Joe Mixon Reflects on Season with Bengals, Tyler Boyd Future
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00:00 Joe, before the season even started, you talked so much about wanting to be consistent.
00:05 And you certainly did that this season.
00:08 You have your fourth year in your career with over a thousand rushing yards.
00:12 What does it mean to you?
00:13 I mean, honestly, as the player, as an individual, it means a lot.
00:20 But at the same time, I feel like, you know, I just appreciate everybody, you know, just
00:26 sticking with me and doing everything that I can to show up and keep, like you said,
00:32 staying consistent.
00:33 And I felt like, you know, throughout this whole year, it's been a grind.
00:37 It's been trying to do everything I can, man, to, you know, be a difference maker, whether
00:43 it's vocal, whether it's, you know, on the field and trying to lead by example, making
00:48 yards and picking up blocks and things like that.
00:51 But I mean, like I said, I absolutely have no regrets on how the season went.
00:58 And obviously, we wanted to finish on a higher level and greater note.
01:01 But it is what it is, you know what I'm saying?
01:03 So I'm just happy that I'm able to share this last few days with these guys and try to,
01:09 you know, come in tomorrow.
01:10 And like I said, it's a bittersweet feeling.
01:12 But I mean, we finished it off the right way.
01:15 So that's a hell of a feeling.
01:17 At the start of the season, there were there was adversity.
01:20 There were doubters.
01:22 And you really didn't respond with words.
01:24 You responded with actions on the field and off the field.
01:27 What does it mean for you to be able to respond in the way that you have?
01:30 I mean, you're so productive consistently on the I mean, I'm just blown away.
01:35 Well, first, I appreciate it.
01:37 But to I mean, I really don't give a damn.
01:41 I know, you know, a hater gotta say, you know, if you ain't got no haters, you ain't doing
01:46 your job right.
01:47 You know what I'm saying?
01:48 But it is what it is.
01:49 And I really don't care to respond to them, honestly.
01:53 Like, when I play this game, I owe it to my teammates to be the best person and best player
01:58 that I could possibly be.
02:00 When I step in this here locker room, when I step in between the lines, and we're in
02:05 the classrooms, like, I owe that to my teammates.
02:07 Like, I don't owe no explanations.
02:09 And I don't owe no "Oh, like you feel like this is" like I don't I don't care about all
02:15 that.
02:16 You know what I'm saying?
02:17 I owe that to my teammates.
02:18 Like I said, I don't got nothing for whoever.
02:20 I don't have nothing to prove.
02:21 You know what I'm saying?
02:22 Like, I owe that their play to my teammates.
02:25 So I'm glad I was able to be there all year for them.
02:29 I'm glad I was able to be a captain.
02:31 You know what I'm saying?
02:32 And as one of the leaders in this here locker room has always been a blessing.
02:36 And like I said, I never take that for granted.
02:38 So I'm just blessed to be able to be up in this position.
02:42 And yeah, I love where I'm at.
02:45 And I love where I stand.
02:46 Nationally, there was a lot of conversation about the running back position being devalued.
02:50 But every week that I would listen to the opposing coaches who are going up against
02:54 you, they always keyed in on you as a threat.
02:57 Will you just speak on how much value the running back does have in this league still?
03:02 Especially the AFC North?
03:04 Yeah, I mean, it's definitely something that, you know, as a as a league, I felt like, you
03:11 know, we lost value.
03:12 But at the end of the day, I felt like that value is rising again.
03:16 I mean, just look at Jonathan Taylor.
03:19 And I'm sure a lot of guys going, hopefully stay up there and maybe even higher.
03:24 And it was a great thing to see my young boy Jonathan really set the reset the market again.
03:30 And hopefully, you know, guys like Christian McCaffrey and other guys, you know, be up
03:35 there as well.
03:36 You know what I'm saying?
03:37 Obviously, I mean, you got to you can never discredit a running back and what they do
03:43 and how they do their job.
03:45 And, you know, I just was in terms of your question of what coaches and respect.
03:51 I mean, it's a it's a blessing to, like I said, be able to be noticed by them guys and
03:57 to know that, you know, you're a different you're really one of the difference makers
04:01 on the team.
04:02 And I feel like in terms of attitude and everything, it always since I've been here from day one,
04:08 like it always started with me, you know, coming out there and giving them all.
04:12 So, you know, obviously, we got other guys, too, as well, that play a huge part in making
04:20 plays.
04:21 But in terms of me as myself this year, I'm just happy with how I finished.
04:25 I'm happy with how everything went this year in terms of how I finished.
04:31 And like you said, being consistent the whole year and I guess I won't sit there and take
04:39 it for granted, really.
04:40 I guess I owe that to my teammates.
04:42 And I was glad that I was able to show up for him every week.
04:46 I know football is work for you.
04:48 Most people in their days of work, they don't get as close as you guys do you and your teammates.
04:53 What is it like on a day like today where you're looking around the locker room?
04:56 You don't know if you're going to see those same faces the next year.
04:59 Like I said, it's a bittersweet feeling.
05:01 And you know, for my dog TB and you know, certain guys, it's like, you know, I've been
05:08 in here with them since I was a baby.
05:10 You know what I'm saying?
05:11 And I came in with no chin hairs and you know what I'm saying, short ass hair, just a little
05:18 chubby thing, you know what I'm saying?
05:19 And I appreciate it.
05:22 And to really be able to share this here locker room and the field with my brother, you know
05:27 what I'm saying, like, I mean, everything to me and I swear, I never has been like the
05:32 best seven years as a big brother.
05:36 Big little brother TB as a big little brother, man.
05:41 I mean, TB, I feel like he don't get enough credit in terms of what he's been to this
05:46 here program.
05:47 You know what I'm saying?
05:48 And it is what it is.
05:49 But I know in the real ones know what he means.
05:53 You know what I'm saying?
05:54 So, I mean, I got nothing but a thousand words and how you could really describe TB and,
06:02 you know, certain people you just never, you never know.
06:05 That's part of it.
06:06 But I mean, I'm just happy.
06:08 You know, like I said, I was able to share them lines, you know, for many years with
06:12 him and I just hope everything work out for him, you know, for the greater good.
06:18 I feel like, you know, God got a plan for him and obviously, hopefully he's here.
06:24 You know what I'm saying?
06:25 But obviously, I'm a, you know, hope he finds himself in the best position, whether it's
06:30 here or somewhere else.
06:32 And that goes to everybody else should include myself.
06:35 You know what I'm saying?
06:36 So I just hope that, you know, my guy just keeps staying healthy, keeping his head up
06:42 and know that he had a great time, you know, great career.
06:46 If this was it, he had a great career, you know what I'm saying?
06:50 And that's forever going to be my brother, you know what I'm saying?
06:53 And that's how I feel about it.
06:56 I can, I already knew that you guys had a strong bond.
06:59 You're both drafted in the Marvin Lewis era.
07:01 You guys have been through really thin seasons, a lot of adversity, coaching change, everything.
07:05 I mean, how strong of a bond is it between you two for people who don't see you guys
07:10 every day like I do?
07:11 Yeah, I mean, like I said, we've been in here on them struggle years.
07:16 And we shared a lot of memories for the bad and for the great, you know what I'm saying?
07:23 We went from being two and 14 to winning AFC championship and going to the Super Bowl,
07:31 you know what I'm saying?
07:32 And even though we came up short, I felt like through that journey and all the memories
07:37 that we made, I felt like, you know, our bond only got closer.
07:40 He always been on my line in terms of wanting me to be the best me.
07:46 And I always did that for him.
07:47 And we always held each other accountable in that aspect.
07:50 So I got nothing but love and respect for him.
07:54 And like I said, that's forever going to be my brother.
07:57 And he know that, you know what I'm saying?
08:00 Everybody else know that.
08:01 But you know, what's understood ain't got to be explained.
08:04 Last question for you.
08:05 The offensive line, all five guys did not miss a snap.
08:10 Your guy Orlando is in there this year.
08:13 How much credit do you give the offensive line for your specific production this season?
08:18 I mean, I give all credit to my teammates, you know what I'm saying?
08:23 I give all to the linemen, to the tight ends, to the receivers and shit, even to the quarterback
08:28 for handing me that thing, you know what I'm saying?
08:30 Or throwing it to me, you know what I'm saying?
08:32 I never, since I got here, I never took credit for what I do.
08:36 I always shed a light to my teammates, you know what I'm saying, when it's great.
08:42 When it's great, I always gave it to them.
08:43 And when it's bad, I always put it on me that we got to do better as captains and as a players
08:48 to take initiative on ourselves to make things better.
08:53 And I felt like that through these seven years that I did that, I always felt like since
08:59 day one that I stepped in here, I always had a voice.
09:02 And the fact that all these, mainly youngins and even middle-aged group, you know what
09:08 I'm saying?
09:09 Man, all of them, even the older guys in here, they all look up to me in terms of my voice
09:15 carry weight in here, you know what I'm saying?
09:16 So to be able to lead them guys like that, man, it's a blessing.
09:22 I appreciate them guys.
09:23 And like I said, I mean, it's a bittersweet feeling, but I got nothing but love for this
09:30 2023 season and for these guys and obviously the fans for how they came this year.
09:37 Last question.
09:38 I noticed you have a game ball.
09:39 Where do you display the game balls that you receive?
09:42 I usually put them up in a case at my crib and obviously label them to what these balls
09:49 are.
09:50 I mean, I'm going to just save this one until I get my other game ball from Zach and probably
09:55 put that in a case to, you know, real life memorabilia.
09:59 And hopefully one day when I have kids and hopefully my boys, I could be able to brag
10:04 to my boys like, "Hey, this is it right here."
10:08 You know what I'm saying?
10:09 This is the standard.
10:10 You got to beat it and try to really be able to push them along.
10:16 Even if I'm not boys, kids that look up to me, you know what I'm saying?
10:21 Just really be able to inspire them and show them that he did this and really try to get
10:27 them to be better than me.
10:29 You know what I'm saying?
10:30 So it's a blessing to be in this position and obviously God put me here for a reason
10:35 and I'll never take it for granted.
10:36 Joe, thank you.
10:37 Yeah.
10:37 Thank you.
10:38 Thank you.
10:38 Thank you.
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10:51 Thank you.
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10:52 Thank you.
10:52 Thank you.
10:53 (whooshing)
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