WEBVTT - Bengals Booth Podcast: Closing Time 0:00:03.720 --> 0:00:06.439 Hike and everybody on Dan Horde and thanks for downloading 0:00:06.440 --> 0:00:12.640 the Bengals Booth Podcast. The Closing Time addition, as the 0:00:12.720 --> 0:00:15.800 Bengals pack up their lockers and say their goodbyes after 0:00:15.840 --> 0:00:19.640 one of the best seasons in franchise history. Coming up, 0:00:20.079 --> 0:00:24.680 Jesse Bates expresses his gratitude for half a decade in Cincinnati. 0:00:25.200 --> 0:00:29.200 Shuitabeya Woo Jay discusses the Bengals New normal, and we'll 0:00:29.240 --> 0:00:32.640 hear from Ted Carriss, Alex Kappa, Trenton Irwin, and Zach 0:00:32.720 --> 0:00:36.199 Taylor as well. The Bengals Booth Podcast has brought to 0:00:36.240 --> 0:00:40.760 you by Alta Fiber, future proof fiber Internet capable of 0:00:40.840 --> 0:00:44.280 delivering multi gigabit speeds designed to take your home, business, 0:00:44.280 --> 0:00:47.919 and community to a new level. Elevate your connection with 0:00:48.360 --> 0:00:52.040 Alta Fiber. Now here's a quick reminder that you can 0:00:52.080 --> 0:00:55.000 have the latest edition of this podcast delivered right to 0:00:55.000 --> 0:00:59.280 your phone, tablet, or computer by subscribing wherever you get 0:00:59.280 --> 0:01:04.759 your podcast. It's the greatest thing since Bodyguard b J. Hill. 0:01:05.800 --> 0:01:08.559 You've probably seen the video clip from the locker Room 0:01:08.560 --> 0:01:11.720 that went viral on Sunday, in which b J. Hill 0:01:12.080 --> 0:01:17.520 stands up for teammate Joseph Osai. Osai was understandably devastated 0:01:17.680 --> 0:01:21.319 after getting called for the unnecessary roughness penalty with eight 0:01:21.400 --> 0:01:24.200 seconds to go that helped the Chiefs kick their game 0:01:24.200 --> 0:01:28.119 winning field goal. When reporters approached Osai after the game, 0:01:28.440 --> 0:01:32.319 Hill stood next to his friend and intercepted questions that 0:01:32.440 --> 0:01:37.720 he thought were unnecessarily intrusive or insensitive. He didn't prevent 0:01:37.760 --> 0:01:40.920 people from doing their jobs, but he supported a teammate 0:01:41.319 --> 0:01:45.520 under tough circumstances. Here are Jesse Bates and Zach Taylor. 0:01:45.840 --> 0:01:48.800 After seeing that video, I love that he did that 0:01:49.000 --> 0:01:52.840 pung because I know Joseph how much work he puts 0:01:52.840 --> 0:01:56.280 into this and he had no ill intensons one doing 0:01:56.320 --> 0:02:00.480 that to just play a hard his plan doing his 0:02:00.520 --> 0:02:02.800 one eleven that we talked about all year in that 0:02:02.920 --> 0:02:07.080 defensive room, and it's unfortunate that had to come down, 0:02:07.080 --> 0:02:11.320 and that it's not the reason why we lost. It's 0:02:11.360 --> 0:02:14.360 good that bj as a veteran, is able to step 0:02:14.400 --> 0:02:17.840 in and be there for Joseph because he is a 0:02:17.840 --> 0:02:19.600 young guy. I mean, I don't want him to think that, 0:02:20.280 --> 0:02:22.480 you know, year two, this is where his year two ends, 0:02:22.520 --> 0:02:26.200 and that's gonna write his whole legacy being in the NFL. No. 0:02:26.480 --> 0:02:29.400 I told him to go back to work and don't 0:02:29.400 --> 0:02:33.760 have another opportunity. Don't let that rite, you know, don't 0:02:33.800 --> 0:02:36.440 make him label who you are based off that play. 0:02:37.760 --> 0:02:39.519 And I have no doubt he'll bounce back from it. 0:02:39.680 --> 0:02:41.680 The things that get highlighted usually are what happens at 0:02:41.720 --> 0:02:44.360 the end of the game, but there's certainly at least 0:02:44.360 --> 0:02:46.880 one thing every coach and every player wishes we would 0:02:46.880 --> 0:02:48.919 have done differently in that game. I'm to a man, 0:02:49.160 --> 0:02:52.200 and so it was awesome to see those guys support 0:02:52.200 --> 0:02:55.520 each other. I'm in a really tough, tough moment, and 0:02:56.240 --> 0:02:58.440 you know, Joseph's a guy who who leaves his hard 0:02:58.440 --> 0:03:00.600 and soul and the I'm gonna feel every single day, 0:03:00.639 --> 0:03:03.679 whether it's some practice or in games, and so I 0:03:03.720 --> 0:03:06.680 appreciate that about him. Joseph Osai is twenty two years 0:03:06.680 --> 0:03:10.920 old and absolutely delightful to talk to, and Sunday's game 0:03:11.080 --> 0:03:13.160 might not have been tied with less than a minute 0:03:13.160 --> 0:03:16.760 to go if Osai had not played great up to 0:03:16.840 --> 0:03:19.200 that point. If you would like to get to know 0:03:19.320 --> 0:03:23.600 Joseph better, I'll end this podcast with an encore presentation 0:03:23.960 --> 0:03:26.960 of My fun Fact's interview with him from earlier this year. 0:03:27.400 --> 0:03:29.680 It was back in Week ten, So if you didn't 0:03:29.720 --> 0:03:33.360 catch it, then you'll want to catch it now. Being 0:03:33.360 --> 0:03:36.120 in the locker room on Monday was unlike any day 0:03:36.200 --> 0:03:39.080 after the final game that I can remember. It was 0:03:39.120 --> 0:03:42.440 like guys didn't want to leave. They were playing ping pong, 0:03:42.920 --> 0:03:47.960 sitting in small clusters, talking and laughing and signing jerseys 0:03:47.960 --> 0:03:52.200 to swap. It was an unusually tight group. After an 0:03:52.200 --> 0:03:55.400 O and two start, the Bengals went fourteen and three 0:03:55.480 --> 0:03:58.840 the rest of the way, including a franchise record ten 0:03:58.960 --> 0:04:03.280 game winning streak. Four of their five losses came on 0:04:03.440 --> 0:04:07.360 walk off field goals. Here's Zach Taylor. You immediately feel 0:04:07.560 --> 0:04:11.320 tired this morning because you're always prepping yourself one more week, 0:04:11.360 --> 0:04:13.800 one more week, and coffee cat, whatever you gotta do 0:04:13.840 --> 0:04:16.600 to keep yourself going and the excitement, and then when 0:04:16.640 --> 0:04:20.279 it ends, you just get sick for two weeks everybody 0:04:20.440 --> 0:04:23.159 and your body just shuts down. And I'm sure that's 0:04:23.200 --> 0:04:26.880 that's the point I'll hit tomorrow. But I am doing 0:04:26.880 --> 0:04:28.800 my best just to appreciate, you know, all the other 0:04:28.839 --> 0:04:31.680 things you just mentioned that this team's accomplished this year, 0:04:31.680 --> 0:04:34.080 and there's a lot to be proud of, and again, 0:04:34.360 --> 0:04:36.760 it can still two things can be true. It can 0:04:36.800 --> 0:04:38.720 still sting, and you can still be really proud of 0:04:38.839 --> 0:04:42.640 what this group accomplished and really proud of this group 0:04:43.040 --> 0:04:45.839 as he should be. The Bengals won back to back 0:04:45.839 --> 0:04:49.640 division titles for the first time in franchise history. For 0:04:49.760 --> 0:04:53.760 newcomers like offensive lineman Ted Harris and Alex Kappa, their 0:04:53.760 --> 0:04:56.880 first year in Cincinnati confirmed to them that they made 0:04:56.920 --> 0:04:59.960 a great choice in free agency. I had a fantastic 0:05:00.040 --> 0:05:04.040 sick time. I think this is an amazing culture, fun offense, 0:05:04.080 --> 0:05:05.440 to be a part of, fun team, to be a 0:05:05.440 --> 0:05:10.120 part of reflecting we need to do I need to 0:05:10.120 --> 0:05:13.279 do personally. Just you know, you look back at the 0:05:13.320 --> 0:05:15.599 season and you think about the little things that you 0:05:15.600 --> 0:05:18.640 could have tweaked in that game. I'm not gonna let it. 0:05:19.120 --> 0:05:21.240 You know, no one's gonna let it fester. The game 0:05:21.320 --> 0:05:24.000 went how it was. But just really grateful to be here. 0:05:24.080 --> 0:05:26.720 It was a great opportunity. Hopefully made the most of 0:05:26.720 --> 0:05:30.040 it and um, you know, hopefully get another shock to 0:05:30.520 --> 0:05:32.520 get back to a championship game in twenty twenty three. 0:05:32.839 --> 0:05:36.120 I've had a lot of fun. I thought, like everyone said, 0:05:36.120 --> 0:05:39.760 that's a great locker room, great offensive line room. We 0:05:39.839 --> 0:05:41.440 had a lot of success, even though it didn't end 0:05:41.440 --> 0:05:43.720 the way he wanted it to, and I just really 0:05:43.800 --> 0:05:46.520 enjoyed my hear. Keras has signed for two more years 0:05:46.520 --> 0:05:49.800 and Kappa is signed for three more, but several key 0:05:49.839 --> 0:05:52.719 players on the team are due to become free agents, 0:05:52.760 --> 0:05:58.120 including Jesse Bates, Von Bell, Hayden Hurst, Jermaine Pratt, Eli Apple, 0:05:58.360 --> 0:06:01.720 and some I JP Ryan here's Keis. It's like the 0:06:01.760 --> 0:06:06.200 last day of school. You know, the team's not gonna 0:06:06.200 --> 0:06:08.320 be the same. There's gonna be changes on every NFL 0:06:08.360 --> 0:06:10.719 franchise this season. That is the nature of the business. 0:06:10.760 --> 0:06:13.800 So guys are gonna have to find their role. We 0:06:13.880 --> 0:06:15.000 have a lot of I don't know if we have 0:06:15.040 --> 0:06:16.479 a lot of free agents. We have some guys that 0:06:16.520 --> 0:06:18.719 are I've been there. This is my first year in 0:06:18.800 --> 0:06:20.720 four years and I'm not a free agent going into 0:06:20.720 --> 0:06:22.680 the offseason, so it's a little different feeling. But I 0:06:22.720 --> 0:06:24.880 empathize with a lot of the guys that are going 0:06:24.920 --> 0:06:27.599 to go on a journey, and you know, understand it 0:06:27.680 --> 0:06:30.159 is a business, but hopefully we can get everyone back 0:06:30.279 --> 0:06:32.800 and it wants to be here on emotional Jesse Bates 0:06:32.880 --> 0:06:35.800 met with reporters on Monday, knowing that he may have 0:06:35.839 --> 0:06:39.520 played his last game in a Cincinnati uniform. The Bengals 0:06:39.600 --> 0:06:42.359 negotiated with his agent for a couple of years in 0:06:42.440 --> 0:06:45.440 hopes of extending his contract, but the two sides could 0:06:45.480 --> 0:06:48.280 not reach a deal, and Bates played on the franchise 0:06:48.320 --> 0:06:52.479 tag this season for roughly thirteen million dollars. If Jesse 0:06:52.680 --> 0:06:57.240 does move on, he's thankful for his five seasons in Cincinnati. 0:06:59.320 --> 0:07:02.120 I was struck by You're used to the word gratitude 0:07:02.320 --> 0:07:05.000 yesterday after the game. It seemed like that really hit 0:07:05.080 --> 0:07:07.320 home for you. Like I said, it's it's cool to 0:07:07.320 --> 0:07:15.640 be part of something special, UM, something that it's hard. 0:07:15.720 --> 0:07:20.600 It's hard. UM an emotional about it for a long time, 0:07:21.920 --> 0:07:25.760 Still numb to it. UM. Oh yeah, Like you said, 0:07:25.760 --> 0:07:30.160 gratitude is a word that I can really describe about 0:07:30.720 --> 0:07:34.560 everything that happened here. UM. Over my past five years 0:07:34.600 --> 0:07:39.800 being here, UM, I learned so much about myself, learned 0:07:39.800 --> 0:07:44.920 so much about the game, I learned so much about Cincinnati. UM. 0:07:44.920 --> 0:07:51.240 And I'm just so thankful for everybody I ran into. UM, 0:07:51.360 --> 0:07:55.440 inside this building, outside this building, UM, I've created some 0:07:56.160 --> 0:08:01.200 very special relationships UM at a last minute life. And 0:08:01.240 --> 0:08:03.600 that's all you can ask for when you when you 0:08:04.160 --> 0:08:07.080 come to an end, if something, um, if you left 0:08:07.080 --> 0:08:11.000 it better than when you came in. And I think 0:08:11.000 --> 0:08:14.120 that I played a good part of that. And I'm 0:08:14.160 --> 0:08:17.000 not the only reason for that. I know my brothers 0:08:17.040 --> 0:08:19.760 in this locker room, years in and years out, UM 0:08:20.480 --> 0:08:23.280 had a lot to do with that as well. And uh, 0:08:23.720 --> 0:08:28.000 like I said, I can't dwell on anything because I know, 0:08:28.200 --> 0:08:31.840 like I said, I love my teammates. Every year, when 0:08:31.840 --> 0:08:35.680 it was bad, I loved him, it was good, I 0:08:35.760 --> 0:08:40.320 loved him. Um. Like I said, I'm just thankful. So 0:08:40.320 --> 0:08:44.120 I love was mutual. What was some of that comments 0:08:44.160 --> 0:08:47.040 that you received from some of those guys yesterday and today? 0:08:47.360 --> 0:08:52.400 You know, everybody knows, you know what's going on. Unfortunately 0:08:52.480 --> 0:08:56.679 that's part of this business. And uh, you know, you 0:08:56.800 --> 0:08:59.760 spend so much time together over so many years, and 0:09:00.800 --> 0:09:04.240 sometimes it has to come to an end. I don't know. 0:09:04.280 --> 0:09:06.160 I'm not saying that this is the end of everything, 0:09:06.200 --> 0:09:10.440 but we know that there's a possibility. And it's my 0:09:10.480 --> 0:09:13.560 first time being in that instance where I may not 0:09:13.640 --> 0:09:16.160 be here, you know, so any other year I was 0:09:16.240 --> 0:09:18.959 able to process Oh, maybe we can come back next 0:09:19.000 --> 0:09:22.120 year and do this thing all over again. But like 0:09:22.160 --> 0:09:26.160 I said, I learned a lot from being here in Cincinnati, 0:09:26.240 --> 0:09:29.400 a lot from everyone that I've came in contact with. 0:09:29.559 --> 0:09:32.600 And all I can say, I'm thankful because that loss 0:09:32.720 --> 0:09:37.360 hurt even more because of your personal situation. No, I don't. 0:09:37.360 --> 0:09:40.120 I don't want to take it away from um, you know, 0:09:40.320 --> 0:09:43.440 just being in my personal situation, this hurts for everybody. 0:09:44.960 --> 0:09:47.880 I love that everyone had for each other, whether this 0:09:48.000 --> 0:09:50.640 is their last year or not. This is the last 0:09:50.640 --> 0:09:53.600 time that this team will be together as a whole, 0:09:53.720 --> 0:09:56.839 and we've been able to get through a lot of 0:09:57.080 --> 0:10:01.559 tough this year that normally you don't go through as 0:10:01.559 --> 0:10:06.120 a team. UM, I'm just proud man. As just I 0:10:06.160 --> 0:10:09.280 can just keep rumbling about this team and rumbling about 0:10:09.320 --> 0:10:11.599 my time here. But uh, like I said, at the 0:10:11.679 --> 0:10:14.920 end of the day, I'm just thankful. I think that 0:10:15.840 --> 0:10:20.280 UM I showed UM how to be a leader, how 0:10:20.280 --> 0:10:25.640 to be UM the same guy every day, UM, even 0:10:25.679 --> 0:10:28.040 when you're not going your way. UM. I could have 0:10:28.080 --> 0:10:31.480 easily came in here on a franchise tag and been 0:10:31.520 --> 0:10:34.880 a cancer to this team. UM. We started off owing two. 0:10:34.960 --> 0:10:36.680 I could have went to the media, they want to 0:10:36.679 --> 0:10:39.760 get traded. Um, but no, I didn't like I said. 0:10:39.800 --> 0:10:42.760 I love my teammates no matter whether it was going 0:10:42.800 --> 0:10:46.520 good or bad. And UM, I think that if anything, 0:10:46.559 --> 0:10:50.679 I could have left here and that's what I would. UM. 0:10:50.840 --> 0:10:52.800 Hopefully a lot of people got that from me. Was 0:10:53.520 --> 0:10:57.040 no matter what, UM, come in here every day and 0:10:57.160 --> 0:11:02.720 just work. Um, whether it working your way or not. UM, 0:11:02.720 --> 0:11:05.240 try to do your best and be here for your 0:11:05.240 --> 0:11:09.080 team and the ultimate goal of the team. And uh, 0:11:09.200 --> 0:11:13.160 we'll see what happens after that defensive coordinat Lou in 0:11:13.200 --> 0:11:16.000 a room, are you guys seem to be extremely close 0:11:16.600 --> 0:11:21.280 both ways. Yeah, Lou came in when I was a 0:11:21.400 --> 0:11:27.319 knucklehead thinking I could make every play in the game. Um. 0:11:28.080 --> 0:11:31.000 The amount of detail work that he taught me. M. 0:11:32.160 --> 0:11:34.400 I used to go home like, man, this new DC 0:11:34.559 --> 0:11:36.800 doesn't like me. Man, it's dude, don't like me at all. 0:11:36.800 --> 0:11:41.240 And just the amount of love that he showed me. Um, 0:11:41.280 --> 0:11:43.959 it may have not been pat me on my back 0:11:44.040 --> 0:11:46.520 and just say it's gonna be all right. UM, you 0:11:46.559 --> 0:11:49.120 know he pushed me. He pushed me two levels that 0:11:49.160 --> 0:11:53.840 you know coaches never have before. And UM, that's all 0:11:53.880 --> 0:11:56.680 you can ask for as as as a DC and 0:11:56.720 --> 0:11:59.440 out of the coach. Um, it's to challenge you every 0:11:59.440 --> 0:12:03.400 single day. I think he did that and to watch 0:12:03.400 --> 0:12:06.760 what he created, Um, the culture that he created in 0:12:06.760 --> 0:12:11.200 our defense room. I'll be able to, um, you know, 0:12:11.320 --> 0:12:13.600 take that maybe somewhere else, I'll be able to take 0:12:13.600 --> 0:12:16.760 that and be a father. I'll be able to do 0:12:17.120 --> 0:12:19.080 multiple things with stuff that he taught me on the 0:12:19.080 --> 0:12:22.439 football fool. So UM. Like I said, Man, it's a 0:12:22.600 --> 0:12:26.880 it's an emotional time to speak about that. But all 0:12:26.960 --> 0:12:30.079 I can say, I'm thankful for speak so movingly about 0:12:30.160 --> 0:12:33.040 Cincinnati and about this locker room and your teammates and 0:12:33.120 --> 0:12:36.640 your culture, and so fans will be wondering about what 0:12:36.679 --> 0:12:38.280 it's going to take to keep you here. Would you 0:12:38.280 --> 0:12:42.440 want to stay here? JESSEP Yeah, Um, I want to 0:12:42.440 --> 0:12:48.760 be here. Um. Unfortunately, this business. UM, you know, there's 0:12:48.840 --> 0:12:52.880 different scenarios where I'm not in this situation where I 0:12:52.880 --> 0:12:57.400 can leave twenty ten million on the table and be 0:12:57.480 --> 0:13:00.520 okay with that, because it wouldn't be fair to myself, 0:13:00.679 --> 0:13:07.240 my family, my legacy. UM. But obviously, yes I want 0:13:07.240 --> 0:13:11.360 to be here, and my family's three hours away from here. UM. 0:13:11.600 --> 0:13:13.920 Like I said, I created bonds in this locker room, 0:13:14.480 --> 0:13:18.040 outside this locker room. UM, so yeah, I want to 0:13:18.040 --> 0:13:21.640 be here. Answers the question, just you bet on yourself 0:13:21.640 --> 0:13:26.079 twice or he's glad you didn't. Um. Yeah, I've learned. 0:13:26.520 --> 0:13:31.040 I've learned a lot about myself. Um these past two years. Man, 0:13:31.120 --> 0:13:34.120 It's like I said, I could have I could have 0:13:34.240 --> 0:13:39.880 easily went a different route. Um, been a cancer. UM. 0:13:39.920 --> 0:13:41.439 But I think it has a lot to do with 0:13:41.720 --> 0:13:43.360 the people in this locker room. The people in this 0:13:43.480 --> 0:13:49.520 organization is um. They they brought me in here, and 0:13:49.559 --> 0:13:52.760 they know they helped me get through tough times. Uh. 0:13:52.800 --> 0:13:55.319 I was in shells. I would not talk to anybody 0:13:56.040 --> 0:13:59.920 UM at times. And UM, like I said, the brotherhood, 0:14:00.120 --> 0:14:01.800 we haven't here. They got me out of that. And 0:14:02.520 --> 0:14:04.800 like I said, it's something that you don't know until 0:14:04.840 --> 0:14:07.840 you know. UM. And I was able to experience that, 0:14:07.920 --> 0:14:11.960 and I'll be able to use that in different instances 0:14:11.960 --> 0:14:14.720 of my life. And hopefully I was able to show 0:14:14.760 --> 0:14:17.520 some of the younger guys how to handle those tough situations. 0:14:18.559 --> 0:14:21.120 So yeah, I'm thankful that I was able to bet 0:14:21.120 --> 0:14:23.840 on myself and thankful that I was able to be healthy. 0:14:24.800 --> 0:14:26.640 It's the main part of that. When you're good enough 0:14:26.680 --> 0:14:28.720 to make the playoffs, the end of the season is 0:14:28.720 --> 0:14:32.200 so abrupt. But with this team, the ten game winning 0:14:32.200 --> 0:14:34.840 street one game from the super Bowl, does it almost 0:14:34.880 --> 0:14:40.440 seem surreal that you don't have another game in two weeks. Yeah, 0:14:40.680 --> 0:14:43.480 when you don't lose a game since what was a Halloween, 0:14:43.520 --> 0:14:46.240 I think it was, um, you kind of forget the 0:14:46.280 --> 0:14:50.200 feeling of losing. I mean, we got on the plane 0:14:50.280 --> 0:14:54.840 last night and just being around these dudes made stuff 0:14:54.840 --> 0:14:56.960 feel a lot better and made made me feel like 0:14:57.120 --> 0:15:02.880 we were going back into meetings the following week. So yes, 0:15:04.320 --> 0:15:08.000 it's tough. It's tough. It's tough, and like I said, 0:15:08.000 --> 0:15:14.320 it's it just shows how important a love bond, close 0:15:14.440 --> 0:15:20.240 knitted group can get you through multiple things. And even 0:15:20.240 --> 0:15:23.400 though it's the end of it for this year, like 0:15:23.480 --> 0:15:25.800 I said, you still see guys playing ping pong, You 0:15:25.920 --> 0:15:30.000 still see guys talking on the plane. And that's what 0:15:30.600 --> 0:15:32.680 we play this game for, is to you know, take 0:15:32.680 --> 0:15:35.360 care of our families obviously, and build relationships that will 0:15:35.400 --> 0:15:37.840 last you a lifetime. And I think we've done that here. 0:15:39.240 --> 0:15:43.400 Great stuff from Jesse Bates the Bengals Booth podcast is 0:15:43.400 --> 0:15:46.400 brought to you by Cattering Health, the official healthcare provider 0:15:46.640 --> 0:15:49.280 of the Bengals. With more than one hundred twenty care 0:15:49.320 --> 0:15:53.600 facilities and fifteen hundred care providers, Cattering Health is committed 0:15:53.760 --> 0:15:57.600 to guiding you to your best health. Visit cattering health 0:15:57.640 --> 0:16:01.680 dot org to learn more. As I noted earlier, Bates 0:16:01.800 --> 0:16:04.120 is not the only member of the secondary you could 0:16:04.120 --> 0:16:07.800 be headed the free agency. Von Bell, Eli Apple and 0:16:07.920 --> 0:16:12.200 Trey Flowers are also on the list. Here's Shitaba wo Je, 0:16:12.680 --> 0:16:17.400 who has one year left on his deal. Every season 0:16:17.480 --> 0:16:21.000 is different, every every team's different, and I think we've 0:16:21.000 --> 0:16:23.240 been blessed the past two years to be a part 0:16:23.240 --> 0:16:26.400 of the defense that kept as nucleus for you know, 0:16:26.400 --> 0:16:29.960 two years. That's a long time for most teams. So yeah, 0:16:30.000 --> 0:16:32.560 we've definitely been spoiled. But at the same time, we've 0:16:32.600 --> 0:16:34.920 built something special here so that you know, when new 0:16:35.000 --> 0:16:37.760 faces come, they know what the standard is, they know 0:16:38.200 --> 0:16:40.400 what we expect, They know the culture in this locker room, 0:16:40.840 --> 0:16:43.160 and yeah, we need to bring in the right people 0:16:43.200 --> 0:16:45.760 that can respond to that culture and not you don't 0:16:45.800 --> 0:16:49.400 disrespect it because it's something special that will always keep 0:16:49.480 --> 0:16:51.240 us bonded. The people that were on this past team, 0:16:51.360 --> 0:16:54.440 past two teams together. Your description of kind of the 0:16:54.440 --> 0:16:57.520 business of the NFL was obviously very realistic, but it 0:16:57.600 --> 0:17:00.360 sounds like there is a tinge of sadness in your voice. 0:17:00.440 --> 0:17:03.560 It's that accurate. So tends of everything in my voice 0:17:03.640 --> 0:17:07.280 right now because I'm still processing everything. But obviously I 0:17:07.400 --> 0:17:09.960 know that being in the NFL for this amount of time, 0:17:10.520 --> 0:17:13.040 you don't have you never have the same team, you know, 0:17:13.040 --> 0:17:15.200 you know what I'm saying. So this team's chapter is closed. 0:17:15.280 --> 0:17:19.800 It's closed, it's over. The brotherhood never stops, but the 0:17:19.880 --> 0:17:22.800 chapter of chasing what our goal was is over, and 0:17:22.800 --> 0:17:24.639 that's the reality that we all have to deal with 0:17:25.280 --> 0:17:27.800 until next year. We don't know who will be here, 0:17:27.880 --> 0:17:31.119 who won't be here, So I can't speculate or guess, 0:17:31.400 --> 0:17:32.959 you know. So it's just that's just a matter of 0:17:32.960 --> 0:17:36.159 time until those things happen and then we can react. 0:17:36.440 --> 0:17:39.200 There will be changes. But this was the youngest playoff 0:17:39.280 --> 0:17:42.359 roster before team teams that made it and you have Burrow. 0:17:43.200 --> 0:17:46.240 Is there that feeling that the core group here is 0:17:46.280 --> 0:17:49.600 going to be able to compete for the top Yeah, 0:17:49.680 --> 0:17:52.480 you know, obviously football has a funny way of humbling you. 0:17:53.080 --> 0:17:58.760 But if gods stay healthy, the mindset that we have, 0:17:59.359 --> 0:18:02.080 everything will workout. I think year after year, you know. 0:18:02.320 --> 0:18:04.639 But obviously football is a funny way of humbling you. 0:18:04.640 --> 0:18:07.000 So I don't want to you know, confirm or you know, 0:18:07.840 --> 0:18:11.679 guarantee anything. So but that's my expectation. Zach says he 0:18:11.720 --> 0:18:14.639 doesn't consider himself to be the greatest speaker, but it 0:18:14.680 --> 0:18:17.440 seems like he always has a message that resonates with guys. 0:18:17.680 --> 0:18:19.800 Is there anything he said, whether it was after the 0:18:19.800 --> 0:18:22.320 game yesterday or today in the final meeting that resonated 0:18:22.320 --> 0:18:25.719 with you? I mean he said, he said a few things. Um. 0:18:26.600 --> 0:18:28.520 Number one thing is to be proud of what we 0:18:28.560 --> 0:18:32.640 accomplished as a team. Um. I think when you create 0:18:32.680 --> 0:18:37.239 a new normal for a team, it's hard to like 0:18:37.400 --> 0:18:40.760 your your your emotions changed. Like obviously, before I die here, 0:18:41.200 --> 0:18:43.440 I didn't know the culture of this team, but um, 0:18:44.119 --> 0:18:47.560 they had a normal, right and maybe just a little 0:18:47.560 --> 0:18:50.080 bit better than normal would have been a win. But 0:18:50.200 --> 0:18:53.439 we surpassed that normal by a lot. So now like 0:18:53.440 --> 0:18:55.639 it's like our new normal is what we've been doing. 0:18:56.240 --> 0:18:59.800 And um, even though it feels bad, like if you 0:19:00.080 --> 0:19:03.360 get where a lot of where we were as a team, 0:19:03.400 --> 0:19:06.680 a couple of years ago, Like, this is a good 0:19:06.840 --> 0:19:10.080 new normal. So, um, I think you know, he he 0:19:10.160 --> 0:19:12.199 definitely show that miss his home that we should be 0:19:12.200 --> 0:19:15.080 proud of what we've accomplished. Obviously we left a lot 0:19:15.080 --> 0:19:17.160 of meat on the bone, but um, there's a lot 0:19:17.760 --> 0:19:20.920 things that we did that were that were great. The 0:19:20.960 --> 0:19:23.719 new normal for the Bengals is to begin next season 0:19:24.160 --> 0:19:26.480 is one of the top four or five teams in 0:19:26.560 --> 0:19:29.840 the NFL. The Bengals Booth podcast is brought to you 0:19:29.880 --> 0:19:33.359 by pay Corps. More than twenty nine thousand customers trust 0:19:33.359 --> 0:19:38.160 pay Corps to help them recruit, pay, engage, and retain employees. 0:19:38.680 --> 0:19:42.840 Learn more at paycorps dot com. Here's one more short 0:19:42.960 --> 0:19:46.840 Exit Day interview. It's with wide receiver Trenton Irwin, who 0:19:46.840 --> 0:19:50.119 went from being a three year practice squad staple to 0:19:50.200 --> 0:19:55.560 becoming one of Joe burrows trusted targets day. Like, this 0:19:55.600 --> 0:19:58.720 is strange to me because it's so abrupt. You feel 0:19:58.760 --> 0:20:01.080 like that train is rolling towards the Super Bowl and 0:20:01.119 --> 0:20:03.240 all of a sudden, you guys are shaking hands and 0:20:03.320 --> 0:20:06.320 walking out. Yeah, especially the way that ended. You know, 0:20:06.359 --> 0:20:08.720 if you got blown out, you're gonna have to think 0:20:08.760 --> 0:20:11.240 about oh we might not, but like I felt like 0:20:11.240 --> 0:20:13.960 everything was rolling our way, like we had every piece 0:20:14.000 --> 0:20:16.320 we needed. It was coming up short, you know, a 0:20:16.400 --> 0:20:19.520 couple of players and one of those things that it's 0:20:19.520 --> 0:20:22.200 crazy to you just go. You got a whole off 0:20:22.200 --> 0:20:24.800 season think about it. But you know, hopefully everyone gets 0:20:24.800 --> 0:20:26.880 back to there, gets back to thing, take a couple 0:20:26.880 --> 0:20:29.240 of weeks off, they get back to work. Going into 0:20:29.280 --> 0:20:32.159 the season, there was some thought out there nationally that 0:20:32.280 --> 0:20:35.080 maybe the Bengals aren't legit, maybe last year super Bowl 0:20:35.119 --> 0:20:38.200 run is a little bit freakish. Nobody can say that. Now, 0:20:38.560 --> 0:20:41.520 do you feel like you've clearly established that the Bengals 0:20:41.520 --> 0:20:44.679 are right there at the top of the NFL. You know, 0:20:45.280 --> 0:20:47.480 I'm I'm almost speak from the heart and saying that. 0:20:48.080 --> 0:20:49.679 I don't think really a whole lot of people care 0:20:49.720 --> 0:20:52.080 about what everyone's saying outside of here. You know, I 0:20:52.119 --> 0:20:54.760 think we all all believe that or that type of team. 0:20:55.119 --> 0:20:56.439 You know, we have the pieces to be able to 0:20:56.440 --> 0:20:58.879 go in everything. So I mean that's just sort of 0:20:59.000 --> 0:21:01.280 who we are as a group. So you know, we're 0:21:01.520 --> 0:21:03.280 you know, people are gonna say what they're gonna say, 0:21:03.320 --> 0:21:05.520 good and bad, and we appreciate you. The one, But 0:21:06.080 --> 0:21:07.920 we're gonna be who we are and I think we 0:21:08.000 --> 0:21:11.080 got a lot coming this socker room. Of the fourteen 0:21:11.119 --> 0:21:13.280 teams that made the playoffs, this is the youngest roster. 0:21:13.840 --> 0:21:17.480 There will be changes, there always are, but the nucleus 0:21:18.520 --> 0:21:20.960 is going to be back and it's strong. Yeah. No, 0:21:21.040 --> 0:21:22.879 I'm one hundred sign with you. We gotta I got 0:21:23.000 --> 0:21:24.920 a tight group and that's that's one thing we gotta 0:21:25.000 --> 0:21:29.399 keep maintaining through the years. What did Zach say to 0:21:29.480 --> 0:21:33.080 the team? What was his final message? You know, Um, 0:21:33.640 --> 0:21:35.640 it's one of those things, like you said, it was abrupt. 0:21:35.920 --> 0:21:38.119 It's a tough ending, but there's a lot to learn from. 0:21:38.200 --> 0:21:40.000 There's a lot of good things that came from this year, 0:21:40.600 --> 0:21:43.360 and you know, that's the way it goes in the playoffs. 0:21:43.400 --> 0:21:45.080 We play a lot of good teams and sometimes things 0:21:45.160 --> 0:21:47.639 roll one way or the other, and you know, we 0:21:47.720 --> 0:21:50.719 gotta just keep doing our best thing, keep taking our 0:21:51.040 --> 0:21:54.200 next best step. Set a franchise record with ten straight wins. 0:21:54.600 --> 0:21:56.680 It's the first team to win playoff games and back 0:21:56.680 --> 0:21:58.760 to back years in this team's history. Do you feel 0:21:58.800 --> 0:22:02.959 like there wor a lot of great accomplishments that you'll remember. Definitely, 0:22:02.960 --> 0:22:05.920 good accomplishments. You know, I don't think a lot of 0:22:05.920 --> 0:22:08.960 this team knows nothing but that type of excellence. You know, 0:22:09.119 --> 0:22:10.840 we're just trying to go out there and win games, 0:22:10.840 --> 0:22:13.320 and one tenth straight could have one eleventh straight to 0:22:13.320 --> 0:22:15.840 go to the freaking ball. So I mean, we came 0:22:15.920 --> 0:22:18.360 up last week, have on one short. I guess we're 0:22:18.359 --> 0:22:21.280 too short this year. But you know, we just got 0:22:21.280 --> 0:22:23.719 to keep learning and keep growing and take that next step. 0:22:24.119 --> 0:22:27.960 Rats in a great year. Thank you. The Bengals Booth 0:22:27.960 --> 0:22:31.320 podcast is brought to you by Bengals Picks and Ultimate Bengals. 0:22:31.359 --> 0:22:34.639