Or maybe DJ Turner, the Cincinnati Bengals cornerback, is already turning heads and grabbing headlines. His brilliant breakout 2023 NFL season is dominating headlines across the board. He was drafted in the second round. Once a backup, he soon developed into an essential addition to Cincinnati’s secondary. His journey is a testament to phenomenal physical endurance. It reveals an astounding ideological shift forged by pop psychology and meditation practices.
Turner has quickly established himself as a player to watch out for, and right now he’s leading the entire NFL with 16 pass deflections. Since Week 4, he’s been on fire as a CB1, ranking third in yards allowed per coverage snap. He’s still only surrendered an astounding 0.5 yards! His defensive prowess is what really pops off the screen. Yet when he is the closest defender, teams clearly struggle, completing just 41.4% of their passes. These lopsided numbers just further highlight his meteoric rise not only within the team but throughout the entire league.
Turner’s path hasn’t come without hurdles, though. He ended up with a broken clavicle that knocked him out for six games during 2024. Despite the disappointment, he demonstrated amazing strength of character and resolve. He took that and bounced back, showing intense area of growth on and off the field.
During his athletic career, Turner has sought out several self-improvement techniques to build his mental toughness. A lagging indicator of that was when his Pilates instructor gave him a copy of Jay Shetty’s How to Think Like a Monk. This new book by Jay Shetty is all about training the mind for peace and purpose every day. This book has become an invaluable resource to Turner, who has gained a new appreciation for the book’s insights.
“There’s so much good stuff in there,” said DJ Turner II, reflecting on how the book has positively impacted his mindset.
He attributes Shetty’s teachings to his own mental resilience, especially when it comes to handling pressure-filled situations.
“The biggest one is just how strong mental strength is. There’s so many different paths to do it,” he noted.
Shetty’s wisdom Turner has brought to his own routines. Turner adopted daily mindfulness practices, powered in part by the Calm app, which includes Shetty’s expertise. These tools have given him the power to mute distractions and enter a hyper-focused mode when it’s game time, fueling his breakout on the court.
His teammates and coaches have noticed Turner’s evolution. Defensive backs coach Charles Burks could not speak more highly of his mental transformation, saying,
“I’ve had a lot of really good players in my day, but to see a player make a switch mentally and just lock in like he’s done, I don’t know if I’ve ever seen that.”
Like any major professional sports team, Burks said accountability is key in maintaining a competitive edge and noted how Turner has rallied around that philosophy.
“To me, as a professional who wants to strive to be something great, once you take that accountability where you understand that your routine, your attention to detail, that empowers the coaching, that empowers everybody and you take ownership of that and he’s taken ownership,” Burks added.
Even the competition for a starting position at the season’s start was hotly contested. He tussled with fellow teammates and talented players on the roster in Dax Hill and Cam Taylor-Britt for one of those prized outside cornerback slots. His performance in Cincinnati’s first matchup against the Pittsburgh Steelers showcased his readiness and capability, solidifying his place on the roster.
Measured only by on-field accomplishments, Turner has become a star in his short career. He enjoys going on solo trips to recharge after an intense season and find himself outside of the world of football. This practice of carving out time for reflection incorporated the key concepts he had learned from Shetty’s book.
Turner’s development as a player over the last year underscores Turner’s commitment to becoming the best pure athlete he can be. He works on developing his mental fortitude, too.
“If I was mentally weak then, I would not be in the position I’m in right now,” he asserted.
His ability to adapt and thrive under pressure has made him an invaluable player for the Bengals as they aim for success in the ongoing season.
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