Bengals
Cincinnati
NFL Contract Holdouts Get Uglier As Preseason Football Heats Up
NFL Preseason is here, and there are still a handful of high-profile contract holdouts across the league. These situations become more awkward as real games approach....
Five NFL Players Under the Most Pressure in 2024
The NFL preseason is officially underway. As the regular season grows closer, these five NFL stars have the most pressure to perform at a high level in 2024....
Joe Burrow’s New Haircut Will either Be Best or Worst Thing He’s Ever Done
Joe Burrow reported to Cincinnati Bengals Training Camp with a new, bleached buzz cut. That could be the best or worst decision he's ever made in the NFL....
![With Russell Wilson on the outs in Denver, could QB-needy Pittsburgh be his next destination?](https://cdn.statically.io/img/images.deadspin.com/tr:w-900/ead142383d8d6d01e607b01863526dd0.jpg)
With Russell Wilson on the outs in Denver, could QB-needy Pittsburgh be his next destination?
The past few years have been less than ideal in the football life of Russell Wilson. After a Hall of Fame career in Seattle, Wilson finished out his time there with a whimper. He wasn’t horrible but some could see the decline coming and this included then-head coach Pete Carroll. The Seahawks shippe...
![All this talk about Mike Tomlin needs to stop](https://cdn.statically.io/img/images.deadspin.com/tr:w-900/dbb84f97eb96be9361bcef60e2168bc4.jpg)
All this talk about Mike Tomlin needs to stop
The conversation surrounding Mike Tomlin is so confusing. Pittsburgh is a game over .500, and with trips to Seattle and Baltimore remaining, the worst-case scenario is the coach’s 16-year streak of winning seasons snaps with an 8-9 record....
![T.J. Houshmandzadeh claims his last name was stolen by 'obsessed' fan](https://cdn.statically.io/img/images.deadspin.com/tr:w-900/8b2f7d6223c1de43139bbc4ad4bef56d.jpg)
T.J. Houshmandzadeh claims his last name was stolen by 'obsessed' fan
Former NFL wide receiver T.J. Houshmandzadeh, 46, filed a request for a temporary restraining order in Los Angeles against a woman who allegedly stole his last name. According to court documents obtained by TMZ, the former Cincinnati Bengals receiver claims the fan has stolen his last name and haras...
![If the Bengals and Jags fall in the forest, do they make a sound?](https://cdn.statically.io/img/images.deadspin.com/tr:w-900/d523e40dd917d68200fcd1b692ca6975.jpg)
If the Bengals and Jags fall in the forest, do they make a sound?
Ever watch two teams, at the same time, trapped in a simulation, a pantomime, merely a dramatization of a football game? Either with the full knowledge that they are trapped within the parameters of a social experiment that they cannot escape? Or unaware of the boundaries placed upon them?...
![So 2 AFC North teams clubbed each other into oblivion after a short week? Shocker](https://cdn.statically.io/img/images.deadspin.com/tr:w-900/3d801722568fca2439b2a5c314321431.jpg)
So 2 AFC North teams clubbed each other into oblivion after a short week? Shocker
The NFL is eventually going to win. People can push back on the product, and complain about Thursday Night Football and overseas football all they want, but in due time changes become normalized, and even the most inept schedule makers hit on a matchup. Enter the Cincinnati Bengals and Baltimore Rav...
![How Joe Burrow got his groove back](https://cdn.statically.io/img/images.deadspin.com/tr:w-900/3af05d06eb64786448fe6a98ab839845.jpg)
How Joe Burrow got his groove back
When the Seattle Seahawks defensive coaches go over the game tape of Cincinnati Bengals vs. Arizona Cardinals with players, the first play that they should show is Joe Burrow’s 10-yard scramble at the end of the third quarter. The second should be Burrow running in a literal circle to evade a rusher...
![Joe Burrow and the Bengals have an even bigger problem than starting the season 0-2](https://cdn.statically.io/img/images.deadspin.com/tr:w-900/6620879e64805a14e3292a3da165cebf.jpg)
Joe Burrow and the Bengals have an even bigger problem than starting the season 0-2
Early in training camp the Cincinnati Bengals were dealt a tough blow with starting signal-caller Joe Burrow suffering a calf injury. He missed most of camp and the entire preseason....
![Natural grass wouldn’t have prevented Aaron Rodgers’ injury](https://cdn.statically.io/img/images.deadspin.com/tr:w-900/aa3d72adde80a43cc81f9dce5124263f.jpg)
Natural grass wouldn’t have prevented Aaron Rodgers’ injury
It’s always interesting to see how leagues and players’ unions react to injuries. Zaza Pachulia stepped under Kawhi Leonard’s foot, and now NBA defenders can’t impede a shooter’s landing zone. Buster Posey getting blasted by Scott Cousins led to MLB banning plays at the plate. On Monday, Aaron Rodge...
![Joe Burrow was chum in the water for Jim Schwartz and Cleveland's defense](https://cdn.statically.io/img/images.deadspin.com/tr:w-900/95894957a9be37e35a1be3a40b52374c.jpg)
Joe Burrow was chum in the water for Jim Schwartz and Cleveland's defense
Watching Joe Burrow slinging a wet ball against Cleveland’s bloodthirsty defense in Week 1 was akin to noticing a shark fin circling towards a helpless swimmer. Kevin Stefanski hired blitzing connoisseur Jim Schwartz this offseason to install a pressure scheme to activate his lethargic defense an he...
![Ever wonder what the worst team of NFL starters would look like? Here it is](https://cdn.statically.io/img/images.deadspin.com/tr:w-900/2061790a7f0bf3194136d845631e9b20.jpg)
Ever wonder what the worst team of NFL starters would look like? Here it is
On an individual level, NFL Top 100 Player Lists are what get people excited. We get it. Patrick Mahomes is number one and the most competitive race is the scrum for number two. However, half of NFL fandom is groaning about the weak links on each unit. There’s enough glowing coverage of the NFL out ...
![Cincinnati Bengals take care of their franchise QB, but won't retain one of his top targets [Updated]](https://cdn.statically.io/img/images.deadspin.com/tr:w-900/ecb00f7342943ac5112c91c3e9bc0591.jpg)
Cincinnati Bengals take care of their franchise QB, but won't retain one of his top targets [Updated]
Well that was easy, and Joe Burrow didn’t even have to pull the old fake injury/shadow holdout move. According to reports, the Cincinnati Bengals’ quarterback agreed to a five-year, $275 million contract extension with the team. The deal comes with $219 million guaranteed, making Burrow the highest ...
![The Bengals had better hope Joe Burrow doesn’t have one of those NBA strains](https://cdn.statically.io/img/images.deadspin.com/tr:w-900/8c20a84f8e4e452863dee440ed2fbe21.jpg)
The Bengals had better hope Joe Burrow doesn’t have one of those NBA strains
Super Bowl Championship expectations are rare for the Cincinnati Bengals. Before Ja’Marr Chase was drafted they hadn’t won a playoff game since Bo Jackson played football. In 2023, the sports books have the Bengals as one of the top-five favorites to win the Super Bowl. However, they are currently d...
![The NFL's uniform policy has gotten way too ridiculous](https://cdn.statically.io/img/images.deadspin.com/tr:w-900/98cdbf166b76202316790abd68441373.jpg)
The NFL's uniform policy has gotten way too ridiculous
The NFL has too many frivolous rules surrounding things no one cares about and will go to battle with teams and players over this nonsense, especially regarding uniforms. Guys have been fined for minor infractions like wearing the wrong socks or cleats on the field. They’ve come out with all these a...
![This is what an Ohio pro sports renaissance looks like: Joe Burrow carted off the field](https://cdn.statically.io/img/images.deadspin.com/tr:w-900/409e439819757731fc63f26b771982df.png)
This is what an Ohio pro sports renaissance looks like: Joe Burrow carted off the field
At some point on Thursday, before seeing the news that Joe Burrow was carted off the practice field, I was running over some story ideas in my head as one does in late July when very few sports are in season. The half-baked concept I was playing around with was: Are we in the middle of an Ohio pro s...
![ESPN Cleveland radio host goes off on low expectations for Browns](https://cdn.statically.io/img/images.deadspin.com/tr:w-900/a8f5da008020dd9c9660edac362c95d6.jpg)
ESPN Cleveland radio host goes off on low expectations for Browns
Success for the Cleveland Browns has been limited over the past few decades. Since 1990, the Browns have advanced to the postseason three times. The last won a division title in ‘89 in the old AFC Central. Needless to say, there aren’t too many Browns believers outside city limits. That’s what has E...
![How every NFL team should draft, but won't because GMs are dumb](https://cdn.statically.io/img/images.deadspin.com/tr:w-900/746f93e6b27f9d8cddc9a173399df1c2.jpg)
How every NFL team should draft, but won't because GMs are dumb
The NFL Draft is arguably the second-biggest event on the league calendar behind the Super Bowl. Every team participates and shapes its roster for the next season. And every franchise will go into the month of May thinking it has made the right moves to get closer to a championship. But of course, o...
![Which NFL team has the most on the line in the Draft?](https://cdn.statically.io/img/images.deadspin.com/tr:w-900/588f0f27c1050ada03ef6b9a5b962b9e.jpg)
Which NFL team has the most on the line in the Draft?
The NFL Draft is under a month away and how those three days go for teams will have a big say in how the 2023 season will play out. While many cornerstone pieces are set for almost every team, the depth needed for backups and special teams is critical in completing any franchise’s draft haul. Some t...