Cincinnati Bengals: Chase Brown hosts camp for kids in Middletown

Jul. 21—MIDDLETOWN — As kids ran around on the turf at Middletown High School on Tuesday, July 21, someone yelled, “Chase’s name is on the shirt. What he says goes.”

The T-shirts read, “Chase Brown‘s Impact Camp,” and the Cincinnati Bengals running back did leave an impact during a three-hour camp attended by more than 250 kids from first through eighth grade.

Brown rushed for 1,019 yards last season, his third with the Bengals, but threw more passes Tuesday. He tossed the ball up numerous times for kids as he rotated through many different groups at the camp sponsored by CareSource.

Brown’s goal was simple: Get the kids off their phones and tablets and onto a field.

“This is summertime,” he said. “Let’s get the kids outside. Let’s get a football in their hands.”

That’s what Bengals fans want to see soon. Training camp starts Saturday when rookies report. Veterans report on July 28. The regular season starts Sept. 13 with a home game against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

A positive buzz is building around the Bengals, who have missed the playoffs three years in a row, but overhauled the defense by signing defensive end Boye Mafe and defensive tackle Jonathan Allen and trading for defensive tackle Dexter Lawrence.

“The front office did a ton of work this year and brought in some studs,” Brown said. “I look forward to what we’re going to be able to accomplish.”

Brown started all 17 games last season, averaging a career-best 4.4 yards per carry. He said he’s continuing to search for ways to improve. That resulted in a busy offseason.

“I’ve been training pretty much all year,” Brown said. “Catching mechanics. Tight breaks. Some ball carrying things. At this point, I’m ready to go. This is kind of a fun week where I get to run around, do some marketing and some camps, and I love it.”

Brown grew up in London, Ont., before moving to Bradenton, Fla., in high school. He said he didn’t have a favorite player as a kid, other than Tom Brady.

Many of the players at the camp Tuesday may have a new favorite player in Brown, who had this advice for them.

“There’s so many times, no matter what you’re doing — you could be in school to become a doctor or a lawyer or an engineer — just don’t give up,” Brown said. “When you give up, you’re not taking steps toward what you’re going to accomplish eventually. There were plenty of times when it felt like I wasn’t going to get drafted and when I was struggling in my first year to even get playing time. There are so many bumps and turns in everyone’s journey, and the only thing you can do is trust the process because it’ll work out.”