Tight end Mike Gesicki, the battle-tested seven-year vet who arrived as a Bengal this season, has seen it all. In and out of the playoffs. Receiver and tight end. Double-digit quarterbacks.
After his seven-catch game against the Eagles last Sunday, Bengals.com senior writer Geoff Hobson sat down with Gesicki to talk about how head coach Zac Taylor and offensive coordinator Dan Pitcher have rejuvenated his career and why the pleasure of playing with an elite quarterback is like a day at the beach.
The Conversation:
GH: You're just coming off your second seven-catch game of the season. It's the first time you've done that since you had the 73 catches in '21. You can kind of fit into any offense with no label.
MG: I think it's the more you can understand and the more spots you can play. My position is a little bit unique in that I play tight end, but they can kind of move me around a little bit. In an instance, like (Sunday), I was able to do a little bit more of the receiver stuff.
GH: You were basically playing wide receiver Tee Higgins’ spot.
MG: In a sense, yeah, on some personnels and formations. I think in those situations, understanding the offense and understanding the receivers role' and all that kind of stuff helps me out.
GH: Some of the stuff was Tee's spot. Other times you were on the slot, where you often are.
MG: Some of the stuff was planned on Wednesday before Tee got hurt, so that was some of the game plan going into it. Then some other stuff was, obviously, we don't have Tee out there. It takes a lot of guys to fill that role. And some of them were me, some of them were Dre (wide receiver Andrei Iosivas), some of them were (tight end) Tanner (Hudson). A lot of guys.
GH: What were you thinking in that first drive? You got as many targets as you got in the last month.
MG: It was cool. It was fun. Especially the first third down, three plays into the game, and being able to make a play. I feel like as a pass catcher, if you get the ball in your hands early, and you're able to make that first play, it's like you kind of get a sense, 'All right, I'm feeling good today.' To be able to make that first one kind of set me up for making the other ones.
GH: The one-handed dive, you said that's your first one-hander in a game in a while. Remember the last one?
MG: The last time I had one like that … I didn't have any in New England last year. But when I was in Miami, I had a couple. I had two in one game against Houston (in 2021). That was another game like (Sunday), where you just feel it. You're feeling confident, you're feeling good. It was cool just to be able to go out there and make a play like that.
GH: When Tee is playing and they're using tight ends Erick All Jr. and Drew Sample to block, it cuts into your snaps. You go from 17 the week before to 31 against the Eagles.
MG: In our room, everybody kind of understands their role and their responsibility and their job. There's been some run-heavy games where Drew and Eric are getting a lot of the snaps. And there are games where we're pass-heavy. Everybody understanding their role. Obviously, you always want to be out there and making plays. But you also understand that they're better than me at some things. Everybody has their role, and you should understand it and go out and execute your job.
GH: The way this offense uses the tight end, is it unique?
MG: Yeah, I think it's cool, because they use everybody to their strengths, and they put people in position to be successful. And that's just not at tight end, but running back, receivers, everybody across the board.
GH: James Casey is your position coach. Have you ever played for anybody who played in the league?
MG: No, it's been cool to do that, too. He can relate to the players well. He's a reason why our room has the success that it does.
GH: You're a big fan of All, the rookie.
MG: He's great. He's s been awesome. He's been great to have in the room, great to work with, making plays when given the opportunity. Really strong in the run game. I think he's got a bright future.
GH: You'd have to say we're in the golden age of tight ends. There's Kittle and Kelce and the kid in Detroit. Even in the division. Andrews and Likely in Baltimore. Njoku in Cleveland. Where do you fit in?
MG: This being my seventh year, I think there have been times in my career where I've been recognized with the top 10 of those guys, and there have been times like last year where there just wasn't a lot going on in the offense that I was in, so you just kind of fade on into the back of the group.
But for me, I just try to stay consistent and stay ready for some opportunities on a day like (Sunday), or, a couple of times this year where it reminds people it's still out there and when given the opportunity, I think I can go out there and make plays like most of these guys out there.
GH: Do you ever wonder why a team hasn't made you more of a consistent centerpiece? Is it the vagaries of the position?
MG: I think earlier in my career, I was asked to play receiver more than I was to play tight end, so I think that that kind of pigeon-holed me in my position. So that's why you're not out there sometimes on first down or some things like that. And I think that now in this offense, I think that Zac and Pitch and those guys have done a good job kind of getting me back to being out there more and making more plays and being out there for runs and not just, 'All right, Mike's on the field, it's going to be a pass'.
I think because of the situation that I was in where we had some receivers hurt in Miami and it was where, ' Hey, Mike, you're playing Z today at receiver,' it kind of pigeon-holed me. It was great for production at that point in my career, but I don't think it was great for the trajectory of my career because from the outside looking in, it's like, oh, well, he's not a tight end. He's a receiver. It's like, okay, well, I can do more being a tight end, because it allows the offense to be more diverse. So I'm grateful for this staff to allow me to do that.
GH: Did you ever think about becoming only a wide receiver with your height and athleticism? (He ran a faster 40 combine than Cooper Kupp.)
MG: I played receiver when I was in high school and when I was getting recruited to Penn State, it was just kind of like, 'You're going to play tight end.' It's where it transitioned to, and I'm grateful for it. I think it allows me to get different matchups. If I was playing receiver, you're going up against the No. 1 corner as opposed to getting matched up with a safety or a nickel or something like that. It allows you to get favorable matchups most of the time.
GH: I remember you said earlier in camp this is the most in-line you've played.
MG: We mixed it in (Sunday) and we were able to run the ball out of formations like that. It keeps the defense honest. And the more that I can show that I'm capable of doing that, the more it kind of opens up the offense.
GH: Are you back on the career trajectory you want?
MG: I'm confident in my abilities and what I've done in this league. The biggest thing for me is making the most of opportunities. Before I got here, the last year or so, year and a half, two years, there just wasn't a lot of opportunity. Didn't play with a great offense overall last year (in New England). There wasn't a lot of production from anybody. The year before (in Miami), playing in a system that really doesn't utilize the position. I played with Tyreek (Hill) and Jaylen Waddle. And, obviously, those guys are going to get a lot of the production in that system. That's just kind of how it rolls.
And now there's a lot of opportunity out there. We're only eight games into this thing, and there's a lot of football out there, but my thing is just taking it day-by -day, week-by-week, and making the most of your opportunities. I like the opportunity that is here.
GH: Can you imagine what it would have been like breaking in with a guy like Joe Burrow?
MG: That's been the story of my career. I've played with so many different quarterbacks and so many different systems. Every year I've been in the league, I've had a different offense coordinator. It's crazy. And I was in Miami for five years, just every single year we fired either our head coach or the offensive coordinator. So every single year I was learning new playbooks. This is my seventh different playbook I've learned. And, I forget the math off the top of my head, I've played with like 12 quarterbacks.
Just to be with one guy, and obviously how elite he is, you've just got to stop to think about it for a second what could be. But I'm grateful for the opportunity that I have now. Year seven, to finally have that opportunity.
GH: Is he the best you've played with?
MG: I don't want to hurt Ryan Fitzpatrick's feelings.
GH I don't think you will.
MG: I've played with a lot of good ones. I played with Fitz. I played with Tua, and he's been incredible in Miami the last couple of years. And now playing with Joe, it's been special.
GH: What is his strength?
MG: Honestly, just the way he carries himself. Obviously, all the physical tools and all that. But the way he carries himself, how confident he is. I'm sure he holds himself to a high standard in his head, and critiques himself. But I don't know if the ball comes out of his hand, if he's ever like, 'Nah, I didn't like that one.' I think he's super confident in his ability and his performance.
GH: You went to high school in Manahawkin, N.J., (where he won the state dunk contest ten years ago), but you seem like a laid-back East Coaster.
MG: I like to have fun. I like to keep the vibes high. Enjoy myself. I think you see that out there when I'm playing and making plays. like to enjoy it. I do take a lot of pride of being in being from New Jersey. I love Jersey. I get back there in the offseason, summertime. That's where my family is, my wife's family is. (Halle) grew up an hour north from where I'm from in Manalapan, and I'm from Long Beach Island.
GH: That's around the Jersey Shore, right?
MG: Yeah, I'm from down by the beach in New Jersey.
GH: Fate that you met your wife at Penn State, I guess. Two Jersey kids.
MG: We just built a house right in between us from where we both grew up. Manasquan, N.J.
GH: Are you a beach guy? Grew up on a beach, I would imagine.
MG: Love it, love it. Not a lot of beaches in Cincinnati, Ohio.
GH: No. And they're man-made from what I can tell. Are you a Springsteen guy, or is that too much of a cliché?
MG: Yeah, sure. Absolutely.
GH: Any hobbies?
MG: Beach. My wife and I have gotten into traveling the last couple of years in the offseason.
GH: Where do you go?
MG: Our honeymoon was in Bora, Bora. Been to a couple spots in Europe. Paris. We've been to Monaco, which is like south of France. Monte Carlo. Last year
we were on the coast of Italy in like Positano and Capri and all that. We did Rome. It's been cool. Make a lot of memories and experiences.
GH: What's a day at the beach like for you?
MG: It depends. If I'm going solo, it's just super relaxed. But a lot of times it's with my family, or my wife's family, or friends. Kind of a little party on the beach. Pack the cooler. Get some hoagies and get out there and enjoy the day.
GH: You do have a personality out there. Of course, you're on an offense with Ja’Marr Chase. What do you think of his personality?
MG: He's awesome. And on game day, it's special because you can tell when he's locked in and he's ready to go. We get him the ball and you can kind of just feed off his energy and his emotion of how much it means to him, honestly. So he's been great to team up with.
GH: Did he teach you The Griddy yet?
MG: No, it hasn't popped up yet. So we'll see whenever I get in the end zone, but it will be funny.
GH: You've been around this league a long time. What's the path to the playoffs?
MG: Starts this week. And I know it sounds cliché. But think that's the biggest thing. Just focusing on right now where your feet are. Come in here today, fix yesterday, and then move on to Vegas and then roll from there.
Joe said it best. I think 10 gets you in. I've got in with nine. I've also missed it with 10. So I've seen both sides of the equation.
GH: Is this one of the best teams you've been on?
MG: It is. Talent-wise, coaching-staff wise, I know that (people say) 'Three and Five, that doesn't add up.' This is a crazy league, and there's been some crazy things that have happened. I said it Sunday. I don't think anybody is hitting the panic button. There's obviously frustration, but I don't think anybody is hitting the panic button.
