Cincinnati Bengals defensive tackle DJ Reader doesn’t get a ton of attention on a national level despite his game-changing presence in the middle of the unit.
Reader was, as expected, a major part of the team’s win over the Titans last weekend, a win in which bruising running back Derrick Henry could only muster 38 yards on 17 carries — giving him a 2.2 per-carry average.
Bengals cornerback Eli Apple hilariously jabbed at the Titans while praising Reader’s performance on social media.
But perhaps funnier is a story recounted by safety Vonn Bell, who revealed an in-game exchange between Reader and Henry.
Mike Petraglia of CLNS Media captured the quote:
This from Vonn Bell today on DJ Reader talking to Derrick Henry Sunday is a great reflection on the Bengals defensive attitude. pic.twitter.com/hCgXJF4qcK
— Mike Petraglia (@Trags) November 28, 2022
If Henry didn’t know before, he probably does now. And with more showings like this, the national audience might just join Henry in that awareness.
