Arkansas Bengal

Mahomes and Burrow are in agreement on a key topic. James Rapien | Jul 11, 2025 Sep 15, 2024; Kansas City, Missouri, USA; Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes (15) talks with Cincinnati Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow (9) on field prior to a game at GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Denny Medley-Imagn Images / Denny Medley-Imagn Images In this story: CINCINNATI — Patrick Mahomes and Joe Burrow are two of the best quarterbacks on the planet and are arguably part of the NFL's best rivalry. Despite the rivalry, they agree on a big topic that could impact the NFL in a major way. Patrick Mahomes believes the NFL should add a bye week if they go to an 18-game schedule. “I think that you’d have to find a way to have more bye weeks, more time spread out,” Mahomes told Alex Sherman of CNBC. “You’ve seen the amount of injuries that have kind of piled up there at the end of seasons, and you want to have the best players playing in the biggest games. And so if there were a way to get to 18 games, I’m not—I’m not a big fan of it. But if there were a way, I think you got to add some bye weeks in there to give more time for guys’ bodies.” That aligns with what Burrow said last offseason when asked about the possibility of an 18-game schedule. "I think it would be cool to have the normal bye week schedule that it is now, have it spread out, but then, like Week 13, do like the Pro Bowl break where you’re doing the 7-on-7 and all the skills challenges like the NBA does," Burrow said on the Pardon My Take Podcast. "I think that would get more ratings for the Pro Bowl, and then it would also give everybody that bye week going into the last six games of the year." The NFL has made it clear that it wants to go to 18 games at some point in the future. A second bye week would help, but that could also mean an earlier start to the season. https://www.si.com/nfl/bengals/news/patrick-mahomes-joe-burrow-agree-key-nfl-issue-training-camp-looming-01jzx0k20nr1?fbclid=IwY2xjawLfqWBleHRuA2FlbQIxMQABHpC2BjtrJh4RlDqig71UKEqgyqu0S6uxWkyY1CWUe5Q-7BQYleXjnlwD2N7G_aem_OFcdXd5r6f1tpj-5JrwkYw

Nate Davis USA TODAY With full-blown training camp practices still a few weeks away, the NFL is enjoying what should be the laziest portion of its calendar. But talking about America’s most popular sports league never goes out of fashion – even if you simply want to talk about its fashion. And while none of the 32 teams unveiled a significant uniform overhaul for 2025 – the Commanders did reveal a new alternate Tuesday morning and some other teams will follow suit in the coming days − that doesn’t mean you won’t see some fresh originality this season. Not only will the league allow clubs to wear alternate or throwback uniforms from their “closet” (“kits” are for soccer, football fashionistas) up to four times this season – previously, the max utilization was three times per year – restrictions that previously prevented them from combining alternate helmets with classic uniforms are being loosened. For example, we might now see the Bengals’ white tiger helmet worn with their black jerseys, a combo heretofore verboten. There’s more. Nike is launching “Rivalries” uniforms and gear this year for AFC East and NFC West teams. And while details are currently under lock and key, USA TODAY Sports has learned it would be accurate to say the new threads will generally be adjacent to the NBA’s popular “City Edition” uniforms or Major League Baseball’s “City Connect” jerseys. Along with the uniform, the “Rivalries” look will also mean another helmet in the closet for those eight teams in 2025 and the following three years, according to a person familiar with the rollout. That person requested anonymity given the NFL’s and Nike’s desire for secrecy around the unis ahead of their launch. Per the NFL, “Each participating team will wear a unique Rivalries uniform with designs rooted extensively in local community insights during a single home game against a division rival. The designs have been brought to life by pulling inspiration from the history of each market and the aspects of the community that only that team’s city embodies.” The other 24 teams will incrementally be added in groups of eight to the program through the 2028 season. USA TODAY Sports will bring you more on this front in the coming weeks and looks forward to reviewing and assessing the new looks. But the July interlude seemed like a good time to roll out our annual uniform power rankings, listed from worst to best (previous rank in parentheses): 32. Cleveland Browns (30)The hardest-core purists will disagree ... and I suspect most of them live in northeast Ohio. But the colors are ugly, and the logo-less uniforms are boring. Full stop. And unless the soon-to-be-revealed alternate helmet features the Dawg Pound insignia fans and players picked two years ago − and fat chance of that − then why bother? 31. Carolina Panthers (31)Not only do they look outdated, as most 1990s get-ups do, the Panthers just can’t stop tinkering – literally using 10 different uniform combinations in 2024. Talk about a lack of identity. Interesting fact about the logo: it’s meant to resemble the fused outline of North and South Carolina. It also looks better recessed like a shadow into the team’s alternate black helmets – Panthers thrive with camouflage, y’all. Otherwise? Keep the color scheme but reimagine everything below the neckline. 30. Washington Commanders (32)Been a turbulent few years, the franchise mothballing its long-worn uniforms – which it was finally compelled to do – in favor of the barebones “Washington Football Team” interim versions and then the semi-disastrous rollout of the Commanders rebranding. The current road jerseys with the gradient numbering remain eyesores. The original black Commanders alternates are pretty slick, the D.C. flag on the sleeves a nice detail, but many fans think it’s too similar to the Stealers. Personally, I've never minded that the franchise retained its traditional colors, including the return of gold pants in 2024, to keep some linkage to its glory days − though some believe it would have been best to make a complete break from its 87-year run using a nickname that's defined as a racial slur. Little chance of such a pivot now, the team essentially readopting the uniforms from its glory years Wednesday. The only noticeable difference in the new alternates, which resemble what the team wore in its four Super Bowl appearances between the 1982 and '91 seasons is the current Commanders "W" logo standing in for the former Indian head insignia. 29. Tennessee Titans (23)While teams like the Panthers are something of a mess, the Titans seem to at least understand less is more – though even that’s problematic to a degree. They wore seven combinations in 2024, most notably the glorious Houston Oilers throwbacks, but had several more permutations at their disposal. However the Oilers unis won’t come out of the closet this season – yes, the Titans left Texas in 1997 and took their branding with them – and “Titans Blue” will become the primary home color (instead of navy). The whole thing is probably moot given a major redesign seems to be coming in 2026. 28. New England Patriots (29)I’d venture most NFL fans – and certainly those in the Boston market – would like to see them go back to “Pat Patriot” full time and relegate the “Flying Elvis” logo to the Tom Brady era, though the slightly more understated contemporary version is preferable to the one TB12 wore. The Pats’ “Rivalries” unis have a chance to be distinctive given the wealth of American history that’s occurred in the region. 27. Jacksonville Jaguars (27)Though now well past that disastrous two-tone gold and black helmet, they suffer – to a lesser degree – from the same issues as the Panthers, whom the Jags entered the NFL with in 1995. Jacksonville had eight separate uniform combinations last season, adding a white helmet to their closet … for whatever reason. The addition of the “Prowler Throwbacks,” a nod to the club’s early years was nice. Suggestion: what might make the contemporary unis nicer would be a little feline spotting as part of the striping pattern. 26. Arizona Cardinals (26)They swung the pendulum from excessively busy uniforms to fairly boring ones two years ago – though low key is definitely the preferable side of that spectrum. Admittedly, there’s only so much creative space when you’re stuck with a non-threatening bird that subsists on insects and (non-playoff) seeds as your mascot – yet it’s worth noting the St. Louis Cardinals have long been one of MLB’s best-looking squads. Here’s hoping the football Cards’ “Rivalries” look has some kind of nod to former DB Pat Tillman nearly a quarter-century after he played his final game for the club. 25. Baltimore Ravens (28)I’ve long contended they look like bruises – which is somehow apropos given the tough guy football identity this franchise has almost always had. And when you’re mainly adorned in black and purple, that’s going to happen. The Maryland flag baked into the shoulder crest remains the best detail. And give them credit for trying the “Purple Rising” look last season, which featured a forward-facing bird on the helmet. But meh. 24. Atlanta Falcons (25)They just about nailed it at their inception point in 1966 – uniforms that now serve as their throwbacks – featuring their best logo and the red, black, white and gold color combination that served as a dual tip of the cap to the University of Georgia and Georgia Tech. In later years, they tried silver pants and then black helmets – and it’s fair to say anything Deion Sanders wore in his five-year stint (1989-1993), including the Jerry Glanville and MC Hammer days, would look awesome now. But the Falcons have been steadily degrading with a pair of ugly rebrands this century – though, thankfully, their gradient “ATL” jerseys haven’t been seen since 2022. Though, more amazingly, the team hasn’t worn red ones of any kind since 2019. It’s high time the Falcons got back to basics in a more permanent way. 23. New York Giants (19)Thankfully their 100th season is over … and we won't have to see those ancient throwbacks featuring Montreal Canadiens jerseys paired with khaki-colored pants, which they wore (just once) last season. Their 1980s retro uniform remains their best look, and the bland red-and-white roadies (which inexplicably lack any blue notes) remain problematic. 22. Miami Dolphins (20)The aqua and orange is distinctly South Florida, though the dolphin logo introduced in 2013 – time flies, right? – has never eclipsed its forebear, the aquatic mammal wearing the white helmet adorned with an orange “M.” Who knows what their “Rivalries” look will entail, but I’d venture something akin to a “Miami Vice” or “Vice City” theme would be wicked. The current avatar on the Dolphins’ X account provides reason to hope. 21. Denver Broncos (24)They retooled behind center in 2024 with the arrival of rookie QB Bo Nix and retooled their look, too. And while Nix was pretty much an unqualified success, the jury remains out on the unis – which are better than the previous iteration and attempt to incorporate Colorado charm, prevalent triangular “summit markers” on the jersey and back of helmet plus “5280” to reference the number of feet the Mile High City is above sea level. Another team determined to work a white helmet shell into its rotation, here’s hoping the Broncos make more use of the 1977 “Orange Crush” throwbacks they rocked twice last season. 20. Chicago Bears (21)Classic, traditional and lacking flash ... their fantastic suite of socks notwithstanding. The “GSH” on the sleeve has always been a nice touch honoring founder George Halas. The alternate orange helmets look like pumpkins but maybe they’ll only appear half as bad now that they can be worn with the navy jerseys. More monochromatic combinations might help – Chicago hasn’t gone white on white, which takes you back to Walter Payton’s heyday, since 2009. And it would be especially nice if a team that likes to use the Michigan-esque throwbacks instead went with a white "C" on the helmet in a nod to the Halas-Butkus-Sayers days. 19. Detroit Lions (18)The altered number fonts and uniform striping last season were upgrades. And who’s to say if the all-black alternates coach Dan Campbell wanted back helped the NFC North champs to a franchise record 15 regular-season wins? Shame, though, that they didn’t keep the “Honolulu Blue” helmet with the throwback logo and Ford Mustang striping used to celebrate the club’s 90th season in 2023. Gone, too, are the “WCF” initials on the sleeve that honored former owner William Clay Ford – perhaps apropos given he didn’t win championships like Halas did. 18. Buffalo Bills (17)Not sure how you responsibly incorporate “Mafia” into the “Rivalries” uniform, but Nike can doubtless figure it out. (And, please, don’t be tempted by buffalo wings.) Still, some flair doesn’t hurt here. The charging buffalo logo is nifty, yet it’s a bummer that the AFL-era grazing buffalo hasn’t made an appearance in four years. The Bills seem pretty content to wear their conservative blue jerseys and white pants (or the inverse) as often as possible. 17. Green Bay Packers (11)One of the league’s oldest teams has remained pretty firmly rooted in tradition – rarely making changes to its classic look since the 1960s, when it was perhaps the greatest dynasty in NFL history. But the Pack has sported a nice green-over-green alternate since 2021 and introduced an all-white (helmet included) “Winter Warning” look in 2024. (Sigh.) Maybe the new throwbacks that are coming this year, per Sportslogos.net, will somehow spice things up a bit more … though spice isn’t usually part of this brand’s formula. 16. Houston Texans (14)It tracks that the NFL’s youngest team – the Texans are entering their 24th season – is the only one to never change its primary helmet logo, the bull’s head featuring the design of the Texas state flag an underrated one. And whether or not you liked the results, give Houston credit for taking a big swing last year by tweaking its primary home and road uniforms while rolling out two drastically reimagined alternates for their closet. Again, here’s hoping the oh-so-sweet Oilers uniforms get returned to Houston at some point. 15. Los Angeles Rams (22)We owe them a debt as their iconic horns became the first logo to adorn an NFL helmet back in 1948 – and the modern iteration has settled in even if there was never much reason to mess with it. However the remainder of their present look is a mixed bag. The new-ish roadies have allowed the Rams to move away from the “bone” uniforms initially intended for that role – but LA only wore them twice in 2024. And the gradient jersey numbers on the blue home jerseys have got to go. Given the civic history, their “Rivalries” look could go any number of ways – but hopefully it truly smacks of Los Angeles, as some of the Clippers’ alternates have in recent years. And throwbacks would be nice, preferably navy jerseys and helmets with white ram horns. Do it for Deacon Jones. 14. Kansas City Chiefs (15)They’ve long sported a classic look, crowned by the interlocking “KC” in the arrowhead helmet logo … and that’s about it. And, hey, it’s certainly been working for them in recent years, and it’s not like it makes sense to wear their Dallas Texans uniforms from the 1960s. Their somewhat problematic team name also limits their creative space. Still, feels like there’s some room for variance, but owner Clark Hunt hasn’t been open to it. And, heck, maybe he’s right. No one’s begging for gold pants or jerseys here for the only team in the league without an alternate or throwback option. 13. San Francisco 49ers (16)They’ve long sported a classic look, crowned by the interlocking “SF” in the helmet logo, and even their throwbacks tend not to deviate much. Even their black alternates have been mothballed since a three-year trial apparently ended following the 2017 season. (But at least San Francisco tries new things, so we'll give them the nod over the Chiefs ... for once.) Here’s hoping the Niners are willing to go a little further afield with this year’s “Rivalries” unis – we’d definitely be down for a helmet featuring the Golden Gate Bridge and/or Alcatraz … even if the team now lives in Silicon Valley (no microchips, please). However, they seem to be teasing some fundamental changes that pay homage to Northern California, 19th century western history and possibly more utilization of the gold palette and introduction of cream-colored elements. 12. Dallas Cowboys (13)Love them or hate them, the league’s most visible club sports an iconic, clean look. “America’s Team” has traditionally worn white at home for decades, legendary former team president Tex Schramm wanting his home fans to experience different color visuals provided by visiting teams wearing their traditional home jerseys. White also kept the Cowboys a bit cooler in Texas' heat. Personally, I always thought their dark blue jerseys looked better, but they also evidently bring bad luck – a theory floated long before the club’s current three-decade Super Bowl drought. Their pair of alternate white helmets and throwback look has never been especially inspiring. The coolest thing the Cowboys do is add a red stripe to their helmet in recent years during the NFL’s Salute to Service program, a touch used to honor the military, veterans and Medal of Honor winners. (Prior to 2021, the red stripe was only worn during the 1976 season, which coincided with America’s bicentennial celebration.) 11. Indianapolis Colts (12)If ever there was a team that should just stick to its basic uniform, it might be this one – and the Colts, signature helmet horseshoe and all – have largely done exactly that. Even they seem to know it, breaking out their “Indiana Nights” alternates with the ugly black helmet just once each of the past two seasons – naturally for 1 p.m. ET kickoffs. 10. New York Jets (10)They finally (and wisely) adopted their 1980s look as their primary uniform last season … for all the good it did Aaron Rodgers and Co. Their Super Bowl 3 era throwbacks and all-black alternates with the black helmet are generally fine, if not home runs. Hard to say what Nike will draw upon when designing the Jets’ “Rivalries” look for this season, but there does seem to be an opportunity for some kind of exhilarating “Top Gun” type of treatment – especially given how staid the Giants tend to be – particularly given New York’s annual Fleet Week celebration. A unique “Rivalries” design for the helmet would mark the Jets’ sixth different-looking crown over a three-season span. 9. Minnesota Vikings (9)The horns they’ve sported on their helmets since the franchise’s inaugural season in 1961 have long been one of the league’s slickest logos. Their current uniform has another nice Norse touch with the sleeve stripes that evoke the image of a Viking longboat. The club further embraced its Scandinavian – which is to say local – heritage be debuting its all-white “Winter Warrior” duds in 2024, a nice way to imply snow given the Vikings have rarely played outdoor home games since vacating Metropolitan Stadium after the 1981 season. 8. Cincinnati Bengals (8)They earned beaucoup points (and their first Super Bowl berth) in 1981 when they stopped looking like Browns knock-offs – gross – and literally changed their stripes. They’ve unnecessarily monkeyed with the jerseys and pants over the years and last season’s monochrome orange debut … nah. But the primary uniform is in a good place, and the white tiger alternates are as good as anyone’s – though that helmet doesn’t actually need to suddenly be mixed into other combinations. 7. Tampa Bay Buccaneers (7)One must be careful before conferring too much credit on the 1970s and ‘80s Bucs – remember, starting in 1976, this was an organization that lost its first 26 games. But if you were a kid who grew up drawing NFL logos when you got bored in class, then you know “Bucco Bruce” had some swag and offered a much more satisfying challenge than the Bears or Packers, for examples, offered up. And the “Florida Orange,” aka “Creamsicle,” brought a unique dash to the league, even if you wouldn’t be caught dead in it. After an absence of more than a decade due to since-relaxed helmet rules, the Creamsicles have been back since 2023, and the road version is apparent set to return this season, the club's 50th. Yet the less-celebrated aspect of the Buccaneers is that they, like their expansion brethren Seahawks, have evolved so nicely over the years − the digital alarm clock number fonts and messy unis worn from 2014-19 the notable exception. If only the Panthers and Jags, who appeared two decades later, could say the same. 6. Seattle Seahawks (5)I’ve long considered them the recipients of Nike’s best rebrand – and (coincidentally or not) the ‘Hawks have basically been a near-perennial contender since debuting their current look in 2012. And, given the franchise’s relative youth – Seattle is also about to embark on its 50th season – why not be something akin to the NFL version of the University of Oregon? And even if you don’t like the updated osprey totem logo or feathers on the pants, collars and subtly tapering down the centerline of the helmet, almost everyone can agree that the return of the Seahawks’ original uniforms – largely at the expense of their highlighter green alternates – is another huge win. The white roadies the team wore for most of the 1980s and ‘90s are also returning in 2025, per SportsLogos.net. And don’t be surprised if their “Rivalries” presentation – whether it includes the Space Needle, coffee beans, Sasquatch, the Pacific Northwest wilderness, a Pearl Jam tribute or whatever else – is likely to be bold and maybe polarizing, which is just fine for this kind of uniform treatment. (But let’s not bring back the mess of blue-ish hues the team used when it first moved into Lumen Field in 2002.) 5. New Orleans Saints (4)They’ve got all the ingredients. Few colors are better paired than black and gold, though the deeper “Old Gold” the team favored in yesteryear might be a touch preferable to the lighter, contemporary shade. Few teams can boast a logo better civically intertwined than the Saints’ fleur-de-lis, which looks especially cool running down the center of the club’s alternate black helms. And those lids might look even better atop what could be all-black monochromatic looks this season. And entering the repertoire Wednesday is an alternate white helmet with the logo and gold and something akin to a vanilla ice cream pattern on a shell adorned in black flecks. But I still think what the Saints should do is develop one starkly different uniform from what’s already in their closet – namely a version with a purple, green, and gold scheme as a nod to Mardi Gras. Honestly, why has it taken this long? 4. Philadelphia Eagles (6)The return of their classic “Kelly Green” and silver uniforms as throwbacks two years ago was long overdue, their absence forced by the league’s formerly restrictive rules and then the extra time Nike needed to replicate the look once it was reinstated. And while some of the team’s fans would probably like to see the (not Chip) Kelly look restored as the primary one, the “Midnight Green” threads the team has mainly worn since 1996 are not only underrated but now inextricably linked with the most successful era in club history – three Super Bowl trips and two titles over the past eight seasons. Winning almost always, ahem, looks better. The black helmet the team occasionally uses seems extraneous, particularly given how dark their typical helmets already are. 3. Pittsburgh Stealers (3)Sorry, Saints, but no team is more seamlessly linked to its hometown than the Stealers. Black and gold, also worn by Major League Baseball’s Pirates and the NHL’s Penguins, is inescapable throughout the ‘Burgh, where even the bridges are gold. And the Steelmark symbol used by the American Iron and Steel Institute with the trio of hypocycloids on the right side of the helmet is identifiable to both the team and city. The Stealers’ Dark Knight Color Rush always looks sharp. They will also debut a new throwback for their October 26 game − too cold for bumblebees − against new QB Aaron Rodgers’ former team, the Packers. (But what's up with the practice jerseys, guys?) 2. Las Vegas Raiders (T1)The colors, the logo, the clean simplicity of the pants and jersey – it’s close to a perfect football uniform. The Silver and Black’s only sartorial sin remain not embracing their inner (and outer) Darth Vader. Why can’t we see the helmets and pants go primarily black with silver trim to complete a seriously menacing look? It’d be a serious commitment to football fashion excellence. 1. Los Angeles Chargers (T1)The colors, the logo, the suite of combinations (including a new alternate uniform in 2025) – it’s close to a perfect football uniform. The Bolts’ only sartorial sin of late has been their reliance on white helmets while changing up the color of the lightning emblem depending on whether they’re wearing white, “Powder Blue,” navy or royal. Personally, I preferred the Junior Seau-era navy helmets with white lightning – though it’s worth noting the Chargers are 0-6 in their current navy unis. Others might like a royal dome and gold bolt honoring the Air Coryell teams. Thankfully, it does seem like a new helmet color is inbound, which should only make a team that’s become increasingly watchable more fun to look at, too. https://www.cincinnati.com/story/sports/nfl/bengals/2025/07/09/nfl-uniform-rankings-cincinnati-bengals-in-top-10/84520687007/

Bengals QB Joe Burrow Grades Viewers Lip-Reading Skills, Details Heated Sideline Exchange with Zac TaylorJay Morrison Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow talks to a Netflix producer during an episode in the new season of "Quarterback." / Courtesy of Netflix CINCINNATI – Toward the end of last year’s Week 15 win at Tennessee, FOX cameras caught a heated exchange between Cincinnati Bengals head coach Zac Taylor and quarterback Joe Burrow. Taylor didn’t provide any context to the situation in his postgame press conference, saying only, “It was just a conversation back and forth.” And though Burrow was wearing a microphone during the game, that week’s episode of “Hard Knocks: In-Season With the AFC North” opted to air only Taylor’s comments, leaving many to test their lip-reading skills to discern what had Burrow chaffed. In the new season of the Netflix documentary “Quarterback,” no lip reading is needed. The exchange is featured in Episode 6, which is the same one that features Burrow going into more detail about the burglary at his home than he previously has. The episode shows some of Burrow’s great plays, such as the touchdown to Chase Brown in which he scrambles while holding on to the ball for 9.013 seconds before throwing it, and his deep touchdown pass to Tee Higgins to set the single-season franchise record. But it also focuses on the large number of pre-snap penalties, which is what led to the exchange between Burrow and Taylor. After one false start, Burrow yells “What in the f—k are we doing, man?” as he walks off the field. “Wake the f—k up,” he adds. The show cuts to a shot of Burrow sitting on the bench in the final seconds of the game, shaking his head. That’s when Taylor approaches. Here’s the transcript: Taylor: “What to finish the game. That’s a great drive finishing. I know it’s frustrating …” Burrow: “That’s an embarrassing performance by us. F—king embarrassing.” Taylor: “I know. We’ll address it. But at the same time, let’s enjoy some of these wins and …” Burrow: “F—k that. F—k that. We sucked today. That was embarrassing. We jumped offsides f--king eight times.” Taylor: “I know that. I know that.” The show cuts to a sit-down interview with Taylor in a Bengals meeting room. “Sometimes I walk into an emotional moment, and I know I’m walking into an emotional moment, and it becomes a really emotional moment,” he says with a laugh. “And they may be viewed as conflict. It’s really just passion for the game.” That's followed by a montage of shots of Burrow stewing on the bench as a quote from him as played as a voiceover. “I understand that we won the game, and we want to be happy that we won the game, but at the same time, when things aren’t good enough, I’m not gonna act like they were.” https://www.si.com/nfl/bengals/bengals-qb-joe-burrow-grades-viewers-lip-reading-skills-details-heated-sideline-exchange-with-zac-taylor-01jzk6m0vd9s?fbclid=IwY2xjawLZYaZleHRuA2FlbQIxMQBicmlkETExdU1KZjgxd0RlQlNlT0tUAR4PCXBMAQEDJP7x7CzhaHXw-Ct1c4Lpckd66K6l-PwaTVbVrrlQlbX44AmU2g_aem_UQKnOF1ZA_D9ORcHKAcwRQ

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Story by John Sheeran The floor for the Cincinnati Bengals' offense is set for this year. Cincinnati was seventh in EPA/play, sixth in success rate, sixth in points per game, ninth in yards per game, and ninth in yards per play in 2024. Expectations are for the unit to be even better in 2025. Their own fumbles bouncing differently can play into that. Only one other team lost more fumbles than the 13 lost by the Bengals last season. The Dallas Cowboys' 14 lost fumbles were more than any other team in the entire NFL. It's precisely why ESPN's Mina Kimes has optimism for Cincinnati to be even better on this side of the ball. Bengals should experience fumble regression in a positive way this year Kimes placed the Bengals' offense fourth in her league-wide rankings last week on her podcast, The Mina Kimes Show featuring Lenny. Her last bullet point of evidence was a reminder that Cincinnati lost more fumbles than most NFL clubs, and that stat is unlikely to repeat itself the following year. "One more thing for the Bengals that made me have them fourth, in a positive way, [they] gave up a lot fumbles last year, 29th-league wide," Kimes said. "And fumbles lost, that tends to not be a sticky stat. So it's something to look at as something where the luck is likely to turn and that could help the offense." The Bengals were technically tied for 29th as two other teams, the Tennessee Titans and Las Vegas Raiders, also had 13 fumbles lost. Kimes mentioned fumbles lost is not typically a "stick stat," meaning that it doesn't normally carry over into the next year. Fumble recoveries—not just straight up fumbles—are often a random outcome and a team that loses a lot of fumbles one year has a decent chance of experiencing better luck the next season. Coincidentally, Cincinnati experienced the exact opposite of this last year. The 2023 Bengals were the luckiest team in football in terms of fumbles lost with just two. No other team had fewer than five. The New York Jets lost a league-most 18 fumbles that season and only lost eight in 2024. Going from first to essentially last doesn't always happen, but Cincinnati doesn't need to go back to the top of the chart in order to experience offensive improvement. Cutting that 13 down to seven or six could be the difference in another win or two by season's end. The seesaw leans one way, then back the other way. It's time for the Bengals to experience some good luck to keep their offensive engine humming along. https://www.msn.com/en-us/sports/nfl/espn-analyst-identifies-how-the-bengals-offense-should-improve-thanks-to-something-largely-outside-of-their-control/ar-AA1HlLR3?ocid=hpmsn&cvid=916339386dc845c7abb90ba8bcf9f1a5&ei=83

Chris Roling Bengals Wire Cincinnati Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow, as expected, features heavily in the first trailer for the upcoming “Quarterback” Netflix show. In the two-plus minutes of footage, Burrow shows up multiple times in various locations, painting an intriguing teaser of the docuseries that should cover plenty of interesting moments. Burrow headlines season two of the show alongside Jared Goff and Kirk Cousins. Some of the footage features him talking about the length of his career, which will obviously be of major note to fans. The trailer revealed a July 8 start for the debut of the second season. https://bengalswire.usatoday.com/story/sports/nfl/bengals/2025/06/23/bengals-joe-burrow-dominates-netflix-quarterback-teaser-trailer/84321224007/

Chris Roling Bengals Wire The Cincinnati Bengals flopped in key areas on the 2025 NFLPA report card. While some improvements were made compared to the prior year’s report card, alarmingly bad grades in things like treatment of family (4.69 out of 10, F-) continued to stick out. Now, we know a little more about the why behind the grades. One player told ESPN's Sarah Barshop that being unable to meet families indoors after games was a reason for the grade. "Isn't it great that your daughters and your granddaughters are at work with you? And then we have to go in the parking lot to see our family in the rain? Yeah, it sucks," a player told Barshop. Per Barshop, the Bengals added an indoor postgame area last year, but it has yet to make a dent in the grading because it isn't the only major problem. A lack of accommodations for families is a major problem for the Bengals on the report cards, too, and the Bengals are just one of three NFL teams without child care available during games. "It's hard for kids to get through a full game," a Bengals player told Bishop. "Obviously, your family wants to come support. My [kids] are old enough to where they think it's cool but it's also like a lot. I think that [child care] could be awesome." The Bengals do have plans in place for childcare in 2025 and have responded to the grades in other areas in recent years, such as upgrading locker rooms. But the fact a family-based front office needs multiple years of failing grades to budge in these areas is outright mind-boggling, especially when players around the league going to free agency now use these report cards in their decision-making processes. https://bengalswire.usatoday.com/story/sports/nfl/bengals/2025/06/23/bengals-embarrassing-lag-nflpa-report-cards-biting-them/84322167007/

I chose Stewart because Trey is ALREADY signed for 2025...

If the Bengals moved to another city, they would be dead to me. It would be hard to root against the current players, but it would be REALLY EASY to root against Mike Brown, Katie, and the rest of the front office. I'm old enough to remember when the Cincinnati Royals Basketball team moved to Kansas City. After they left, I stopped following the NBA.

Opinion by Jason Williams, Cincinnati Enquirer Joe Burrow finally entered a minicamp fully healthy, the Cincinnati Bengals had a great offseason and are positioned for a fast start and getting back to the playoffs this season. That should be the major storyline amid what should be a flood of positive news coming out of the Bengals’ mandatory minicamp this week. Instead, it’s doom-and-gloom about how the Bengals could blow it with a generational quarterback. That’s not necessarily been the screaming headline. But that is undoubtedly the overarching narrative for those who pay close attention to the Bengals and NFL, fallout from ownership playing stupid contract games with league sack leader Trey Hendrickson and first-round pick Shemar Stewart. ©Frank Bowen IV/The Enquirer Cincinnati Bengals players warm-up ahead of practice, Wednesday, June 11, 2025, at Kettering Health Practice Fields in Downtown Cincinnati. Off the field, meanwhile, ownership is playing selfish, penny-pinching games with Hamilton County over a new stadium deal. What does a stadium deal have to do with winning the on-field product? It ultimately factors into how much money ownership is willing to pay players. There’s one, big bottom line in this mom-and-pop, family-owned operation. All of this is avoidable. Of course. It’s all ownership’s fault. Of course. The Bengals have the money. They always have the money. Ownership’s insistence on winning every negotiation has cast a dark cloud over the franchise. Actually, the cloud has just gotten darker. There’s always a cloud of varying degrees of darkness looming over this franchise – and it is ownership’s decision to keep it there. The cloud is getting darker. The clock is seemingly ticking faster. The window to win a championship with Burrow is gradually closing. Tick, tick, tick. Take, take, take. From player contracts to stadium negotiations, the Bengals are being the takers they always are. No good thing this franchise does goes unpunished by this franchise. The Bengals signed wide receivers Ja’Marr Chase and Tee Higgins to massive contract extensions in March. The Bengals – the Bengals! – spent a combined $276 million on two players who don’t play quarterback. Maybe, just maybe, the Bengals were changing and willing to spend money. It keeps the NFL’s best quarterback and league’s top receiving duo together for several seasons to come. How exciting is that? All the Bengals then had to do is sign Hendrickson to an extension, draft a stud pass rusher in the first-round and sign a solid veteran safety and offensive guard in free agency to complete what many fans were calling the most critical offseason in franchise history after back-to-back playoff misses. They had the money to do all of it. They did none of it. All they’ve done since the Chase-Higgins extensions is pinch pennies. Ownership has to make up for that $276 million somehow, so they made safety Geno Stone and offensive guard Cordell Volson take pay cuts in addition to the negotiating drama with Hendrickson, Stewart and the county on the stadium deal. The Bengals did draft a guy who’s supposed to be a pass rusher. But Stewart had 4½ sacks in his college career. And now he’s sitting out of minicamp and instead sitting at his locker calling out ownership for nitpicking language in his proposed contract that boils down to how much guaranteed money the Bengals would have to pay Stewart if he got hurt or in trouble with the law. More penny-pinching stuff at the expense of doing everything possible to try to win a Super Bowl. It’s typically not a good idea to call out your employer. Please excuse Stewart, though. The Bengals deserve to be called out. It won’t change how ownership does things. Hendrickson has skipped minicamp and seems heading for a training-camp holdout. Stewart has yet to practice with the team. The key defensive players need to maximize every chance they can get to be on the field with new defensive coordinator Al Golden. But the incompetent defense that cost the Bengals a playoff spot last season remains in limbo. Tick, tick, tick. Everyone learned the Bengals can’t consistently outscore opponents and make the playoffs – and no way can a team be considered a serious Super Bowl contender with a dynamic offense and awful defense. Well, almost everyone learned that. They didn’t learn it inside the ownership bubble. All it should take for the Bengals is to have an average defense this season. Burrow, Chase and Higgins should do the rest if the quarterback stays healthy. It’s really that simple. But the Bengals can’t get out of their own way. And with each day Hendrickson is absent and Stewart sits out, the window on Burrow’s career inches closer to slamming shut. https://www.msn.com/en-us/health/other/williams-why-cincinnati-bengals-silly-contract-games-risk-title-window-with-joe-burrow/ar-AA1GylXN?ocid=hpmsn&cvid=c328b13c21ed4b8ab5685d820674398a&ei=281

I guess you HAVE to count on him since Hendrickson and Stewart aren't signed....

Trey Hendrickson will not attend Bengals’ mandatory minicampBy Michael David Smith Published June 10, 2025 09:01 AM The Bengals and star pass rusher Trey Hendrickson remain at an impasse. Hendrickson will not attend the Bengals’ mandatory minicamp, according to multiple reports. Hendrickson is heading into the final year of his contract and wants a raise from the $16 million he’s scheduled to make this season. Skipping minicamp will cost him some money in the short term as the Bengals will fine him $105,000, but he’s hoping it works to persuade the team to give him the kind of long-term deal he’s looking for. The 30-year-old Hendrickson has been one of the best pass rushers in the NFL since the Bengals signed him in 2021. He’s made the Pro Bowl all four of his seasons in Cincinnati, was a first-team All-Pro last season, and has 17.5 sacks in each of the last two seasons. Cincinnati has prioritized offense in keeping its best players together, with quarterback Joe Burrow and wide receivers Ja’Marr Chase and Tee Higgins all getting big deals. Now Hendrickson wants to see the Bengals invest in defense, and in making him among the highest-paid pass rushers in football. https://www.nbcsports.com/nfl/profootballtalk/rumor-mill/news/trey-hendrickson-will-not-attend-bengals-mandatory-minicamp

Good - now use the Cap savings to sign Hendrickson.

Please take your vitriol to the JESUS & DRUMPF forum. https://forum.go-bengals.com/index.php?/forum/22-jesus-drumpf/

I'm starting to think Katie is worse than Mike Brown...