Joey Boese is in his eighth season leading the Bengals' strength and conditioning program, and his third with the title of director of player performance.
Since arriving in Cincinnati in 2019, Boese has designed and overseen individualized training systems focused on maximizing strength, speed, durability and year-round performance. While performance development is his primary area of focus, he also plays a key role in helping Bengals players recover from injuries and return to action. He has worked extensively with Pro Bowl QB Joe Burrow, who has been named the NFL's Comeback Player of the Year twice (2021 and '24) while aided by Boese's program.
In 2025, Boese helped Burrow maintain his strength and conditioning regimen while returning from an early-season toe injury in notably short time. Burrow was back under center for Cincinnati for the final six weeks of the regular season, and during that stretch he led the NFL in completions (152) and tied for second in TD passes (15).
During the 2022 season, Boese was instrumental in WR Ja'Marr Chase overcoming an in-season injury to help Cincinnati capture its second consecutive AFC North Division title and make a repeat appearance in the AFC Championship Game.
In 2021, Boese's performance program helped prepare the Bengals' roster for a demanding 21-game season that culminated in a berth in Super Bowl LVI. That year, Cincinnati showcased its strengths on both sides of the ball, as the Bengals ranked seventh in the NFL in passing offense (259.0 net passing yards per game) and fifth in rushing defense (102.5 rushing yards allowed per game). The team was fueled by a nucleus of young talent, as Burrow (second season), WR Tee Higgins (second) and Chase (rookie) started a combined 58 contests from September through February.
Boese in 2020 navigated the restraints of the COVID-19 pandemic, which prohibited training at the team facility during the offseason. 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 seasons (2016-18) as the head football strength and conditioning coach at the University of Illinois. 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 WRs coach Troy Walters. He also 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 graduated from Wisconsin in 2002 with a bachelor's degree in communication arts, 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 has 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.
