Read the full transcript from DC Sean Duggan's media availability on October 8, 2026.

I know every team struggles to some extent with really good tight ends. How limiting is it for all the good things that Taaffe and Trader are able to do to have two smaller safeties in terms of determining who defends bigger tight ends?

Sean Duggan: I think when it comes to defending tight ends, we kind of go into each game, what do we need to do to win that game? What do we need to do to win that down, right? Who are you taking away? What do they do best? What gives you the best chance to play really good defense? I think in some aspect when you're talking about tight ends, it's where are they catching the ball, because there's some aspects of zone coverage where there's an area on the field that you can't cover that area or you get exposed in deeper throws in zone coverage, you open up holes between the second and third level. Some of the catches, they're just due to that's the scheme we're in on that play. That's the call we thought would be best for our defense to play whatever situation it was in the game. When it comes to man coverage on tight ends, it varies, right? What type of tight end is he? Is he more of a run guy who can stretch the field vertically, or is he more of a body up tight end that can push off at the top of the route and create space with his body? It's different. Every team's different. Every call's different. Again, it comes down to what do we need to do to win that down, what do we need to do to defend that certain player.

In general, when you have shorter safeties, would that make you tilt more toward linebackers on tight ends?

Sean Duggan: Again, it depends on the call, depends on the person you're going against. What type of runner is he? Are there some situations where that could be the case? Sure. But just because you're a shorter safety doesn't mean you can't cover tight ends. I think it's a technique thing and I think it's a matchup thing.

What do you think Kenneth Grant can do well?

Sean Duggan: I mean, first off, it's great to have him back. Just the energy he's brought to practice, it's been great having him out there running around. What he does well, he's big body, he can move, he's got really good feet for his size. Very strong at the point of attack, can anchor, can take away space and then can provide some rush value whether it's pushing the pocket up the middle or it's working an edge on a guard or running games. I think he does a really good job, really with every aspect of that. I think he brings a lot to the table, but the guy hasn't practiced for a month, so there's certain parts of his game that I know are rusty, and I'm sure he would tell you that. And that's why we practice, right, to get better at that, just to get better at individual techniques. But it's nice having him back out there on the field.

What kind of flexibility does that give you, once he's back, into a game as far as what you can do on the d-line?

Sean Duggan: I think it gives us a lot of flexibility. Again, just the more we can do, the more we can put our guys in the best positions. And whether that's moving guys to different spots, having different packages of people out there, I'm all for it.

The thing that initially jumped off the tape to me about Chris Johnson's play is his willingness to stick his nose in there on the run. Obviously in the corner's position, sometimes guys might be more focused on the receptions, pass deflections, than tackles specifically against the running back. What does that do for your defense when he has that willingness to just run in there, guns a blazing?

Sean Duggan: I think when we first got here, we talked about the play style we're going to play with on defense. When it comes to stopping the run, it takes all 11 guys, and it takes all 11 guys to stop the pass. I think when you got DBs that buy into that and are willing to be physical, and it's not just Chris, you see JuJu, you see J. Marsh, you see both our safeties, which I know we've talked about, supporting the run and being physical doing it. I think it's cool to watch, it really is. And it's a credit to the players. It's a credit to Mile (Jahmile Addae) and RD (Ryan Downard) doing a great job with those guys. But it's just buy-in from the whole unit. It's just awesome to see. I think all those guys are doing a really good job showing up.

Hafley called Jordan Phillips an unsung hero on this defensive line, what he's doing, occupying blockers, bringing up the linebackers. What have you seen from him that's impressed you?

Sean Duggan: There's nothing too flashy about grinding out a double team block, right? (laughter) But he embraces it, man. He loves it. It really is, it's something nobody notices. You talk about guys making tackles and guys running free to the ball and are able to scrape over top. DBs showing up in the run game, well I mean, if guys are climbing up to the second and third level, that's hard for them to do. So he's a huge part of it, and again, it's not just him. All those guys up front, man, whatever technique they're asked to do, they embrace it and they understand that we're all in this thing together. There's times to take shots and there's times to grind out double team blocks. But he's done a great job. I can't say enough good things about that guy.

Offensively, they talk about running backs having a hot hand and feeding that guy. When you have a pass rusher that heats up the way Chop did Sunday, does that ever change the way you perceive the way you call the game from there on out, or does it not affect it?

Sean Duggan: I think so. I mean, if a guy's got it going rushing and you feel good about his matchup on a certain guy or a certain game you called, I think absolutely.

Could you put in your words the type of young edges, the physical traits that you and Hafley, and I think this extends to Sully too, like? Because we see certain ones like in McGraw, guys that you've invested time in, those traits would include what?

Sean Duggan: I think first off, there's different types of edge players. I think you have to be willing to adapt to each guy and figure out what they can do best and then build up the part of their game that needs building up. Some guys are going to be bigger ends that you can move them around. They're more power rushers. They can do different things in terms of the pass rush game and whether it's closing the pocket, running certain games. And then some guys are true speed guys off the edge. Both are needed, to be honest with you. You can't live in one extreme. I think you need both sides of that to – we talk about rushing as one. If everybody's just taking high speed rushes, that's going to cause a problem, because then it opens up scrambled lanes. Or if everybody just rushes power, power, power, then you got no threat, then lineman will block you differently. So I think you need both and I think when it comes to traits, each guy's got different ones, and we got to figure out what they do best and make them work for our defense.

Back to Chop for a second. He said that in conversations with Haf, he's been very clear with him about what he needs to work on, how to improve. How have you guys seen him kind of receive or accept the challenge that he's been given to improve his game?

Sean Duggan: I think it's been unbelievable. From the day we got here, he's been all about what do I need to do to get better? And I think the good players are like that. They know what they do well and they want to build on that, but then it's how can I be a better player? I think that's our job as coaches. I think that goes to connection with your players and building a relationship where you can have those real, honest conversations and be like, well, I think you can improve with this, I think this can take your game to the next level. Or this, you think it's good, but it could be even better. Whether you're a football player or any type of person that wants to be elite at what they do, they're always striving to what can I do better? And I think as a coach, that's our job is to push those guys. But he's been awesome. He's always, what can I do better? What did you see? Okay, this is good, but how could he be even better on this play? Was my get-off not right? Could my hands be better or my eyes be better? So he's been awesome with that.

How does game planning for Cincinnati change if neither one or both of Ja'Marr Chase or Tee Higgins are playing?

Sean Duggan: I mean, they're elite players. Any time you're going up against a top-tier player in this league, you got to account for them. Plans change, but that's our job. We're going to develop a plan, and you got to adapt or die.

What makes Chris Johnson so effective in man coverage?

Sean Duggan: I think it's a couple of things. I think first off, just the poise he has in man. He always looks like he has body control. I think that's a huge part of it, whether you're up at the line pressing or you're playing off, just the poise to play in man, because it is hard. I mean, you got to be able to get your hands on the guys and drop them after a certain amount of yards, I think that's challenging. And then just the ability to play with leverage and always be under control, and then you have to be able to run so he can run with guys.

I saw a disparity last game for Cincinnati of how much they threw the ball compared to very few runs. You look at that and see what, assuming that it might not always be that disparity?

Sean Duggan: I just see that must have been their plan, they thought they could win the game. I think every team's always going to go in with a mindset of whatever we think is best for us to win this game, that's going to be our game plan.

Along those same lines, Chase Brown caught 11 passes, how does that change how you defend when you have a running back that's that dynamic catching the ball out of the backfield?

Sean Duggan: Yeah, I think you have to account for them. Again, whether you're in man or zone, you may play things a little differently, but I think any time you have a back out of the backfield that can catch the ball and is good with the ball in his hand, you have to account for him. I have a lot of respect for that guy. I mean, the way he runs, he runs angry, he runs violent. I got a lot of respect for the way he plays the game.