Desmond Ridder believes that the Bengals were helped by the success of the Cincinnati Bearcats.
It's quite cool. "I'd love to say they started them -- we kinda helped them get to playoff point," joked the ex-Bearcats quarterback, who is currently in Mobile, Alabama, preparing for Saturday’s Senior Bowl.
Well, maybe. It's undisputed that Cincinnati fans had a memorable football season.
The American Athletic Conference table was dominated by the Bearcats. They were the first second-tier team to make it to the College Football Playoff. Their only loss was to No. 1 Alabama in the national semifinal.
After three consecutive last-place finishes at the AFC North, the Bengals made it to the Super Bowl for only the third time since 1988. After three thrilling playoff wins, Cincinnati will host the Los Angeles Rams at SoFi Stadium on February 13.
Cincinnati is experiencing a surge in energy, something it hasn't experienced since the Reds won the 1990 World Series over the Oakland Athletics.
When they reached the Super Bowl, the Bengals lost to San Francisco. For 100 years, the Bearcats were second fiddle to Ohio State football juggernaut before leapfrogging the Buckeyes last year.
Luke Fickell, Bearcats coach, said that it was "phenomenal." It's incredible how contagious a winning vibe and a winning attitude can be and what it can do for your team.
Coby Bryant, a Cleveland native, was an All-America cornerback for The Bearcats in 2021. He began rooting for the Bengals along the way.
Bryant stated, "The year we had, and the year they're having, going to Super Bowl, it was exciting." "Everyone supporting our cause, it's been great having those guys in the corner.
Sam Hubbard, the Bengals' defensive end, grew up in Cincinnati. He followed the "Bungles," as they stumbled through much of his childhood. The first three years of his Bengal career were almost identical.
Hubbard stated, "It's just super cool how many people thanked me for their relief, the time they spent watching the games and the great memories they have from these victories this year."
Hubbard and Vonn Bell are both former Buckeyes. Cornerback Eli Apple, tackle Isaiah Prince, and safety Vonn Bell are also all former Buckeyes. Ryan Day, Ohio State's former quarterbacks coach, was formerly with Urban Meyer at Ohio State before Burrow transferred to LSU where he won the Heisman Trophy as well as a national title.
Day stated that "It's exciting for Ohio to have the Bengals in Super Bowl." "Certainly, their story of where they have been over the past few years and where they are now -- even this year -- makes them feel like underdogs all along. They are now in the Super Bowl.
Burrow was aware that Cincinnati's excitement had reached a new level after the team returned from Kansas City's AFC championship game.
Burrow stated that there were fire trucks at the airport and they were going off. It was a lot of fun. We found that there were many people waiting for us when we returned to the facility. This is something we've never seen before. It's exciting to see the community support us and it makes us happy.
