Cincinnati Bengals and former BYU punter Ryan Rehkow talks about playing in the NFL and BYU

Cincinnati Bengals and former BYU punter Ryan Rehkow talks about playing in the NFL and BYU

Ryan, let’s go ahead and start with the all-encompassing how’s life in the NFL question. Life is good. Life is good. We, me and my wife, we’ve loved it out here in Cincinnati so far. Um, season’s been a whirlwind. It always is, it seems like. Uh, but just really grateful for the way that everything’s gone so far. And yeah, we’re just kind of in the back half of the season now. Just looking to take it day by day, game by game. And, uh, yeah, it’s been a lot of fun. Your name is near the top of the list in many categories as far as NFL punters go. What have you noticed about yourself in your game that’s allowed you to go next level? Yeah, I think I think some of it is just as a rookie, you’re taking in everything for the first time. Like you’re drinking from a fire hose. At the end of the day, it’s the same game, but it isn’t. There’s a lot of things that you got to feel out. Um, and so I feel like going into the second year, there’s a lot of areas that I wanted to improve upon. There still is there’s there’s still like I’m happy with how I’m hitting the ball, but I think that there’s still so much more room to grow. There’s a higher ceiling there. Um, but ultimately I’ve been really happy with the way that I’ve been able to perform, the opportunities I’ve been given, and um, I feel like the team has just put me in really good spots. Our coverage team has been awesome this year and so it’s really just everybody leaning in, trusting each other and um capitalizing on every opportunity we get. I want you to know that we don’t take for granted hoham 57 Rico bomb that just becomes so average on a week- toeek basis. But uh as far as like the nuances of the sport go in in the punting position, what do you feel like you’re doing best now statistically and what is it that you are working on? I feel like just being able to flip the field. Um, I feel like that’s always been one of my strengths is just kick the ball high and far. Um, I feel like developing that touch, this has been one of the kind of growing pains this year is just eliminating touchbacks, making him have to drive an even longer way. Um, and that’s something that I’ve always worked on. Um, but I feel like this year especially, I’ve seen, okay, if I can up my game even a little bit more in that area, it just sets the team up for so much more success. So, um, just continuing to develop that feel, um, that situational awareness, I think, is is just kind of the next step that I’m looking to take. I’m so happy you mentioned the phrase situational awareness. Uh, if you know, you know, missionaries across the world. Okay. Safety zone. Okay, I digress. Okay, bring it back, Spencer. Um, okay. Why do you feel like the Cincinnati Bengals are the perfect fit for you? Yeah, I feel like just the culture, the people in the building, um, from coaches to ownership to to the players especially. Um, I feel like it’s been just an amazing opportunity to get to know all of those people here and my wife and I have felt so welcomed, um, really appreciated and I feel like that’s all you can ask for. Um, at the end of the day, it is a business, so it’s it’s not like they have to give you anything or treat you any type of way. Um, but I really do feel like I’m appreciated and and they see the potential. They’re not just, well, if you perform, great. There there’s some grace there. They’re wanting you to be able to perform at your best because ultimately, um, you’re going to be able to help the team in the best way possible. So, I really just feel like the the people and and just feeling appreciated has been huge. What does it mean to you knowing that Lee Johnson once upon a time was a beloved punter for the Cincinnati Bengals and you’re a mentor at BYU and now you’re in that same uniform. Yeah, I think it it was crazy um just to look back uh when I did have a workout with Cincinnati. He was one of the first people like no way, dude. Like I know that place well. Um and so just being able to pick his brain a little bit to to see what his feeling was, what his thoughts were about Cincinnati as a city. Um, but it’s been awesome to kind of keep that legacy of a BYU punter at the Cincinnati Bengals alive and I mean I have a I owe a lot to Lee just the way that he’s been able to to kind of mentor me, give me tips and tricks here and there. Um, but I mean he I mean he set the standard here. There’s a lot of stuff that he did well here for so long. Um, so just looking to to continue that legacy and and do the best that I can with it. What are some of those things that he has really helped you with in developing your game? Probably not just the the physical nature of what you do as a punter, but the mental side as well. Yeah, I mean physically he was punting barefoot, so there’s definitely some some differences there. He was a lefty, I was a righty. Um, but like you said, the mental game, um, even just this year, we were talking about just getting up to speed with, um, the feeling in a game because from practice alone to practice with the team to a game, it’s all a little bit different. And there’s just some things I was kind of asking him about. He’s like, just just remember, give yourself some grace. Like, you’re you haven’t taken a game snap in several months. Like, you’re going to take a little bit to get up to speed. And I I think just recognizing that, okay, you don’t have to be perfect every single time. It’s just you’re constantly striving for improvement. And I I feel like that’s with Lee’s positivity, it’s hard to to kind of argue against that. Um and so I feel like that’s really just being able to stay positive, have a big picture mindset about everything. I think he’s really helped me with that. Ryan Rico is on BYU Sports Nation. We’re at the Cincinnati Bengals indoor practice facility. Let’s talk about your journey to Cincinnati because it had some twists and turns. You didn’t start here. You signed with Kansas City. I know there’s been some internal jokes from your current coaching staff about that, but let’s go back to that time frame and and the crazy draft process and the combine and pro day and what made you want to go to Kansas City? How did you benefit there and finally end up in Cincinnati? Yeah, I mean the season ends in uh 2023. You’re going into the combine. You’re going into proday. I feel like it’s such a uncomfortable time just because up until then, okay, I’m playing at BYU for four years. Like I have my future planned out. That’s where all the kind of the mystery and the unknown sets in. And so just going through that process, any opportunity you get to kind of measure yourself up against maybe the other prospects coming out or get some feedback from teams is huge. And so during that process, I did I had a lot of contact with Cincinnati with our coordinator here. Um and Darren, he was he was definitely open and upfront with me. He’s like, “Yeah, like we want you. We see a lot of potential and um we’d love for you to come in and compete.” Um, ultimately there was a couple of teams that also had similar situations. And so for us, for my wife and I, looking at Kansas City situation at the time, we thought that was the best. And and I stand by that. We we prayed about it. We felt really good about that decision. And honestly, we we go there, don’t perform quite the way that I I think I would hope for, but I learned a ton. That was the first real competition that I’d been in ever, honestly. And there was some some growing pains and just learning throughout that. And so to get released end of OTAAS’s, you’re going through the summer just like, okay, am I like gonna get a shot? Is that it for for NFL hopes? Um so then once training camp rolls around and can and uh Cincinnati has me come in for a workout, we were honestly just like, “Oh, sweet. Like at least we’ll go into a workout, kind of get on the circuit.” Um and then immediately after that, they signed me to come in and compete for training camp. And like you said, our our coordinator, we look back at it now, he’s like, “Man, it would have been so much easier if you just come to us right away.” Like, you you knew it was the right decision. I was like, I mean, you look back now, yeah, it would have been a lot easier. But those those experiences along the way and the lessons that we learned throughout that process um not only made me better, but appreciate this situation so much more. So, it it was a whirlwind. And now you look back and you’re like, “Holy cow, like we made it through that. we were able to to kind of get through the ups and downs that the NFL provides. Um, but now that we’re here, we’re just trying to make the most of it, enjoy every day, and just not take anything for granted. Well, you are making the most of it. That is for sure. What was the moment like when you found out that you were on the 53 and you are the guy in Cincinnati? Yeah, that was that was just another crazy situation. Um, because we were still in a position battle. their former punter, he got hurt. And so it was kind of like, okay, you’re a guy at least for the first four weeks. And you’re like, okay, there’s not anything after that. It’s like, yeah, it’s like it’s like a four-week try out. And so I was very grateful for the opportunity because it’s like, okay, I’m at least going to get film. Like that’s that’s all I was hoping for in the summer when I wasn’t on a team. Um so then to be able to go out and make the most of that. Um, once I was the the only punter on the roster, that was when it kind of really set him in. You’re like, “Okay, like like I’m their guy. Like they believe in me.” And to your point, like it it was an amazing feeling because that’s all you’re hoping for. That’s months, years of work kind of leading up to that point. Um, and so once it it was finally, okay, I’m their guy for this year. That was that was an honor. But then it was like, okay, I didn’t work this hard just to be the guy for one year. like now we want to make this we want to make this our spot. We want to make this our home. Um and so just taking it with that approach every single day. Nothing’s ever guaranteed. Nothing’s ever nothing’s ever set in stone. So, um just going out every day trying to prove exactly why I’m their guy and and just continue to show that. Listen, for what it’s worth, as a Bengals fan for 30 years, it just felt right for a BYU guy to be back in Cincinnati. I’m working on obtaining the Rico jersey. Ryan, man, I know it’s it’s it’s an awesome awesome organization and I’ve loved being able to be a part of it and hopefully a part of it for a lot of years to come. Couple of quick hitters to close out. What was your welcome to the NFL moment? Oh man, that’s so tough. I honestly feel like that first regular season game I I feel like it was my drive into the stadium. Um I drove in with our long snapper because we didn’t even have have a car here at that point. So we’re driving in and I see all the like tailgating and stuff and so it was just like we don’t really have tailgating at BYU so it was a little bit different. Um but just seeing like the fans and the energy and then once you get out on the field it’s like holy cow like these are some highlevel players. like everything is just fast. People are very fast, very athletic. Um, and I feel like that first game it was just kind of a whirlwind. You’re like, “Okay, I don’t really have time to take everything in right now.” And so, you get out on the field, you kind of go blank. Um, but then I feel like in the locker room after that game, I’m just kind of sitting there like, I just played an NFL game. Like, that’s that’s like a childhood dream. That’s amazing. Um, and so from then on out, it’s just like, okay, let’s keep living the dream. Let’s keep doing the best that we can. And um yeah, it’s it’s just crazy. You play with some incredibly high-profile players, some of the best in the NFL. Quarterback Joe Burrow, wide receiver Jamar Chase. How are your relationships with those guys? And how do they handle the the day-to-day publicity and the onslaught of media from your perspective? Yeah, I feel like if you ever wanted to know or wanted to see how to deal with media, I feel like those guys do it best. Um it’s crazy. you come in from practice and they just have tens, 20 people surrounding their locker on any given day. Um, and it could be a good day, it could be a bad day, especially after a game. Um, but I think just the the respect that I’ve just I don’t know, I just respect them a lot because they come in, yes, they are high-profile guys. They’re very very good athletes and players and they do what they do at a high level. Um, but each day they come in, they work. It’s not it’s not entitled. It’s not, oh, I know I’m good. I don’t have to do much. I think to me, it just proves that there’s a reason why they are uh some of the best at what they do because they come in and they work and they grind every single day. Um, and so it’s been really cool just to be able to see how they approach their craft and and how they they deal with it day on day. What’s the perception of BYU through you in the Bengals locker room? Yes. I think it’s kind of cool to be the the sole BYU guy on a team because you’re kind of you’re representing BYU. I’m representing uh my alma moater and so um I think a lot of people when they think about BYU they think yeah good wholesome people hard workers um they’re not really going to cuz they’re not going to swear they’re not going to get too high or too low um and so I I feel like that’s a pretty good representation of BYU like yeah we come in we work hard we do exactly what we say we’re going to do and and we deliver on it okay uh assessing the Bengals season at this juncture 4 and seven But the NFL has such a thin level of separation between wins and losses. So, uh, what what’s the plan to try and turn things around and get this thing going in the right direction? Yeah, I feel like for me, I I got to keep doing what I’m doing. And I feel like as a team, it’s it’s easy to get down when maybe games or or things don’t go your way. Um, but I feel like that’s one thing that this team does really well is that we’ve all stuck together. There’s not really been fingerpointing. there’s not been, oh, they could have done this or we could have done that. Um, I I really do think that that’s kind of the game plan is like you have to stick together because at the end of the day, you control what you control. Um, obviously we can all do things better, but that’s not my job to go and tell somebody, hey, you need to be doing this or you need to be doing that. And so, I feel like just being there for one another, going out and executing the way that we know that we should. Um, I I feel like that’s just the biggest thing is no plays off, no days off, just just go out and execute. Dave, last question. How do you feel about the Cougs chances? Yeah. Year three of Big 12 play back in the playoff conversation, the Big 12 championship game potentially conversation. What’s your perception of BYU football at this point? Man, been following them all year long. Super proud of them. Super excited for them. I feel like they have as good a chance as anybody. they control their destiny and I feel like that’s that’s exactly the spot that you want to be in. And so we got two games left this year before hopefully a Big 12 championship game. Um hopefully a college football playoff bid. Just go out and execute. They It’s fun to watch. Offense will step up, defense will step up, special teams will step up. And I feel like that’s the ultimate recipe for success is just complimentary football. Okay, I have a one last bonus question. Going back to the Rico jersey, if I’m going to get one, what color scheme should I go with, Ryan? I would say the black one. Okay. I feel like the black one goes with everything. Black one’s black one’s clean. That That one goes with everything. So, I’d say that one. I’m on it, brother. So, great to catch up with you. Uh, congratulations on all of your success and doing your thing in the NFL, man. Thank you so much. Great to see you guys.

Ryan Rehkow joins Spencer Linton in Cincinnai Ohio where he talks about what it is like playing with the Cincinnati Bengals. Ryan shares his journey that brought him to the NFL and how he works with teammates and others to continue to get better. Ryan also talks about what he is seeing from BYU Football this season.