Joe Mixon calls out Bengals coaches and media for how he was utilized

Mixon did not hold back.

Former Cincinnati Bengals running back Joe Mixon has cemented himself as one of the best running backs in the NFL this season. Following a trade to the Houston Texans back in March, Mixon has racked up 786 rushing yards and 10 touchdowns.

It only takes one or two scrolls on Bengals Twitter to see the Mixon debate is still strong among Bengal fans, but the national media hasn’t passed on a chance to bring it up, either.

Prior to Houston’s Week 12 loss to the Tennessee Titans, NBC’s Josina Anderson spoke with Mixon before the game and asked about the Bengals moving on from him, where Mixon did not hold back. Mixon seems to assign a lot of blame to the media in Cincinnati.

“I appreciate my time there. I had a hell of a seven years,” Mixon said. “When it came down to it, it was an unfortunate situation where things changed a little bit, and obviously, they had them fake ass beat writers, reporters. I don’t care. I’m not there anymore. When it comes down to it, my teammates know what it is.”

Mixon had a rocky end to his time in Cincinnati, with some legal challenges and very public debates about whether or not he should remain in stripes. It got to a point where Mixon would only speak to certain reporters in Cincinnati, so it makes sense that he blames the media for his departure.

In a bit more of a non-direct way, Mixon essentially said the coaches in Cincinnati didn’t utilize him correctly, highlighting how his current staff does.

“When it comes down to it, I’m going to do what the coach wants me to do, but at the same time, I’m going to play football. That’s just what it is. You’re not gonna turn me into a robot,” Mixon said. “You’re not gonna turn me into a person that…that’s not what I do.

“One thing that I can appreciate here (Houston) is that they utilize my skill set. I’ve always been a threat in the passing game, and one thing about here is they give me my screens. They give me my choices. They give me flat routes that I can take. They give me all types of combinations. They utilize me.”

Mixon is performing well on a team that is likely headed to the postseason, while the Bengals are in a situation where one more loss all but eliminates them. The debate over whether or not Mixon would have made an impact is likely to stick around for quite some time.

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