Training camp is an uber-important time for all Bengals players, including the specialists. Punter Ryan Rekhow is fresh off a record-setting season punting for the Bengals, and he caught up with FOX19's Jeremy Rauch on Thursday.
Rekhow set a Bengals record for average punt distance last season and holds multiple team marks already. Just two seasons in, he boasts the best Bengals career gross punting average (49.89 yards per punt; minimum 100 punts) and net punting average (42.91).
Cincinnati Bengals punter Ryan Rehkow (8) kicks a punt during practice at the Paycor Stadium practice facility in downtown Cincinnati on Tuesday, Aug. 4, 2026. | USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
He averaged 50.54 yards per punt last season as a nice weapon for the unit. The third-year player is feeling something different on this latest trip with the Bengals.
"By far different than any locker room I've been a part of. I feel like just the caliber of guys who we already had, but then you add in some of the names that came in," Rehkow said to Rauch . "I think it's just a really unique energy where everybody's like, okay, you look around this locker room, and the expectations within this locker room have raised tremendously.
"I think we're all just excited to now go out and just see how good we are and be able to go and showcase that every single week, so it definitely feels like there's a buzz. It definitely feels different than any other time that I've been here, and so I'm stoked to be a part of it."
There are only a few defined special teams periods among the many moments for the full roster in a regular practice. Rehkow and the rest of the specialists have found some fun activities to pass the downtime.
Kicking every second of practice would just wear out a player's best attribute.
"We used to do a game where you'd stand 10 yards apart, and if it was (snapped) on frame in the head, that's a three-pointer. If it's anywhere on the body, that's one-point. You play to 21," Rehkow said. "So yeah, we try and stay effective where you're still somewhat working on football because we can't kick the whole time, obviously. But there are some ways that we can still enjoy it while still passing the time a little bit quicker because we got a lot of free time."
Rehkow and the whole team will keep rowing together tomorrow night in the first evening practice of camp inside Paycor Stadium.
Check out the full chat with Rauch here .
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This article was originally published on www.si.com/nfl/bengals/onsi as 'There's A Buzz' - Ryan Rekhow Feeling Bengals Transformation in Motion During Third Training Camp .
