07-29-2022, 10:40 PM
Joe Mixon on Super Bowl, OL, and Longevity
Paul Dehner The Athletic
Joe Mixon had not spoken with Cincinnati media since before the Super Bowl. You still heard his voice, of course. Around the practice fields adjacent to Paul Brown Stadium and inside the home locker room, it’s impossible not to.
One of the most bombastic, energetic players in recent team history doesn’t do quiet or subtle. He leaves an impression, the same way the 228-pound running back has done in piling up 6,255 yards and 42 touchdowns in five NFL seasons.
Yet there’s been a shroud of mystery around him since he was last seen throwing a touchdown pass to Tee Higgins against the Rams, then being controversially left off the field on two third-and-1 runs in the Super Bowl, including a stuff of Samaje Perine that set up up the final, fateful play of the 23-20 loss.
On Friday, as the Bengals’ third training camp practice wrapped, Mixon went through his daily routine of filling the full allotment of time for autographs and photos with fans. He then stopped and shared his time with a small group of reporters.
As has become usual with the 26-year-old Pro Bowl player, he left an impression.
This is Mixon, in his own words, discussing the ticking clock on his career as he reaches his sixth season, what would prompt him to walk away, his enthusiastic recruitment of La’el Collins, the number 2,000 being thrown around camp, the particular motivation of the Super Bowl and, oh yeah, that third-and-1 he watched from the sideline.
What’s been your reaction to going to the Super Bowl and not getting it done?
This is going to be the first and last time I ever talk about the Super Bowl. It happened last year, we got there, which was definitely a blessing. That’s a lot of vets that’s never made it to the Super Bowl, and a lot of people take things like that for granted. At the same time, yeah, we went. But we are not satisfied because we didn’t come out with the big ring. At the same time, the best thing I can take going forward from that is we have been there before. We know how to get there and what it is going to take. End of the day, we just have to stay focused, keep building our team chemistry and take care of business going day by day, week to week.
You can’t know for sure until you see it, but how can the line and run-blocking look different for you this year?
Obviously, gaping holes. I done been to where a lot of teams, I have seen gaping holes like that. At the same time, we are going to see and definitely look forward to our new three key additions, and we have seen the numbers I have put up before. I only hope to crush those numbers out the water. End of the day, everybody’s got their own personal goals, but to be real, (mine is) touching that Super Bowl again and finishing the job and us getting a ring.
What was free agency like for you? Were you on the horn, in the mix?
For sure. Especially with La’el, I was in the mix with my agent telling him I don’t give a damn who calls, get him to Cincinnati. Any circumstance possible. We made that happen and added Alex Cappa and Ted Karras. The three were helluva additions. I come out here just to hear your center and guard and tackles, hear them boys talking about they are going to lead me to 2,000 (rushing yards). That’s a great thing to hear. Whether I get it, whether I don’t, to hear those guys are very adamant. Kill those career rushing records and doing special things, we have a special group. That is a great thing for me. That’s exactly what we want to hear.
Do you think about 2,000 or other numbers in your head?
My thing was just to get better each and every year. That’s really what has been happening. I feel like I am starting to scratch that surface. With the people that we have added, the sky is the limit. Great things to happen.
You are young. But you are at the spot where people start to wonder, when will the older running back age hit him? Do you hear or think about that?
I don’t know if people realize, but I just turned 26 last week. I’m 26, this is Year 6. A lot of those guys who are hitting Year 6 are touching 30 years old or 29. I’m three years behind that. End of the day, I know I got at least four more prime years in me to where it is going to be up here (holds hands above head). I’m not worried about none of that. I just come out here, take care of my job, do what I got to do, taking care of my body for No. 1. Then two, coming out here making plays and being the best teammate. I’ve always been that. I am always forever going to be that. When that thing stops is going to be the day I stop playing football, I’m telling you that now.
A lot was made after the Super Bowl of your not being in during the end of the game. How did you process that, and should you have been on the field?
At the end of the day, whoever is out there I have no doubt in my mind that they should make the play. Coach got caught up in running two-minute and through the playoffs, he had me in two-minute. It was a caught-up-in-the-moment thing. I really should have took initiative on myself and just been like, ‘Hey, I’m coming in.’ It was the heat of the moment. Third down, third-and-1, obviously I want to run in, but when we are going no-huddle we got to hurry up and keep it going. It sucks. Obviously, I know I would have been able to help and do whatever to get that 1 yard, but it’s over with, it’s last year, and we are in 2022. We are trying to do whatever we can do to repeat and get right back in that same situation. And when we are in that situation, you damn sure know I’ll be in.
My note the coach he’s talking about was his position coach Justin Hill and Zac Taylor covered for him in the presser. Justin asked Zac on the headset if he wanted him in but it was too late. The position coach is in charge of his subs.
Paul Dehner The Athletic
Joe Mixon had not spoken with Cincinnati media since before the Super Bowl. You still heard his voice, of course. Around the practice fields adjacent to Paul Brown Stadium and inside the home locker room, it’s impossible not to.
One of the most bombastic, energetic players in recent team history doesn’t do quiet or subtle. He leaves an impression, the same way the 228-pound running back has done in piling up 6,255 yards and 42 touchdowns in five NFL seasons.
Yet there’s been a shroud of mystery around him since he was last seen throwing a touchdown pass to Tee Higgins against the Rams, then being controversially left off the field on two third-and-1 runs in the Super Bowl, including a stuff of Samaje Perine that set up up the final, fateful play of the 23-20 loss.
On Friday, as the Bengals’ third training camp practice wrapped, Mixon went through his daily routine of filling the full allotment of time for autographs and photos with fans. He then stopped and shared his time with a small group of reporters.
As has become usual with the 26-year-old Pro Bowl player, he left an impression.
This is Mixon, in his own words, discussing the ticking clock on his career as he reaches his sixth season, what would prompt him to walk away, his enthusiastic recruitment of La’el Collins, the number 2,000 being thrown around camp, the particular motivation of the Super Bowl and, oh yeah, that third-and-1 he watched from the sideline.
What’s been your reaction to going to the Super Bowl and not getting it done?
This is going to be the first and last time I ever talk about the Super Bowl. It happened last year, we got there, which was definitely a blessing. That’s a lot of vets that’s never made it to the Super Bowl, and a lot of people take things like that for granted. At the same time, yeah, we went. But we are not satisfied because we didn’t come out with the big ring. At the same time, the best thing I can take going forward from that is we have been there before. We know how to get there and what it is going to take. End of the day, we just have to stay focused, keep building our team chemistry and take care of business going day by day, week to week.
You can’t know for sure until you see it, but how can the line and run-blocking look different for you this year?
Obviously, gaping holes. I done been to where a lot of teams, I have seen gaping holes like that. At the same time, we are going to see and definitely look forward to our new three key additions, and we have seen the numbers I have put up before. I only hope to crush those numbers out the water. End of the day, everybody’s got their own personal goals, but to be real, (mine is) touching that Super Bowl again and finishing the job and us getting a ring.
What was free agency like for you? Were you on the horn, in the mix?
For sure. Especially with La’el, I was in the mix with my agent telling him I don’t give a damn who calls, get him to Cincinnati. Any circumstance possible. We made that happen and added Alex Cappa and Ted Karras. The three were helluva additions. I come out here just to hear your center and guard and tackles, hear them boys talking about they are going to lead me to 2,000 (rushing yards). That’s a great thing to hear. Whether I get it, whether I don’t, to hear those guys are very adamant. Kill those career rushing records and doing special things, we have a special group. That is a great thing for me. That’s exactly what we want to hear.
Do you think about 2,000 or other numbers in your head?
My thing was just to get better each and every year. That’s really what has been happening. I feel like I am starting to scratch that surface. With the people that we have added, the sky is the limit. Great things to happen.
You are young. But you are at the spot where people start to wonder, when will the older running back age hit him? Do you hear or think about that?
I don’t know if people realize, but I just turned 26 last week. I’m 26, this is Year 6. A lot of those guys who are hitting Year 6 are touching 30 years old or 29. I’m three years behind that. End of the day, I know I got at least four more prime years in me to where it is going to be up here (holds hands above head). I’m not worried about none of that. I just come out here, take care of my job, do what I got to do, taking care of my body for No. 1. Then two, coming out here making plays and being the best teammate. I’ve always been that. I am always forever going to be that. When that thing stops is going to be the day I stop playing football, I’m telling you that now.
A lot was made after the Super Bowl of your not being in during the end of the game. How did you process that, and should you have been on the field?
At the end of the day, whoever is out there I have no doubt in my mind that they should make the play. Coach got caught up in running two-minute and through the playoffs, he had me in two-minute. It was a caught-up-in-the-moment thing. I really should have took initiative on myself and just been like, ‘Hey, I’m coming in.’ It was the heat of the moment. Third down, third-and-1, obviously I want to run in, but when we are going no-huddle we got to hurry up and keep it going. It sucks. Obviously, I know I would have been able to help and do whatever to get that 1 yard, but it’s over with, it’s last year, and we are in 2022. We are trying to do whatever we can do to repeat and get right back in that same situation. And when we are in that situation, you damn sure know I’ll be in.
My note the coach he’s talking about was his position coach Justin Hill and Zac Taylor covered for him in the presser. Justin asked Zac on the headset if he wanted him in but it was too late. The position coach is in charge of his subs.
Romo “ so impressed with Zac ...1 of the best in the NFL… they are just fundamentally sound. Taylor the best winning % in the Playoffs of current coaches. Joe Burrow” Zac is the best head coach in the NFL & that gives me a lot of confidence." Taylor led the Bengals to their first playoff win since 1990, ending the longest active drought in the four major North American sports, en and appeared in Super Bowl LVI, the first since 1988.
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