Joey Boese is in his sixth season leading the Bengals' strength and conditioning program, and his first with the title of director of player performance.
Since arriving in Cincinnati in 2019, Boese and his staff have led the physical development of an influx of new and young Bengals players. In 2023, he helped QB Joe Burrow return to the field in time for the start of the regular season, after the Pro Bowler missed nearly a month of training camp due to a calf injury. Boese also aided in the return of G Alex Cappa and OT Jonah Williams, who each started all 17 games after suffering injuries that kept them out of playoff games the previous season.
In 2022, Boese worked with Burrow as he recovered from an emergency surgery to remove his appendix, which held him out of training camp for three weeks. Boese also was instrumental in WR Ja'Marr Chase and DT DJ Reader overcoming in-season injuries to help the Bengals claim their second straight AFC North Division title and advance to the AFC Championship.
Boese's program helped Cincinnati navigate a 21-game schedule in 2021 that included a postseason run to Super Bowl LVI. His staff was key in Burrow's rehabilitation, as the second-year QB set several single-season team records after missing the final six games of his rookie season in 2020 due to a knee injury. Burrow was named the NFL Comeback Player of the Year, becoming the second player in Bengals history to receive the honor.
Boese in 2020 navigated the restraints of the COVID-19 pandemic, which prohibited training at the team facility during the offseason. His staff adjusted and helped onboard a seven-player draft class and numerous free agent signees.
In 2019, his first season in Cincinnati, Boese's program contributed to a late-season surge, as the Bengals averaged 70.6 more rushing yards per game in the second half of the season compared to the first, while defensively they yielded 84.1 fewer yards per game.
Prior to joining the Bengals, Boese spent three years (2016-18) as the head football strength and conditioning coach at the University of Illinois. In 2018, he worked with an Illini offense that ranked second in the Big Ten in rushing yards per game (244.2). He spent the previous four seasons (2012-15) as head S&C coach at Fresno State University, where he aided in the development of six NFL draft picks while helping the Bulldogs to back-to-back conference titles in '12-13.
Boese began his coaching career as assistant strength and conditioning coach at Texas A&M from 2008-11, where he worked alongside current Bengals head coach Zac Taylor and wide receivers coach Troy Walters. He additionally led the strength and conditioning program for Texas A&M's baseball team from 2009-11, helping the Aggies reach the '11 College World Series.
Boese was a two-year starter and three-time Academic All-Big Ten selection as a defensive back at the University of Wisconsin from 1998-2001. He helped the Badgers win back-to-back Rose Bowls (1998-99), followed by a Sun Bowl victory in 2000. He went on to play four seasons (2003-06) for the Calgary Stampeders of the Canadian Football League. After his playing career, he served as a defensive video intern at the University of Nebraska in 2007.
Boese was born in Chicago, Ill., and raised in Southern California. He earned a bachelor's degree in communication arts from Wisconsin in 2002, and finished his master's of science in health, physical education and recreation at Emporia State University in '08. He is a certified strength and conditioning specialist (CSCS), and a member of the National Strength and Conditioning Association (NSCA) and Collegiate Strength and Conditioning Coaches Association (CSCCA).
Boese and his wife, Aimee, have three sons — Sam, Ben and Max. His last name is pronounced "bo-ZAY."
Playing and coaching history: 1998-2001—Played DB at Wisconsin. 2003-06—Played DB with Calgary Stampeders (CFL). 2008-11—Assistant coach (AC), Texas A&M. 2012-15—AC, Fresno State. 2016-18—AC, Illinois. 2019-present—AC, Cincinnati Bengals.
