Bengals RB Chase Brown recalls performing drill named after his new teammate
It wasn't too long ago that Joe Mixon was the wide-eyed rookie entering the NFL with the Cincinnati Bengals. Now a seventh-year veteran, he'll be mentoring a new rookie in Chase Brown, the newest addition to Cincinnati's backfield. As a Pro Bowl running back, Mixon's game has become well known throughout the game of football, […]
It wasn't too long ago that Joe Mixon was the wide-eyed rookie entering the NFL with the Cincinnati Bengals. Now a seventh-year veteran, he'll be mentoring a new rookie in Chase Brown, the newest addition to Cincinnati's backfield.
As a Pro Bowl running back, Mixon's game has become well known throughout the game of football, and his play style has even impacted how young players develop their games. Brown is no exception.
Following his first minicamp practice as a rookie last Friday, Brown talked about playing with and learning under Mixon. That process began back at Illinois during practice, when he would perform a drill named after the Bengals' leading rusher for the past six years.
"I have, I even watched him in college." Brown said of his prior familiarity with Mixon. "One of our drills in college was called The Mixon Drill where you're jump-cutting and it's kinda cool. He's known for his ability to make good jump cuts and make them clean and move well out of them, so he deserves that."
Bouncing quickly to the outside via a jump cut has become Mixon's staple move as the Bengals' running back since 2017. His rare combination of size and speed makes it an impressive move in his bag, so it's no wonder programs like Illinois have looked to him as the example for their players.
When looking at Brown's game, his cuts are much more precise and controlled. He keeps his shoulders square almost all of the time with the ball in his hands, allowing him to get downfield in an efficient manner.
His running style is already NFL-ready, and adding an effective Mixon-like jump cut would only make him more dynamic.
Brown got his first taste of NFL life last Friday during rookie minicamp, performing drills with 20 other rookies and hopeful veterans looking to make the team. He's now one of six running backs on the team, and has the best chance of becoming Mixon's main complement and replacement for Samaje Perine in the rotation.
Perhaps Mixon can give him some pointers on his signature move now that they're wearing the same colors.
