Former Cincinnati Bengals running back Joe Mixon still calls the city and team home despite currently suiting up with the Houston Texans.
Recently, Mixon was at his CareSource Joe Mixon Football ProCamp with 500-plus campers (and Ja’Marr Chase, of note) and of course took questions about his team change.
“This is a forever place I can call home,” Mixon said, according to Geoff Hobson of Bengals.com. “No doubt. That’s just what it is. They drafted me when I was 20. I was fortunate enough to get seven years in.”
Mixon was perhaps a little more surprised by the question about possibly joining the Bengals Ring of Honor in the future.
But — as expected — he answered in a way that speaks to his status as primarily a Bengals player, per Hobson:
“You don’t really pay attention to that stuff as a player until it’s time to look back and reflect. But I do feel like everything that has been in store with me as a Bengals player and to Bengals fans, I definitely hope to see myself in there. I was just fortunate to be with some great players and be one of those guys to be able to move the needle for Cincinnati.
“I came across a lot of great people whether it was inside the building or outside the building. As I look back, I hope to one day be there and, obviously, if the cards fall the way they’re supposed to, I will. I’ve got a lot of unfinished business and a lot of goals to reach. Individual and as a collective teammate.”
For Bengals fans it will be strange to see Mixon in a new Texans jersey next season. But his comments and actions (and the turnout at his local camp) confirm what those fans already knew — the running back’s post-playing career will be all about the Bengals.
