CINCINNATI – This was supposed to be a Joe Burrow story.
Then Josh Newton intercepted it.
No, Newton didn’t get his hands on a Burrow pass during the first practice of Cincinnati Bengals training camp.
But he did wrap his hands around a narrative that’s been building since Monday’s pre-camp media luncheon, when defensive coordinator Al Golden said his favorite day of the offseason was when Burrow sat down and watched film with the defense for a couple of hours.
“I feel like I know what I'm seeing out there, and I know what I'm looking at, and can tell what's coming, so I hope they got something from it,” Burrow said when asked about the film session during his post-practice news conference.
But it turns out “they” wasn’t the entire defense.
It was just two guys. Two young guys. Two unafraid guys.
Newton, who played sparingly as a rookie fifth-round pick last year but is hungry to win the nickel corner job this season, went to Burrow in June and made the request.
“Who told you that?” Newton asked incredulously when approached by a reporter after practice.
Told it was one of his teammates who said, “That was all Fig. He gets all the credit.” And that both Golden and Burrow had commented on it publicly, Newton agreed to dive into the details.
“Why wouldn’t I ask for help?” Newton said. “We've got the best quarterback in the league. You've got to think he's seen every look, every defense, so he can't mislead me. The only thing he can do is help me.
“So take advantage of it,” Newton continued. “Don't be scared.”
One teammate asking another for help isn’t uncommon.
But there needs to be a certain level of fearlessness for a young backup who is trying to make a name for himself to not only approach one of the game’s elites, but to ask him to stay a couple of hours after the workday ends.
Was there any reluctance at all to make that request?
“Man, look here. If you want to be great, you've got to approach the greats,” Newton said. “You can't tiptoe. That's how you get them to respect you.
“You don't just say 'Hey, Joe, can we watch some film? Nah. You say, 'Joe, can we watch film about this, and about that?' Be specific. Be direct. Because he doesn’t have time to waste.”
Or maybe he does.
Asked what he gave up to instead spend a couple of hours watching film with some defensive guys, Burrow said, “Sitting at home in the sun, something like that.”
The study session took place after the final Monday in OTAs when Burrow agreed to delay his drive home to watch plays with Newton and Maema Njongmeta, a linebacker who joined the team as an undrafted college free agent last year.
“He sat with us for a good hour, at least,” Newton said.
It not only says a lot about Newton’s moxie to make the request, but it reveals plenty about Burrow and the persona he presents to appear so approachable.
“That's what I love about Joe,” safety Geno Stone said. “Joe's willing to sit down and talk to a bunch of guys. Whatever it is, he lets you know what he sees, what he thinks you're doing wrong. He's willing to teach whoever it is, whether it's a rookie or an older vet. He's trying to get the best out of everybody.”
When asked about the film session, Burrow said the idea came from head coach Zac Taylor.
So perhaps there were two instances when Burrow volunteered his time by watching film in an effort to make the defense better, because Golden referenced a session that lasted "three or four hours," which could have involved just the quarterback and the defensive staff.
But Newton wasn't going to wait around for Burrow's insight to trickle down.
He went straight to the source.
And did he make sure to thank Burrow for his time?
“Damn straight, I did,” Newton said. “And eventually, as time goes on, I'm gonna ask him again. And I'm pretty sure he's not gonna say 'no.'”
