06:16.040 --> 0:06:19.920 I was very, very very upset when I saw the thing, 0:06:20.000 --> 0:06:21.520 when I found out this morning when I woke up, 0:06:21.520 --> 0:06:24.080 and it's just you know, hey, I haven't got talked 0:06:24.080 --> 0:06:26.080 to him yet, but you know, I know it's a business, 0:06:26.120 --> 0:06:27.839 and I know, like I said, it's out of my control. 0:06:28.000 --> 0:06:28.960 But I do wish him the. 0:06:28.920 --> 0:06:31.800 Best going into the season. Many of us said, if 0:06:31.880 --> 0:06:35.119 Joe Burrow stays healthy, the Bengals will be a Super 0:06:35.120 --> 0:06:38.960 Bowl contender. Joe did and put up record numbers, but 0:06:39.080 --> 0:06:42.640 it did not lead to postseason play. The result is 0:06:42.680 --> 0:06:46.320 the biggest coaching staff turnover in Zach Taylor's tenure. 0:06:46.440 --> 0:06:50.160 You know, we're all disappointed with the overall toutality of 0:06:50.200 --> 0:06:52.560 the season and the position that we put ourselves in, 0:06:52.839 --> 0:06:55.720 and I know that it's unacceptable to start the way 0:06:55.720 --> 0:06:57.560 that we started. We have a lot of talent on 0:06:57.600 --> 0:07:02.080 this team. We got great coaches, and so again I'm 0:07:02.120 --> 0:07:03.839 not just gonna say what I want to say and 0:07:03.880 --> 0:07:05.440 that we're gonna be better to start the season. We're 0:07:05.440 --> 0:07:07.400 gonna work like hell to make sure that we start 0:07:07.440 --> 0:07:08.840 the season on the right way to put ourselves in 0:07:08.880 --> 0:07:11.760 a great position to finish like we did, you know, 0:07:11.840 --> 0:07:14.080 because there's a lot of positives there with the way 0:07:14.120 --> 0:07:18.320 we finished, and it's signing that we're not in the 0:07:18.320 --> 0:07:20.840 playoffs with an opportunity to keep this thing going because 0:07:22.120 --> 0:07:24.120 we finally found a lot of momentum. And so it's 0:07:24.160 --> 0:07:27.720 just on us as a whole to finish games off 0:07:27.720 --> 0:07:29.880 earlier in the season, and it's on me as the 0:07:29.920 --> 0:07:31.800 head coach to make sure we come out of the 0:07:31.840 --> 0:07:34.040 offseason we come out of training camp and we're ready 0:07:34.040 --> 0:07:35.360 to hit the ground running from Game one. 0:07:35.640 --> 0:07:39.160 Soon, attention will turn to contract negotiations as the Bengals 0:07:39.160 --> 0:07:42.520 look to sign Jamar Chase to an extension, reward Trey 0:07:42.600 --> 0:07:46.320 Hendrickson for his exceptional play, and see if they can 0:07:46.360 --> 0:07:48.120 reach a deal with t Higgins. 0:07:48.480 --> 0:07:50.560 We got a lot of great players, and Tea is 0:07:50.600 --> 0:07:53.720 one of them, certainly, and I'm very hopeful that that 0:07:53.760 --> 0:07:55.760 will work out to where we're able to get him back. 0:07:56.080 --> 0:07:57.880 But there's certainly a process we're gonna have to undergo 0:07:57.960 --> 0:07:59.720 with a lot of players on our team, and I 0:07:59.720 --> 0:08:03.520 can a'masha well, we'll be We'll be in unison with 0:08:03.560 --> 0:08:06.640 whatever those decisions are, and that's a process will start now, 0:08:06.720 --> 0:08:08.760 you know, through the month of January and February and 0:08:09.080 --> 0:08:10.760 talking through every player on a roster and how it 0:08:10.800 --> 0:08:11.240 all fits. 0:08:11.360 --> 0:08:14.320 Now, let's hear from several players, beginning with team captain 0:08:14.400 --> 0:08:18.280 Ted Karras and his reaction to the firing of Frank Pollock. 0:08:20.400 --> 0:08:23.760 You know, I think that's always sad on bloody Monday 0:08:23.800 --> 0:08:27.400 of the NFL, and you know, it's some of the 0:08:27.440 --> 0:08:29.760 consequences of missing the playoffs two years in a row. 0:08:30.720 --> 0:08:31.280 Great man. 0:08:32.640 --> 0:08:34.200 We called him later. I haven't talked to him yet. 0:08:35.240 --> 0:08:38.560 Were you surprised? Did you think because the team's record 0:08:38.559 --> 0:08:40.280 and we didn't make it to the playoffs that there 0:08:40.360 --> 0:08:42.440 was probably going to be some sort of move like that? 0:08:43.640 --> 0:08:46.880 I've never you know, the surprised emotion is not something 0:08:46.880 --> 0:08:51.920 that I often feel in football. You know, I thought, 0:08:52.080 --> 0:08:54.480 what a great job rallying this team did backs against 0:08:54.480 --> 0:08:56.800 the wall for a month and a half, put ourselves 0:08:56.840 --> 0:08:59.760 with a chance, and god. 0:08:59.640 --> 0:09:00.880 Will we you know, control the week? 0:09:00.880 --> 0:09:01.440 In control? 0:09:02.160 --> 0:09:03.840 And I didn't think the Chiefs would quite lay down 0:09:03.960 --> 0:09:06.360 like that, but I thought it would be a little 0:09:06.360 --> 0:09:08.200 at least a little bit more dramatic on Sunday. But 0:09:09.760 --> 0:09:11.400 nine to eight, four winning records in a row, I 0:09:11.440 --> 0:09:13.400 think it's a fantastic job by Zach Taylor in this 0:09:13.480 --> 0:09:17.880 in this program. So but two years missing in a row, 0:09:19.200 --> 0:09:21.360 never a comfortable feeling in the National Football League? 0:09:21.480 --> 0:09:24.240 How long did you stick with Chiefs Broncos before you said, ah, 0:09:24.320 --> 0:09:25.360 this isn't even worth it. 0:09:26.240 --> 0:09:28.040 When they switched it off on the broadcast, I mean 0:09:28.080 --> 0:09:32.079 they switched it to Raiders Chargers, So that was when 0:09:32.120 --> 0:09:34.000 I called it. 0:09:34.080 --> 0:09:37.000 We spent so much time prior to this season talking 0:09:37.040 --> 0:09:39.000 about the need to get off to a fast start. 0:09:39.200 --> 0:09:43.040 Some changes were made. Unfortunately, for whatever reason, it didn't 0:09:43.160 --> 0:09:47.640 result in a drastic change. Any thoughts to how to 0:09:47.880 --> 0:09:49.840 actually make that happen this coming year. 0:09:50.120 --> 0:09:52.240 I think we can think about that as spring approaches. 0:09:53.240 --> 0:09:55.040 You know, never want to put ourselves in an own 0:09:55.120 --> 0:09:58.520 three hole. I've been owned to our own three, you know, 0:09:58.559 --> 0:10:01.439 three years in a row, so I'm sure the staff 0:10:01.440 --> 0:10:02.880 will be all over it. I think there's some things 0:10:02.920 --> 0:10:06.000 we can do individually, and I think, you know, that's 0:10:06.160 --> 0:10:09.679 definitely a you know, a monkey on our back going 0:10:09.679 --> 0:10:11.920 into the twenty twenty five season. I think that's you know, 0:10:12.600 --> 0:10:14.720 like I said, after we lost Week one this year, 0:10:14.720 --> 0:10:16.160 you know we're not gonna worry about that till twenty 0:10:16.160 --> 0:10:19.440 twenty five. Well, now here it is, so you know, 0:10:19.440 --> 0:10:21.600 we'll keep an eye out for that. But nothing nothing 0:10:21.640 --> 0:10:24.600 can be done in January for September, so as we 0:10:24.640 --> 0:10:27.920 get closer to spring and obviously training camp, I'm sure 0:10:27.920 --> 0:10:29.200 there'll be some adjustments made. 0:10:29.840 --> 0:10:33.080 After the Dallas game, Joe surprised many of us by 0:10:33.200 --> 0:10:37.439 outwardly campaigning for Tea to return, by expressing confidence that 0:10:37.440 --> 0:10:41.240 that can happen did that catch you guys off guard 0:10:41.280 --> 0:10:43.640 a little bit, the sense that he's really going out 0:10:43.679 --> 0:10:46.520 there and expressing that opinion with such conviction. 0:10:47.280 --> 0:10:50.680 No, I think that you know this is uh, you know, 0:10:50.679 --> 0:10:54.319 this program runs through number nine. So you know, if 0:10:54.360 --> 0:10:55.920 he you know, he holds a lot of weight. I'm 0:10:55.960 --> 0:10:59.840 sure you know upstairs and you know that's a player 0:10:59.840 --> 0:11:02.520 that he has had a lot of success within this organization. 0:11:02.600 --> 0:11:04.520 You know, him him team Jamar together, I think is 0:11:04.559 --> 0:11:07.760 a very good high percentage win rate for the Cincanti Bengals. 0:11:07.800 --> 0:11:10.760 So I'm glad that he, you know, stumped for his teammate, 0:11:11.000 --> 0:11:13.000 and you know, I hope that you know, I think 0:11:13.040 --> 0:11:14.440 that we had a big We got a big off 0:11:14.520 --> 0:11:15.760 season coming up here in Cincinnati. 0:11:17.040 --> 0:11:20.200 On the subject of slow starts, Orlando Brown Junior says 0:11:20.280 --> 0:11:23.760 that simply cannot happen again in twenty twenty five. 0:11:23.920 --> 0:11:25.640 You never want to put yourself in that position, and 0:11:25.679 --> 0:11:27.240 you always want to be able to control your own 0:11:27.240 --> 0:11:30.960 fate going into the playoffs. Uh, you know, late in December, 0:11:31.280 --> 0:11:32.680 you don't really want to have to be playing in 0:11:32.679 --> 0:11:34.720 those games where it's like, you know, you rather it 0:11:34.800 --> 0:11:37.560 be more so like we got the playoffs clinch. You know, 0:11:37.720 --> 0:11:40.959 we want to clinch his better seeding position, so we 0:11:41.120 --> 0:11:42.719 we know what we got to take care of. Man, 0:11:42.760 --> 0:11:44.599 we know that coming in hitting the ground, run and 0:11:44.640 --> 0:11:46.600 start in week one and taking care of business early 0:11:46.679 --> 0:11:48.680 on in September, it's going to be a large part 0:11:48.720 --> 0:11:50.680 of us having our long term success in a season. 0:11:50.800 --> 0:11:52.560 Is there something you feel like you guys can do 0:11:52.640 --> 0:11:54.600 in the run up, whether it's in the offseason or 0:11:54.640 --> 0:11:57.079 in camp, to be a better team. 0:11:56.920 --> 0:12:00.240 Early or is that a man? I think it's more 0:12:00.240 --> 0:12:02.960 mentality than anything. You know, it's hard to win. It's 0:12:02.960 --> 0:12:05.319 hard to win in life. It's hard to put yourself 0:12:05.320 --> 0:12:07.000 in good position, you know what I mean, It's hard 0:12:07.000 --> 0:12:09.520 to really understand all those things. And sometimes at the 0:12:09.640 --> 0:12:12.840 highest level of football, you gotta get used and comfortable 0:12:12.920 --> 0:12:15.400 the understanding of pushing yourself to the limit of what 0:12:15.440 --> 0:12:17.920 it takes to win. And I think that these last 0:12:17.920 --> 0:12:21.200 two years mentally, we haven't been in that state of 0:12:21.240 --> 0:12:24.040 mind where our backs are against the wall in December 0:12:24.080 --> 0:12:25.960 and November and we gotta fight for a chance to 0:12:25.960 --> 0:12:27.520 get where we want to get, you know what I mean. 0:12:27.880 --> 0:12:31.199 The mindset, the fire that's lit underneath your ass, and 0:12:31.320 --> 0:12:34.800 that point needs to be there in July, June, August, 0:12:34.840 --> 0:12:37.040 all the way through, and so man, I think that, 0:12:37.120 --> 0:12:38.240 you know, I take a lot of pride in that 0:12:38.280 --> 0:12:41.480 as a player, you know, putting more pressure on myself 0:12:41.480 --> 0:12:44.000 to be more for us at those points. 0:12:44.080 --> 0:12:45.839 You have to play more in the preseason, you have 0:12:46.440 --> 0:12:47.400 to change training camp. 0:12:47.760 --> 0:12:49.360 I don't think any of those things need to change. 0:12:49.360 --> 0:12:51.760 I think most importantly is just the mindset, man, understanding 0:12:51.760 --> 0:12:55.480 that when we go out there versus New England, we're 0:12:55.520 --> 0:12:57.400 four and eight already, you know what I mean. 0:12:57.480 --> 0:12:59.760 We got to go out there and earn all right. 0:13:00.040 --> 0:13:02.600 Orlando finished the season playing on a broken leg, but 0:13:02.720 --> 0:13:06.079 says it won't require surgery and that he'll be staying 0:13:06.080 --> 0:13:09.200 in Cincinnati to train under strength and conditioning coach Joey 0:13:09.240 --> 0:13:12.560 Bose For the second year in a row. He's also 0:13:12.720 --> 0:13:16.640 treating his fellow offensive lineman to an upcoming Buddies trip 0:13:16.800 --> 0:13:19.920 to Las Vegas. The Bengals Booth Podcast is brought to 0:13:19.920 --> 0:13:22.440 you by pay Corps, proud to be the Bengals official 0:13:22.720 --> 0:13:26.959 HR software provider, by Alta Fiber future Proof Fiber Internet 0:13:27.000 --> 0:13:29.400 designed to elevate your home, business and community to a 0:13:29.440 --> 0:13:32.280 new level, and by Kettering Health the best care for 0:13:32.320 --> 0:13:35.760 the best fans. Kettering Health is the official healthcare provider 0:13:36.000 --> 0:13:39.440 of the Bengals. One of the biggest positives this season 0:13:39.559 --> 0:13:42.440 was the emergence of Chase Brown as a true number 0:13:42.480 --> 0:13:45.319 one running back, as he finished with nine hundred and 0:13:45.400 --> 0:13:48.800 ninety rushing yards, three hundred and sixty receiving yards, and 0:13:48.840 --> 0:13:52.280 scored a total of eleven touchdowns. Even though he didn't 0:13:52.320 --> 0:13:55.640 start getting the bulk of the touches until Zach Moscot 0:13:55.679 --> 0:13:58.800 injured midway through the season. Chase also put up those 0:13:58.880 --> 0:14:02.160 numbers despite missing season finale with an ankle injury. 0:14:03.679 --> 0:14:05.600 Yeah, you know, I felt really good throughout the week. 0:14:06.320 --> 0:14:09.200 I mean, I literally did everything I possibly could to 0:14:09.280 --> 0:14:14.520 put myself in position to play. But when I started 0:14:14.559 --> 0:14:17.960 moving around on it for real and started pushing it 0:14:18.000 --> 0:14:20.600 just it just didn't didn't feel good enough to plan 0:14:20.680 --> 0:14:24.440 an NFL game and to go out there injured with 0:14:24.840 --> 0:14:27.480 you know, not being fully confident in my ability. It's just, 0:14:27.600 --> 0:14:30.640 you know, it's a selfish thing to do if I 0:14:30.640 --> 0:14:32.080 were to go out there. So I felt like I 0:14:32.160 --> 0:14:34.560 did the not the best thing for myself, but for 0:14:34.600 --> 0:14:38.080 the team as well. And you know, obviously, you know 0:14:38.160 --> 0:14:40.960 Cleil stepped up in a big way, and yeah, I man, 0:14:41.080 --> 0:14:43.160 just just happy that we left that game with a win. 0:14:43.560 --> 0:14:45.880 You would have easily topped a thousand yards. I'm sure 0:14:46.120 --> 0:14:47.280 does that bum you out a little? 0:14:48.200 --> 0:14:48.560 For sure? 0:14:48.640 --> 0:14:48.840 Yeah? 0:14:48.920 --> 0:14:49.600 No, I trust me. 0:14:49.600 --> 0:14:50.960 I wanted I wanted. 0:14:50.680 --> 0:14:53.200 That, and then to be ten yards away is like, 0:14:54.600 --> 0:14:58.320 it's hard, man, It's hard. So definitely just motivation for 0:14:58.360 --> 0:15:00.600 next year and it. 0:15:00.560 --> 0:15:02.360 Will be a chip on my shoulder going in the 0:15:02.360 --> 0:15:02.920 off season. 0:15:03.560 --> 0:15:05.200 Chase, you went in the last season with a focus 0:15:05.200 --> 0:15:06.360 on getting better as a receiver. 0:15:06.640 --> 0:15:08.080 You did that in a big way. 0:15:08.200 --> 0:15:10.360 What do you when you go into this offseason? Is 0:15:10.400 --> 0:15:12.640 there something on your mind right now in terms of 0:15:12.640 --> 0:15:13.960 something that you want to. 0:15:13.920 --> 0:15:15.120 Have that be this year's thing. 0:15:15.280 --> 0:15:18.760 Yeah, I'm just gonna become a better player, build on 0:15:18.920 --> 0:15:22.280 everything that I did this offseason, and you know, come 0:15:22.320 --> 0:15:27.440 back next season just more comfortable, more mature as a player. 0:15:27.440 --> 0:15:29.120 I mean, I've I've taken a ton of snaps, so. 0:15:30.560 --> 0:15:33.920 I'm comfortable and you know coming into you know, training 0:15:33.960 --> 0:15:37.640 camp and OTAs with you know, my experience. 0:15:37.760 --> 0:15:40.200 Now, I'm just excited to build on that. 0:15:40.360 --> 0:15:41.600 What do you think you've proved this year? 0:15:41.920 --> 0:15:44.040 I've always had the confidence in myself that you know, 0:15:44.080 --> 0:15:45.760 I can play in this league, but you know, being 0:15:45.760 --> 0:15:48.720 able to go out there and show it definitely, you 0:15:48.760 --> 0:15:52.000 know adds to you know, my mindset and you know 0:15:52.040 --> 0:15:54.520 what I want to achieve next year, and you know 0:15:54.600 --> 0:15:56.080 what this team can achieve next year. 0:15:56.160 --> 0:15:57.880 So that's what I'm focused on. 0:15:58.360 --> 0:16:01.840 And you know, once training camp next year comes around, 0:16:01.960 --> 0:16:04.320 I just want to hit it full speed and ready 0:16:04.360 --> 0:16:04.560 to go. 0:16:04.920 --> 0:16:07.480 You also feel like you established yourself as a core piece. 0:16:07.680 --> 0:16:10.960 It's not just Jamar and T. It's Jamar, T, you 0:16:11.160 --> 0:16:12.720 and maybe some others as well. 0:16:12.840 --> 0:16:15.320 Yeah, I'm I'm happy with what I was able to 0:16:15.360 --> 0:16:17.040 show this year, and I'm just trying to build on it. 0:16:17.840 --> 0:16:19.320 I mean, there's a bunch of great players in this 0:16:19.360 --> 0:16:19.880 locker room. 0:16:20.000 --> 0:16:25.000 So being able to you know, make plays and you know, 0:16:25.120 --> 0:16:27.600 have a role in this offense with all the playmakers 0:16:27.600 --> 0:16:30.600 in it, it's pretty cool experience. 0:16:31.000 --> 0:16:34.440 Or the emotions like last night, knowing that this team wasn't. 0:16:34.240 --> 0:16:35.920 Gonna make it, it sucked, man. 0:16:37.040 --> 0:16:38.480 I Mean I was kind of just sitting around after 0:16:38.560 --> 0:16:40.960 just talking to my girlfriend just about you know, it's 0:16:41.320 --> 0:16:43.880 it's just weird how long the season feels. 0:16:43.920 --> 0:16:45.200 But when you think back on it. 0:16:45.280 --> 0:16:47.320 I mean, it felt like we were just preparing for 0:16:47.360 --> 0:16:50.920 the Patriots and then next thing you know, you know, 0:16:50.960 --> 0:16:52.800 you're sitting on your couch waiting to find out if 0:16:52.800 --> 0:16:53.880 you're to make the playoffs or not. 0:16:53.960 --> 0:16:57.000 So we could have. 0:16:57.040 --> 0:17:00.600 Been better in some areas, and you know, it would 0:17:00.600 --> 0:17:02.560 have set us up to kind of control that situation. 0:17:02.720 --> 0:17:05.760 So on next year, we just got to come out 0:17:05.840 --> 0:17:08.880 hot instead of you know, warming up like we did 0:17:08.880 --> 0:17:10.679 this yere So, I mean, I'm excited about I know 0:17:10.680 --> 0:17:13.920 we're I know we're capable of. So you know, everybody's 0:17:13.960 --> 0:17:16.159 gonna go into this offseason hungary, the chip on their 0:17:16.160 --> 0:17:18.399 shoulder and ready to come back next year full speed, 0:17:18.440 --> 0:17:22.359 ready to go and really take this organization, you know, 0:17:22.400 --> 0:17:26.159 the fans, this locker room, to the place that you know, 0:17:26.200 --> 0:17:27.040 we know we can take it. 0:17:28.320 --> 0:17:31.400 Another positive was the emergence of tight end Mike Asiki, 0:17:31.520 --> 0:17:34.640 who earned Joe Burrow's trust as the bengals number three 0:17:34.760 --> 0:17:38.200 receiving target after signing a one year, two point five 0:17:38.280 --> 0:17:42.800 million dollar contract. Mike earned extra cash by hitting incentives 0:17:42.840 --> 0:17:46.480 for forty five and then fifty five catches and for 0:17:46.600 --> 0:17:50.119 five hundred and then six hundred yards. The sicky end 0:17:50.160 --> 0:17:53.080 of the year with sixty five catches for six hundred 0:17:53.119 --> 0:17:55.840 and sixty five yards and hopes to still be catching 0:17:55.880 --> 0:17:58.000 passes from Joe Burrow next year. 0:17:59.880 --> 0:18:01.679 I mean, he is as advertised. 0:18:01.720 --> 0:18:09.960 Honestly, He's done everything and more that I anticipated. I 0:18:10.000 --> 0:18:13.720 obviously knew about how well he could throw the ball, 0:18:13.760 --> 0:18:17.760 and you know, everything talent wise, and obviously you have 0:18:17.800 --> 0:18:20.159 that success and you have to have a really good 0:18:20.240 --> 0:18:21.280 understanding of what's going on. 0:18:22.520 --> 0:18:24.159 But I didn't know he was. 0:18:24.160 --> 0:18:26.480 Going to process information so quickly, and you know, know 0:18:27.080 --> 0:18:29.600 the defenses and how quickly you know things change and 0:18:29.760 --> 0:18:31.760 post snap and all that kind of stuff, and he 0:18:31.800 --> 0:18:35.439 did an an incredible job because you know, there's a 0:18:35.440 --> 0:18:37.560 lot of stuff in our offense that and the way 0:18:37.560 --> 0:18:40.800 that guys get defended with you know, Jamar getting doubled on, 0:18:41.119 --> 0:18:43.040 you know, just random plays here and there, and you 0:18:43.080 --> 0:18:45.040 got to be able to see that quick and defense 0:18:45.080 --> 0:18:46.399 is going to try to trick us because they know 0:18:46.440 --> 0:18:48.080 how talented we are and that's going to be their 0:18:48.600 --> 0:18:50.640 their advantage and you can't. 0:18:50.680 --> 0:18:51.760 You can't trick Joe Burrow. 0:18:52.000 --> 0:18:53.840 Outside of personal expectation. 0:18:53.960 --> 0:18:57.040 I'm sure there was team expectations that you guys didn't 0:18:57.119 --> 0:18:57.840 match this year. 0:18:57.840 --> 0:18:59.440 How close do you think this team. 0:18:59.280 --> 0:19:01.080 Is though, getting to where you want to go? 0:19:01.440 --> 0:19:01.640 Yeah? 0:19:01.680 --> 0:19:03.440