In The Trenches with Dave Lapham

Brian Callahan | ”Glad to Be Back” with the Cincinnati Bengals for 2023

Bengals offensive coordinator Brain Callahan returns to In The Trenches with Dave Lapham. Dave and Coach Callahan talk about the disappointing end to the season but look back on an what was still an amazing 2022 season. Callahan contributed a lot to the Bengals success in 2022 working with Joe Burrow and Zac Taylor. The Bengals offense continued to show success and had the stats to back it up.
The NFL noticed the Bengals success the past two years and had both of their coordinators be finalists for head coaching positions this February. Coach Callahan was a finalist for the Indianapolis Colts head coach but the Colts decided to hire Eagles OC Shane Steichen as their head coach meaning Callahan will return as the Bengals OC in 2023.
Coach Callahan and Dave talk about the quick turnaround with the draft and free agency right around the corner and I think you’ll really enjoy this episode of In The Trenches with Dave Lapham presented by First Star Logistics.
 

Bengals QBs Coach Dan Pitcher | Preparing for Free Agency and Draft

Dan Pitcher is back In The Trenches with Dave Lapham presented by First Star Logistics. Lapham and Pitcher talk about the upcoming free agent period and ramping up for the NFL Combine.
Coach Pitcher has been with the Cincinnati Bengals since 2016 and started as an offensive assistant working with the wide receivers. In 2018 Dan started working with the quarterbacks and when former QBs coach Alex Van Pelt left to be the OC in Cleveland Pitcher was promoted. Pitcher was a good player himself, he was a finalist for the Gagliardi Trophy (Division III Heisman Trophy) in his final year at SUNY Cortland in 2011.
A very important offseason for the Bengals starts now. From unrestricted free agents, extending key players like Joe Burrow and Tee Higgins, attacking free agency, and drafting well in the NFL Draft. All of that is talked about in this latest episode of In The Trenches with Dave Lapham.
 

Zac Taylor: Excited To Have Our Entire Staff Back and More

It was another big season for Zac Taylor and the Cincinnati Bengals as they came up a game short of making a second consecutive Super Bowl.
With success comes other teams calling and looking to hire away members of a coaching staff. For Taylor, the excitement of knowing his entire staff looks ready to return after Lou Anarumo, Brian Callahan, Dan Pitcher, and Troy Walters each saw teams call with possible opportunities.
Along with the possibility of losing members of his staff, Taylor knows when you have great players like Joe Burrow and others, you also have to figure out a way to pay them what they're worth.
This episode of In The Trenches with Dave Lapham, presented by First Star Logistics, has Coach Taylor returning to discuss several subjects, including how the season played out and the above topics.

Chris Simms: Bengals Are 2023 Favorites

Chris Simms returns to In The Trenches with Dave Lapham presented by First Star Logistics. In this episode Dave and Chris recap Super Bowl 57 and look ahead to the 2023 NFL Season.
Chris talks about how the AFC will be a heavyweight bout for the next 10 some years as long as these elite quarterbacks stay in the conference. With Burrow, Mahomes, Allen, Herbert, Lawrence, and more you just never know who will rise to the occasion each season. So far Mahomes is on top, winning the NFL MVP this year and more importantly winning the Super Bowl even after losing one of his top weapons in Tyreek Hill.
Joe Burrow though is the only QB to have a winning record against Patrick Mahomes. Both have beat each other in Conference Championship games and both have elite teams surrounding them. Chris says in this episode that it won't be the last time we see these two battle it out with a trip to the super bowl on the line.

Bengals Center Ted Karras: The 2023 Season Starts Now

Cincinnati Bengals center Ted Karras returns to In The Trenches with Dave Lapham, presented by First Star Logistics, to discuss the Bengals 2022 season that ended in the AFC Championship Game.
In his first season with the Bengals, Karras provided outstanding leadership along the offensive line as the Bengals, after a slow start, ran off a 10-game winning streak before losing to the Kansas City Chiefs.
In his return to In The Trenches, Karras talks about the season and the growth of the offensive line, including the loss of La'el Collins, Alex Cappa, and Jonha Williams to injury and the job Jackson Carman, Hakeem Adeniji, and Max Scharping did in their place and the overall performance of rookie Cordell Volson.
Learn more about the comparison between Tom Brady, who Karras played with and was part of two Super Bowl Championships while with the New England Patriots, and his new teammate Joe Burrow.
Karras also talks about spending some of his spring helping his father, Ted Karras Jr., at his new job as head football coach of Marian University and his successful off-the-field project in helping The Village of Merici with The Cincy Hat project.
You can help Ted and The Village of Marici by visiting TheCincyHat.com and ordering the same hat you've seen Ted wearing all season.

Former Bengal Bruce Kozerski | What Are The Bengals Biggest Needs For The 2023 Season

Former offense lineman Bruce Kozerski tells us what impressed him about the 2022 Cincinnati Bengals. Bruce also talks about his time with the Bengals in the 1980s and what it takes for a team to make a super bowl run. 
Kozerski played 12 seasons with the Cincinnati Bengals (1984-1995). The Bengals drafted Bruce out of Holy Cross in the 9th round of the 1984 NFL Draft. Koz was a Pro Bowl alternate in three straight seasons in 1988, 1989, and 1990. 
Kozerski is now a teacher and head football coach at Holy Cross high school in Covington, Kentucky. 
Lap and Bruce discuss what adjustments the Bengals need to make this season to get over that hump and reach the levels they strive for. They talk about learning from the past and not making the same mistakes as the Bengals used to make. You will like this one; we are definitely getting into the trenches today with these two.

Louis Breeden: This Bengals Team Is Going To Be Around For Awhile

Former Cincinnati Bengals cornerback Louis Breeden knows what it's like to reach the Super Bowl during his career with the Bengals.
Breeden is sold on how good the Bengals have been the past two seasons, reaching back-to-back AFC Championships and Super Bowl LVI.
Breeden also knows the straw that stirs the Bengals is quarterback Joe Burrow.
Breeden comes up from the secondary to jump In The Trenches with Dave Lapham, presented by First Star Logistics, to discuss the Bengals' recent success. Having to pay Burrow with a giant contract, moves to make in the secondary with Jessie Bates, Vonn Bell, Eli Apple, and Tre Flowers hitting free agency, and his thoughts on Cam Taylor-Britt and Dax Hill, both who will be playing more significant roles next season.
Also discussed is losing coaches, as three Bengals assistant coaches are currently in the running for upgrades, with Lou Anarumo, a finalist for the Cardinals head coaching job, Brian Callahan, a finalist for the Colts head job, and Dan Pitcher, up for the offensive coordinator position in Tampa Bay.
We also talk about Ken Riley hopefully taking his place at the NFL Hall of Fame. And before we let Louis go, we dug into Sunday's upcoming Super Bowl match-up between the Kansas City Chiefs and Philidelphia Eagles. 
Who does Breeden see winning the game?
Watch until the end in this special, In The Trenches.

Jimmy Burrow: The Future Looks Great - People Want To Stay & Come To The Bengals

We always have a great conversation when Jimmy Burrow visits In The Trenches with Dave Lapham, presented by First Star Logistics.
Sometimes, we ask Jimmy to put on his coaching hat, sometimes his father's hat since he is the father of Cincinnati Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow, and sometimes, we ask him to put on the hat the majority of us wear, a fan's hat when talking about the Bengals.
We do a deep dive following the Bengals' loss to the Kansas City Chiefs in the AFC Championship Game from the previous weekend. During our talk, we discuss a longtime rivalry brewing between Joe Burrow and Patrick Mahomes in the coming years. 
When a team has success, coaches, and players are given opportunities elsewhere, and how he feels the Bengals will have quality coaches and players wanting to stay or be part of what has been cooking in Paycor Stadium the past few years. 
We touch on the continued development of his son's overall game and how he's hopeful this will be the first offseason Joe has enjoyed without dealing with any off-the-field disruptions.
And also the work, the Burrow family, is doing with the Joe Burrow Foundation (visit: JoeBurrow.org for more information.)
We hope you enjoy our latest conversation with former NFL player, longtime college coach, and Joe Burrow's dad, Jimmy Burrow.

FOX News Bill Hemmer | My Loyalty For Bengals Will Never Bend

Born and raised in Cincinnati, Ohio, FOX News Bill Hemmer has stayed true to his roots, cheering for his hometown teams, the Elder Panthers, Reds, and Bengals, no matter where he's gone in the world.
Hemmer, who was in Kansas City last Sunday for the Bengals AFC Championship Game against the Chiefs, got In The Trenches with Dave Lapham, presented by First Star Logistics, to discuss the outcome, quality of officiating, his work in journalism that goes back to when he was working sports at WLWT-TV and WCPO-TV with John Popovich and Dennis Janson.
Football is a passion for the FOX News co-anchor, who teams with Dana Perino on America's Newsroom on weekday mornings and has since his days at Our Lady of Victory and Elder High School, where he followed older brother Andy Hemmer (played at Boston College) earning honorable mention all-city as a defensive back his senior year.
Not only do Hemmer and Lap talk about the success of the Bengals and quarterback Joe Burrow, but they also dig into Hemmer's work as a reporter for both CNN and FOX News and stories and interviews that have stayed with him over the years.
Who would be his dream interview?
Hemmer also turns the table of Lapham looking to start early talks about the Bengals' draft needs in the next NFL Draft to be held this spring.

Bengals Sr. Defensive Assistant Mark Duffner | We Have A Good Taste - But Want More

Cincinnati Bengals senior defensive assistant coach Mark Duffner has almost seen it all when it comes to football. Having been a longtime college head coach and assistant coach in the NFL since 1987, Duffner is known for his energetic outlook on life on and off the field.
The past few seasons Duffner, who is in his second stint with the Bengals, has watched as young players like Joe Burrow, Logan Wilson, Sam Hubbard, and others have stepped forward to make the Bengals into a franchise that expects to win at the highest level.
Despite the outcome of Sunday's game against the Kansas City Chiefs, Duffner knows the Bengals have a good taste with their success of the past two seasons,  but also wants more in an ending raising the Vince Lombardi Trophy.
Duffner talks about the makeup of the Bengals team, why there is renewed excitement in the air of Cincinnati about the Bengals, and getting ready to attack the NFL Draft and free agency to build the team fans hope can win it all next season.
We welcome Coach Duffner back to In The Trenches with Dave Lapham, presented by First Star Logistics.

Livestream Replay: Dave Lapham In The Trenches Feb. 1st, 2023

Did you miss the special Dave Lapham In The Trenches Livestream presented by First Star Logistics?
Here it is for your listening pleasure.
With the Cincinnati Bengals season officially over, we invite you to join Dave Lapham for a special "In The Trenches" Livestream from the First Star Logistics Studio.
We're sure you have questions following the Bengals' 23-20 loss to the Kansas City Chiefs in the AFC Championship Game and what the future holds with roster moves, the NFL Draft, and free agency.

Dave Lapham Postgame Thoughts - Bengals Fall 23-20 To Chiefs In AFC Championship Game

It's hard to believe we're doing our final Postgame Thoughts here on In The Trenches with Dave Lapham, presented by First Star Logistics.
However, the Cincinnati Bengals went down fighting after a slow start against Patrick Mahomes and the Kansas City Chiefs in the AFC Championship Game on Sunday night, 23-20.
Like many games during an entire season, plays were made, plays were missed, and there are always questions on calls from officials that seem to go against your team. That is no different from what happened to Zac Taylor and his exciting squad of talented players, who aimed to capture a second consecutive AFC Championship crown and a return trip to the Super Bowl.
While the Bengals made enough plays to take the game down to the final seconds, this season had no magical ending. The future is bright with a roster full of young and talented players, but as with any new season, there will undoubtedly be some changes along the way with the NFL Draft coming this spring and other roster moves.
While we'll leave the latter part for another In The Trenches, the future is bright and exciting for those who cheer on Joe Burrow, Ja'Marr Chase, and company in the stands, at home, or across the world.
We hope you've enjoyed our coverage of the Bengals this season on In The Trenches, and we can't thank First Star Logistics enough for their tremendous support in allowing us to do something we love.