Orlando Brown says last season with Chiefs was ‘really hard’ while on the franchise tag

Orlando Brown met with the media Friday in Cincinnati and affirmed his desire to help the Bengals win their first Super Bowl title.

Brown, who played the previous two seasons with the Chiefs, signed last week with the Bengals as a free agent, and some of the questions Friday were about his time in Kansas City.

That included a query about the “Burrowhead” chatter ahead of the AFC Championship Game. Brown said the Chiefs were “very aware” of the comment but declined to say much more.

Brown later was asked if the Chiefs ever wanted him to move to right tackle.

“As far as that, I really don’t want to dive into that too much,” Brown said. “But you know, I am a left tackle, and I played that in my entire life. Kansas City, as far as I know, never personally asked me to play right. But I just felt like, this was an opportunity for me to be able to be a left tackle and a franchise left tackle.”

Another question was about Brown playing the 2022 season under the franchise tag with the Chiefs. He was asked if it was clear that he had security by signing a four-year, $64 million deal with the Bengals.

Brown admitted last season was mentally difficult on him.

“Very clear,” Browns said. “And to be able to have the opportunity to play for a franchise that is really believing in me long term, to give me the opportunity to be able to protect someone like Joe (Burrow), to be able to go out there and be the man that I want to be.

“Last year was really hard on me just because of the worries of injuries and the worries of maybe not being there long term or relationships you build in the locker room and around the building, those types of things kind of, they mess with you a little bit. And it didn’t necessarily affect my game, but it was definitely something I was on my mind and heart.”

Brown was asked about how a team can build a great offensive line, and he talked about his former Chiefs teammates.

“Being in Kansas City, I won the Super Bowl with all those great men in that room,” Brown said. “Our camaraderie was truly special and we spent a lot of time together off the field. And when you get in those positions on the field, you’re battled-tested and you know the man next to you is ready for the fight. ... That camaraderie is probably the most important thing.”

Here is the news conference.