Joe Mixon Tampa Bay Buccaneers cornerback Sean Murphy-Bunting (23) attempts to tackle Cincinnati Bengals running back Joe Mixon (28) in the fourth quarter during a Week 15 NFL game, Sunday, Dec. 18, 2022, at Raymond James Stadium in Tampa, Fla. The Cincinnati Bengals won, 34-23. The Cincinnati Bengals improved to 10-4 on the season. Nfl Cincinnati Bengals At Tampa Bay Buccaneers Dec 18 0279

Veteran running back Joe Mixon has been the starting tailback for the Cincinnati Bengals for the past several years, but the team added a new face to the running backs room on Saturday, selecting Chase Brown out of Illinois in the fifth round of the 2023 NFL Draft on Saturday. And even though the two will be competing for carries, it sounds like Brown very much respects Mixon.

After he was selected by the Bengals on Saturday, Chase Brown met with local media and called Mixon “a great running back,” revealing that he grew up watching him play.

“They have a great running back there right now, Joe Mixon, who I grew up watching and watched a lot through college,” Brown told local reporters on Saturday, according to ESPN. “So I’m excited to come in, learn from him, learn from the coaching staff and produce on Sundays.”

While there has been some question about Mixon’s future with the team, head coach Zac Taylor made it clear that the team intends for Mixon to return. If that is the case, it will be interesting to see how Mixon and Brown are able to function while splitting carries next season and beyond.

[ESPN]