Cincinnati,United States

CINCINNATI (AP) — Joe Burrow said he didn't spend any time second-guessing himself or pondering what might have been after the Bengals' Super Bowl loss to the Los Angeles Rams.Business as usual for Joe Cool. What's next?Burrow said he watched video of the game once and then mentally filed it away. He is not one to dwell on the past and besides, he's confident the Bengals will return to the Super Bowl sooner rather than later during his tenure.“I treated it like any other loss,” Burrow insisted Tuesday after his second day participating in organized offseason activities with team veterans.“I watched it the day after and saw the things I need to improve, things we did well and moved on, he said. “We put this behind us. We lost. We had a great year. We're going forward.Burrow was in his second year in the NFL and still recovering from major knee surgery in 2021. He led the Bengals to an AFC North title and their first Super Bowl appearance in 33 years only to lose to the Rams 23-20.Last year at this time, Burrow was still rehabbing from major knee surgery the previous December. He was throwing, but his mobility and readiness for the season were far from assured. He sat out much of the preseason, then started the regular season while still not 100%.This spring, he's not wearing a brace to protect the repaired left knee. He sprained his right knee in the Super Bowl, but says there are no lasting effects.He ran the first team Tuesday behind a reconstituted offensive line whose goal is to keep him upright more often. That's been a problem in his first two years with Cincinnati.“I feel great, Burrow said. This is my first offseason in the NFL I’ve been able to take advantage of that as far as my body and my throwing and my mind and all of that. Obviously, I’ve been grinding, but it’s also been relaxing not having to worry about if I’m going to be ready for the season. I can just focus on getting my body right, making sure I’m healthy and then relaxing.”“I’m sure he doesn’t take that for granted, coach Zac Taylor said.The Bengals were slow to develop in 2021, but — without the injury and COVID-19 problems of the previous season — had a strong second half to finish 10-7. Two of their three playoff wins were decided by Evan McPherson field goals, including a 27-24 overtime victory over the Kansas City Chiefs in the AFC championship game.“We need to start stronger this year,” Burrow said. As an offense, we kind of just skidded at that beginning part when we weren’t quite doing all the things we needed to do to win those games that we expected to win. Just going into this year, I just expect to be a more refined, more technical offense that really maintains the explosiveness and efficiency throughout the entire year.”Much of that may depend on new offensive linemen signed as free agents to protect the most-sacked quarterback in the NFL. Center Ted Karras, right guard Alex Cappa and right tackle La’el Collins ran with the first team Tuesday, along with Jonah Williams at left tackle and Jackson Carman at left guard.“I’m going into it expecting that we can kind of open it up a little bit and maybe throw some things in there we weren’t able to do last year and the year before,” Burrow said.Karras, who blocked for Tom Brady and won two Super Bowls with the New England Patriots, likes what he sees so far with Burrow, who has gone out of his way to foster a personal relationship with each of the new linemen.“I've always said coolness is a QB attribute and statistic — and his (nickname) is Joe Cool,” Karras said, Usually there aren't a lot good quarterbacks who aren't cool with the guys, so he's been very cool to me so far. We're building our friendship, building our relationship.“We're going to go use this spring to hone that in, and come back this summer gun's blazing.Absent among Bengals veterans Tuesday were defensive end Trey Hendrickson and safety Jessie Bates III, who has been frustrated with not being able to agree on a long-term deal with the team. The Bengals put the franchise tag on Bates on March.___More AP NFL coverage: https://apnews.com/hub/NFL and https://twitter.com/AP_NFL

Bengals' Burrow wasted no time getting over Super Bowl loss

JoeBurrow

CINCINNATI (AP) — The Cincinnati Bengals retooled their porous offensive line after watching Joe Burrow get sacked an astounding 70 times in 20 games last season, including seven times in their losing effort in the Super Bowl.One of the bright spots in that mess was left tackle Jonah Williams, who was graded out by Pro Football Focus as the Bengals' best lineman last season. The team's first-round draft pick in 2019, Williams missed his rookie season but has worked to solidify his future here.The 24-year-old Alabama product was rewarded by the Bengals, who picked up the fifth-year option on his contract, which will pay him $12.6 million during the 2023 season.I appreciate having at least two more seasons here to really work with my teammates and the guys we brought in, said Williams, who is participating in voluntary offseason workouts. It just allows me to focus on this year.”The Bengals also spent big in free agency on three veteran linemen — center Ted Karras, right guard Alex Cappa and right tackle La’el Collins. Jackson Carman, a second-round draft pick in 2021, is expected to complete with third-year man Hakeem Adeniji and others at left guard.“We all kind of know it’s a business and the team wants to get the best product on the field possible, so I think everyone is just going to approach this season as a competition, even against the new guys that came in, Williams said. I think that’s going to kind of lift all of us up competing at every position.”He said the offensive line is well aware that it was a weak spot, especially in the postseason.“We were in a position where we were fighting to make the playoffs towards the end of the year, and then suddenly we beat Kansas City at home and we were division champs, and we were making the playoffs,” Williams said. “From there we were just stacking our chips trying to keep on going. As you do that, the level of competition rises and everyone is bringing their best. I don’t think we did enough to step up when we needed to. The Bengals gained some respect in 2021 after going a combined 6-25-1 in coach Zac Taylor's first two seasons.They finished 10-7 in the regular season and won the division as the traditional AFC North powers faded in December. They got through without major injuries and widespread COVID-19 issues as was the case in 2020. Field goals by rookie Evan McPherson decided five of Cincinnati's games, including a 52-yarder as time expired for a 19-16 win over Tennessee in the divisional round and a 31-yarder to give the Bengals a 27-24 win over Kansas City in the AFC championship game.They played their way into a Super Bowl for the first time in 33 years, but lost 23-20 to the Los Angeles Rams.“I take losses pretty hard,” defensive tackle DJ Reader said Tuesday. “Especially when you get that close. I didn’t really talk to that many people. My mom knows how I am. I didn’t talk to my agent for a while. I didn’t talk to my mom for about a week. Everybody just hung out for a little bit, then I get back and everything is all good.”Reader said he was heartened to see the organization make the sort of offseason moves designed to address very specific needs, such as getting a new crop of defensive backs in the recent NFL draft.“It shows they care about winning,” Reader said “We came in and took care of business last year, made them believe in us a little bit more. They are just going to go out there and keep getting players for us to win and guys that can do a good job. It means a lot to see them pour into it and shows how important it is to them as well.”___More AP NFL coverage: https://apnews.com/hub/NFL and https://twitter.com/AP_NFL

With vote of confidence, Williams ready to lead Bengals line

Alabama

CINCINNATI (AP) — The Cincinnati Bengals selected Michigan defensive back Daxton Hill with the 31st pick of the draft on Thursday night.Picking second to last as the Super Bowl runner-up, the Bengals passed up some other enticing defensive players to get someone they expect to contribute right away in their secondary.Needing depth at cornerback, the Bengals snagged the speedy, versatile, 6-foot, 191-pound Hill, who mostly played safety but also some slot cornerback at Michigan. Coach Zac Taylor said he could fit in at safety or nickel in the Bengals defense.Hill was a first-team All-Big Ten pick in 2021 in his junior year, starting 14 games with 70 tackles, 4 1/2 for loss, two interceptions and nine pass breakups.The Bengals were forced to sit and wait after years of being active earlier in the draft. The stakes are not as high this time compared with the early picks in the last two drafts that landed cornerstone stars Joe Burrow and Ja'Marr Chase.The Bengals, who made a stunning run to their first Super Bowl in 33 years, addressed their offensive line needs through free agency, getting guard/center Ted Karras, right guard Alex Cappa and right tackle La’el Collins.___More AP NFL coverage: https://apnews.com/hub/NFL and https://twitter.com/AP_NFL

Bengals get Michigan DB Daxton Hill with 31st pick

Michigan

CINCINNATI (AP) — The Cincinnati Bengals aren't used to this, picking so late in the NFL draft.They had early picks in the past two drafts, and the stakes were huge. Not so much this time.As the Super Bowl runner-up, Cincinnati has the 31st pick. Its first-round selection this time won't grab headlines like taking Heisman Trophy-winning quarterback Joe Burrow with top overall pick in 2020, and then getting his former LSU teammate Ja’Marr Chase with the fifth overall pick in 2021. They were the two best players on the team last season, with receiver Chase being voted Offensive Rookie of the Year.The Bengals, who made a stunning run to their first Super Bowl in 33 years, still have some needs not addressed through free agency, but the holes are less gaping than in the recent past. “I think the universe expands a little bit when you’re (drafting) later, said Duke Tobin, Cincinnati’s director of player personnel. “So maybe there’s a little bit more of a broad pool to choose from, the guys who are available late as opposed to the small universe of guys who are really worth the top of the draft. We feel good about our ability to analyze who’s available and how they would impact our team early.”The Bengals wasted no time addressing their biggest need when they snagged three offensive lineman out of the free-agent pool — guard/center Ted Karras, right guard Alex Cappa and right tackle La’el Collins — with the hope that a retooled line can keep Burrow upright and healthy. Burrow was sacked 70 times in 20 games last season and his body showed it by the time Los Angeles Rams star defensive tackle Aaron Donald pulled down Burrow on the team's last offensive play of the Super Bowl.DEFENSE COULD BE PRIORITYWith three new veteran starters on the O-line, the Bengals may look to the draft for some defensive depth after offseason moves left them thin at a couple of positions.“It’s a good-bad problem to have, to be picking that late,” said Mark Dominik, a former NFL executive and SiriusXM analyst. “I think that with the Bengals it’s new territory for them, and they’re looking at it like it’s almost a second-round pick instead of a first-round pick.”Dominick thinks the Bengals will focus on defense.“D-line, I think that’s a real possibility for them, I think cornerback is a real possibility for them,” he said. “That would make a lot of sense to me when you’re picking 31 and where this draft class is. I think it's going to be that edge rusher, defensive line guy who is going to make the most sense for them in this draft class.”CORNERBACKS WELCOMEThe Bengals cut oft-injured cornerback Trae Waynes and re-signed Eli Apple, who had some big moments last year but also was inconsistent. They are looking for somebody to compete with Apple for a starting job and play next to Chidobe Awuzie. Late first-round possibilities there include Clemson's Andrew Booth Jr. Washington's Kyler Gordon and Florida's Kaiir Elam.Todd McShay, an NFL draft analyst at ESPN, said he expects Booth to be gone by the time Cincinnati is on the board so the more likely candidate is Gordon.“He can play slot, and he can play outside, and I think that’s right around where he’ll get picked, late first, early second,” McShay said.SOMETHING TO THINK ABOUTMcShay believes the Bengals should grab Iowa center Tyler Linderbaum with their first pick if he's still available at 31. Linderbaum won the Rimington Trophy last season as the best center in college football, and McShay believes he could come in and beat out the veteran Karras for the starting job. That would also allow Karras to shift back to guard.“He’s going to step in and be a high-end center from day one, technically sound, excellent athlete, great range on pulls and traps, second-level blocks, McShay said of Linderbaum. “And also he’s got power to his game and is a nasty finisher. I think he would be an upgrade (for the Bengals) at the center position.”___More AP NFL: https://apnews.com/hub/nfl and https://apnews.com/hub/pro-32 and https://twitter.com/AP_NFL

Late-picking Bengals may look to draft for defensive depth

31, 63. CINCINNATI BENGALS (13-8) LAST SEASON: Bengals coach Zac Taylor entered his third year under considerable pressure to show results — and he did. With a (generally) healthy quarterback Joe Burrow returning from a devastating knee injury that prematurely ended his rookie season in 2021, and eventual Offensive Rookie of the Year Ja'Marr Chase, Cincinnati wasn't quite a juggernaut. But it got hot in December and rode the momentum all the way to the Super Bowl, prevailing in some exciting playoff nail-biters. The team's glaring need was an upgrade to an offensive line that couldn't protect Burrow and consistently establish lanes for workhorse running back Joe Mixon. Burrow was sacked a league-high 70 times in 20 games. FREE AGENCY/TRADES: Bengals addressed O-line problems quickly via free agency, adding G Alex Cappa, C Ted Karras and T La’el Collins. Also signed TE Hayden Hurst and TE Nick Eubanks. Placed franchise tag on S Jessie Bates III. Lost T Riley Reiff, DB Michael Thomas, DT Larry Ogunjobi, DE Zach Kerr, T Quinton Spain, TE C.J. Uzomah, WR Auden Tate, CB Darius Phillips, LB Jordan Evans, CB Vernon Hargreaves III. Released C Trey Hopkins, T Fred Johnson, CB Trae Waynes. Re-signed WR Stanley Morgan, WR Trenton Irwin, CB Eli Apple, CB Tre Flowers, WR Mike Thomas, QB Brandon Allen, DT Josh Tupou, LS Clark Harris, DE B.J. Hill, LB Joe Bachie, CB Jalen Davis, WR Trent Taylor, TE Mitchell Wilcox, S Ricardo Allen retired.THEY NEED: CB, DL, OL.THEY DON’T NEED: QB, RB, S. POSSIBLE FIRST PICK: Clemson CB Andrew Booth; Washington CB Kyler Gordon; Florida CB Kaiir Elam; Iowa C Tyler Linderbaum.OUTLOOK: The Bengals have a retooled offensive line but wouldn't be adverse to adding more guys to that unit, especially if Linderbaum is still available. What they need is cornerbacks after cutting the oft-injured Waynes and losing some depth to free agency. Apple was re-signed but he had consistency problems last season. Cincinnati added franchise building blocks Burrow and Chase with its initial picks the last two years. With the 31st pick this time the Bengals are hoping to get a cornerback who will compete for a starting role with Apple and make a difference right away. The Bengals also may also have their eye on some defensive linemen. ___More AP NFL: https://apnews.com/hub/nfl and https://apnews.com/hub/pro-32 and https://twitter.com/AP_NFL

Super Bowl runner-up Bengals seeking cornerbacks, line depth

Apple

Cleveland,United States

CLEVELAND (AP) — Browns two-time Pro Bowl cornerback Denzel Ward has agreed to a five-year, $100.5 million contract extension with the team, a person familiar with the negotiations told The Associated Press on Monday.Ward's deal includes $71.25 million guaranteed, said the person who spoke on the condition of anonymity because the 24-year-old has not yet signed the contract.With a yearly average of $20.1 million, Ward will be the NFL's highest-paid cornerback.ESPN was first to report the agreement.Ward has developed into one of the league's best coverage cornerbacks during his four seasons as a pro. The No. 4 overall pick in the 2018 draft from Ohio State, Ward, who is from the Cleveland area, had said last season that he hoped to spend his entire career with his hometown team.Ward has 10 career interceptions. Last season, he picked off Cincinnati's Joe Burrow and returned it 99 yards for a touchdown, setting the tone for the Browns' 41-16 win over the Bengals, who went on to win the AFC title.Ward, who has started 51 games with the Browns, has 186 tackles, forced two fumbles and recovered three.___More AP NFL: https://apnews.com/hub/nfl and https://apnews.com/hub/pro-32 and https://twitter.com/AP_NFL

AP source: Browns, CB Ward agree on $100M contract extension

ESPN

Cleveland

CINCINNATI (AP) — The Cincinnati Bengals signed a third free-agent lineman to shore up an offensive line that has struggled to protect quarterback Joe Burrow.The Bengals got their new right tackle on Sunday, signing former Dallas Cowboy La’el Collins to a three-year contract. Last week they inked free agents Ted Karras, likely to replace the released Trey Hopkins at center, and guard Alex Cappa as the unit gets an overhaul.“We have three new guys that know how to set the tone,” said Frank Pollack, the Bengals' offensive line coach. “Pros that know how to prepare and practice.According to the Bengals' website, Collins said he let Burrow know that “your new bodyguard is in town.”The 28-year-old Collins has played for the Cowboys for all of his six years in the league. He missed five games last year because of a violation of the league’s substance abuse policy but allowed just two sacks in 12 games with 10 starts. Salary cap issues — he was owed $30 million over three years — made him an odd man out with the Cowboys.“There are good fits and perfect fits,” Collins said. “I felt like this was the perfect fit from the jump.In his first three seasons in the league, Collins played under Pollack at Dallas.“Love him to death. He definitely fits the mold of a glass eater,” Pollack said last week. “He is nasty, and he was a lot of fun to coach.”The respect is mutual.“He’s the best offensive line coach I’ve been around since I’ve been in the NFL, hands down,” Collins said. And getting back to work with him. And also the players on this team you see and look at the guys around that helped bring this team to where it is. What other team would you want to be part of?”Burrow was battered behind one of the leakiest offensive lines in the league last season. Including the playoffs and Super Bowl, Burrow was sacked more than 70 times, injuring his right knee, suffering a throat contusion and a dislocated pinky finger, among other bumps and bruises.Still, the quarterback led the Bengals to their first Super Bowl appearance in 33 years. He was sacked a Super Bowl record-tying seven times in Cincinnati's 23-20 loss to the Los Angeles Rams.Riley Reiff, who was signed by the Bengals to a one-year contract last year to play right tackle, likely won't be re-signed. Reiff missed the last three regular-season games of 2021 and the postseason with an ankle injury.Left tackle Jonah Williams and guard Jackson Carman are likely candidates to round out the reconstituted line.The Bengals last week also signed free-agent tight end Hayden Hurst to a one-year contract following the departure of C.J. Uzomah, who signed with the New York Jets. Cincinnati also re-signed defensive tackle B.J. Hill, cornerback Eli Apple, backup quarterback Brandon Allen, receiver Mike D. Thomas, safety Michael J. Thomas, defensive tackle Josh Tupou and long-snapper Clark Harris.___More AP NFL coverage: https://apnews.com/hub/NFL and https://twitter.com/AP_NFL

La’el Collins is latest prize in Bengals' O-line rebuild

dallas

CINCINNATI (AP) — The Cincinnati Bengals weren't expected to be in the Super Bowl. After all, they finished 4-11-1 and in last place in the AFC North in the 2020 season. The Bengals were a good team in 2021, but not a great one. The Super Bowl seemed improbable up until Evan McPherson drilled a 31-yard field goal to beat the Kansas City Chiefs in overtime of the AFC championship game.Cincinnati, expected to go through another rebuilding year, got there because of the creativity and confidence of quarterback Joe Burrow, the immediate impact of rookie receiver Ja'Marr Chase, the big leg of rookie kicker McPherson and a defense that got better as the season progressed.It ended in the Super Bowl when a gimpy Burrow, already sacked seven times, ran out of magic on fourth-and-1 as the crushing pass rush of the Los Angeles Rams closed in again. A couple of more seconds in the pocket and Burrow might have seen that Chase was open downfield. But Burrow's desperation flip fell incomplete, and the Bengals lost 23-20.“I'm probably one of everybody on our staff and on our team that thinks, ‘Man, if I could have just done one thing differently, maybe we would have won,' coach Zac Taylor said Wednesday. “That’s the part that you have to come to terms with and be able to move on from at some point. It also fuels us. I've had a day off now, and you want to get back to work because I want to get back to the Super Bowl to finish in the right way.”The worst-to-first Bengals finished 10-7 in the regular season, beat the Raiders 26-19 in the wild-card round and topped Tennessee by three points in the divisional round — despite Burrow being sacked nine times in the game — before capturing the AFC title in Kansas City.The defense kept them in those games until Burrow could find a way — an overarching theme of the entire season.Cincinnati played well in December while Baltimore and Pittsburgh faltered, giving the Bengals their first divisional title and playoff appearance since the 2015 season. The Jan. 15 win over the Raiders was the first for Cincinnati in the postseason in 31 years.The Bengals announced Wednesday that the 38-year-old Taylor, who was 6-25-1 in the first two seasons of his first head coaching job, got a five-year contract extension. “There’s just a lot of trust in the building, Taylor said. “We have the right people.” QUITE A CATCHThe addition of Chase was the piece that gave the Bengals one of the best wide receiver groups in the NFL. The 21-year-old first-round pick had some drops in the preseason, but went on to win the Offensive Rookie of the Year award. His 1,455 receiving yards in the regular season were the most by a rookie in the Super Bowl era and the most in team history. Tee Higgins, in his second year, and veteran Tyler Boyd also had some huge games. The three combined for nearly 3,400 yards and 24 touchdowns.O-LINE STILL A WEAKNESSThe offensive line still needs work. Burrow was battered the entire season — the most sacked quarterback in the NFL. Against better defensive lines, like that of the Aaron Donald-led Rams, Burrow was constantly under siege. Including the postseason he was sacked 70 times — third most in NFL history. Taylor wouldn't get into specifics Wednesday about what he thinks needs to happen with the line, but expect the Bengals to look to the free-agent market for some plug-and-play help.AND THEN THERE'S JOEAfter a serious knee injury in his rookie season, Burrow returned in 2021 and got better as he continued healing. He broke a pinkie finger and sprained his other knee but never missed a game. His toughness and unwavering confidence influenced the entire team. “We’re going to keep getting better and attack next year with the same intensity, the 25-year-old quarterback said.Taylor said Wednesday that Burrow re-aggravated the MCL sprain of his right knee in the Super Bowl, but won't need surgery and should be fine with extended rest.FAN SUPPORTA group of fans gathered in frigid weather outside the fence at Paul Brown Stadium to welcome home the Bengals as team buses arrived Monday night. Owner Mike Brown and Taylor are expected to be on hand as the city honors the Bengals at a rally at Washington Park downtown on Wednesday night.A placard held by a bundled-up fan when the buses rolled in Monday summed it all up: “Thank you for bringing the fun and excitement back to Cincinnati football.”___More AP NFL coverage: https://apnews.com/hub/NFL and https://twitter.com/AP_NFL

Super Bowl run excited fans, but Bengals still need work

Los Angeles,United States

LOS ANGELES (AP) — Aaron Donald and Von Miller were able to keep the Los Angeles Rams within striking distance of capturing their first Super Bowl championship in 22 years.The Rams sacked Cincinnati Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow six times during the second half. With Burrow and the offense unable to muster any consistency during the final 18 minutes, the Rams bounced back from three straight three-and-out possessions on offense with Matthew Stafford's 1-yard TD pass to Cooper Kupp late in the fourth quarter for a 23-20 victory Sunday night.Cincinnati's offensive line did a good job protecting Burrow during the first quarter, allowing only one pressure on his nine drop-backs. But the Bengals pass blocking problems returned during the remaining three quarters when he was pressured on 16 of 32 drop-backs.Burrow ended up being sacked seven times. It was the third time this season, and fourth time in 30 games over his two-year career, he has been sacked seven or more times.“They have a really good front. Aaron Donald, Von Miller and Leonard Floyd are three of the best players in the league and we expected they were going to get some pressure, Burrow said. I think they did a good job.”After Evan McPherson's 38-yard field goal gave Cincinnati a 20-13 lead with 10:15 remaining in the third quarter, Burrow was sacked four times on his next 11 drop-backs. Donald and Miller each had two sacks during the final 30 minutes. Right guard Hakeem Adeniji struggled the most against the Rams' pressure, with three sacks allowed after halftime.Donald said that the Rams remained confident despite having only one sack in the first half.“I feel like we started taking over the game when we needed to as a defensive front, Donald said. It’s a team game, it’s a team sport and it’s not just one or two out there. It’s all 11 on the field that at any time was making a big play for us. We found a way to come away with a win and become a world champion and that’s what it’s about.”Donald had seven of his eight quarterback pressures during the second half, including on a fourth-and-2 from the Rams 49 with 43 seconds remaining when Burrow couldn't complete the pass to Samaje Perine as he was being harassed by Donald.“When it was the fourth down, you could see they got into the shotgun and they were probably not going to run the football. I said Aaron’s going to close the game out right here,” coach Sean McVay said.Miller is the first player in Super Bowl history to record multiple sacks for two teams. He had 2 1/2 with Denver in Super Bowl 50 in 2016 and was the game's MVP.Miller said it wasn't a matter of making any great speech at halftime, it was just sticking to the game plan.“We kept doing the same things we had been doing all season, said Miller, who also had six quarterback pressures. “We fought through adversity all season long. Just continued to take it one play at a time. We believed in our rush, believed in our process, believed in our teammates and it worked for us.”Burrow was sacked 70 times this season, including 19 times in the four postseason games. He suffered a knee injury during the game and said afterwards that he would get further evaluation when the team returns to Cincinnati on Monday.Bengals coach Zac Taylor said he would have to evaluate where the issues in the pass breakdowns occurred.“In the second half, we called some passes and it got difficult,” he said. Everyone is just going to say it’s the offensive line -- we have to see how exactly that played out. Don’t ever want a quarterback to get hit, but that’s life in the NFL sometimes.”Besides Burrow's health, the biggest question going into the offseason is Donald's future. The defensive lineman just completed his eighth season and said throughout the postseason that the only thing missing in his career was a Super Bowl title.Donald said he was just trying to enjoy the championship before making any decisions about next season and beyond.“It means everything. This organization drafted me eight years ago to have an opportunity to help bring this here, he said. The ultimate goal is to be a world champion, I’ve been saying that for the past few years. To finally get the opportunity to feel this, be living in it right now, this time, this moment — it’s hard to put it in words right now.”___More AP Super Bowl coverage: https://apnews.com/hub/super-bowl and https://twitter.com/AP_NFL

Rams' pass rush of Donald, Miller too much for Bengals

AaronDonald

LosAngeles

Inglewood,United States

INGLEWOOD, Calif. (AP) — Aaron Donald was in the Cincinnati backfield one last time, his arms closing in around Joe Burrow with everything on the line. On a Rams team loaded with stars, this was his moment in his town and Donald wasn’t about to let go.Matthew Stafford and Cooper Kupp had just finished giving Los Angeles the late lead with a long drive that came out of nowhere. Now it was up to Donald and the rest of the Rams defense to seal the deal.No real pressure. Just the first Super Bowl championship at stake in a city rediscovering its love affair with the Rams.No real problem, either. Donald held on long enough to force Burrow into a desperation heave that went nowhere on a fourth-and-1 with just 43 seconds left.When he did let go, the celebration began. The Rams were finally champions in the city where they always belonged.“I wanted it so bad,” Donald said. “I dreamed this.”Owner Stan Kroenke probably dreamed it, too, while spending some $5 billion to build the iconic stadium where it all took place. The setting was spectacular, but what will be remembered on this day was Stafford and Kupp playing pitch and catch on the final 79-yard drive that put the Rams up 23-20 with just seconds remaining.And what might be remembered even more was Donald wrapping up Stafford to make sure it was not all in vain.“We talk about competitive greatness all the time, being your best when your best is required,” Rams coach Sean McVay said. “For the offense to be able to find a way, and then Aaron to be able to finish it off, it’s poetic, man.”A game that could have gotten away from the Rams after a shocking 75-yard touchdown toss from Burrow to Tee Higgins on the first play of the second half was still in reach in the fourth quarter largely because of the unrelenting pressure the Rams brought up front.Donald had two sacks and Von Miller had two of his own on a night when Burrow was sacked seven times. The defense was dominant when most needed, holding the Bengals scoreless the rest of the way after they scored 10 points in the first 4:45 of the second half.It wasn’t always pretty. It certainly wasn’t easy.But in a matchup of teams that seemed to have an uncanny knack for finding ways to win late, Donald made sure the Bengals weren’t going to get in field goal position and ruin the party.“I’ve played with a lot of great players and he’s the best,” said safety Eric Weddle, who was brought out of retirement for the playoff run. “He makes you want to be better by his aura, his mindset.”That mindset was simple, especially on the final play. Donald had come too far, worked too hard, not to finish this one off.“Give it everything (I’ve) got,” Donald said when asked what was running through his mind.“He had his opportunity, he delivered in a big way,” McVay said. “And he’s a world champion.”So are the rest of the Rams, something that was in doubt after receiver Odell Beckham Jr. went out with a knee injury and Kupp went silent for a long stretch of play. But when it mattered it was Stafford, the quarterback brought in for just this kind of drive, and Kupp playing pitch and catch before finally connecting on a 1-yard score with 1:29 left.A few plays earlier, Kupp also converted a crucial fourth down with a run that helped add the title Super Bowl MVP to one of the greatest seasons by a wide receiver in NFL history. The reward was deserving, and Kupp admitted afterward that like Donald he had a dream, too. His was the Rams would win the Super Bowl and he would be the MVP. But Donald could have won the award just as easily, as the leader of a defense that ended up saving the game.“Our front really carried us in the second half and really deserve all the praise for getting this win,” Weddle said. “We really played lights out on defense.”On a magical night at SoFi Stadium, that was enough to eke out a win.And now the Los Angeles Rams can finally be called Super Bowl champions.___Tim Dahlberg is a national sports columnist for The Associated Press. Write to him at tdahlberg@ap.org or http://twitter.com/timdahlberg

Column: Donald not about to let go of Super Bowl trophy

MatthewStafford

CooperKupp

INGLEWOOD, Calif. (AP) — The Cincinnati Bengals got their two biggest plays before everybody got back into their seats after the Super Bowl 56 halftime show. Blink. Joe Burrow found Tee Higgins for a 75-yard touchdown on the Bengals' first play of the third quarter.Following an extra point and a kick return, blink again. Bengals cornerback Chidobe Awuzie grabbed a ball that bounced off Rams wide receiver Ben Skowronek for Cincinnati's second interception of the game to set up rookie Evan McPherson's second field goal of the game.All in the span of 22 seconds. Then little else Sunday, and now the Bengals go back to Cincinnati from its first Super Bowl since the 1988 season still looking for its first championship after a 23-20 loss to the Los Angeles Rams. Burrow moved to his right and then up before throwing deep to Higgins, who grabbed Rams cornerback Jalen Ramsey's face mask and pushed off to create separation for the catch. Higgins then ran to the end zone to finish off the 75-yard TD for a 17-13 lead at 14:48.Ten seconds later, Awuzie grabbed the ball that bounced off Skowroneck. But the Bengals had to settle for a second field goal. After that, Burrow had plenty of chances along with Offensive Rookie of the Year Ja'Marr Chase to pad what was a 20-13 lead. But the Bengals punted four times with two three-and-outs, and Cincinnati gave up five sacks in the third quarter alone.The Bengals had 1:25 left and two timeouts remaining with a chance to at least force overtime with McPherson, who tied Adam Vinatieri's NFL postseason record with his 14th field goal in these playoffs. Burrow got the Bengals to midfield with a quick pass to Chase, the another to Tyler Boyd. Then Burrow, the quarterback who came in 7-0 in playoff games in college and the NFL combined, threw the ball away on second-and-1. A run by Samaje Perine got nothing, then Burrow tried to escape Aaron Donald with a pass that fell harmlessly to the turf at SoFi stadium to start the Rams' celebration.___More AP Super Bowl coverage: https://apnews.com/hub/super-bowl and https://twitter.com/AP_NFL

Bengals' 2 big plays in 22 seconds not enough against Rams

LOS ANGELES (AP) — Cris Collinsworth is familiar with Super Bowl runs by the Cincinnati Bengals. He was part of the first two during his eight-year career with the franchise and has seen their highs and lows during the past 33 years, not only as a commentator but as a resident of neighboring Kentucky.It is only fitting that Collinsworth will be in the broadcast booth for Sunday's matchup against the Los Angeles Rams for the Vince Lombardi Trophy. The game will be his fifth Super Bowl as an analyst and fourth with NBC as Al Michaels' partner.“I’m obviously excited. I’m human,” Collinsworth said. “It’s going to be fun. I would have bought a ticket regardless to go watch this game. I just happen to get the best seat in the house.”The Bengals are the first team to make three Super Bowl appearances after posting a losing record the season prior. They are also trying to join the 1999 St. Louis Rams and 2001 New England Patriots as the only franchises to post five or fewer wins the season before winning the Super Bowl.Collinsworth sees a striking similarity between this year's Bengals team and the ones he was on in 1981 and 1988.“The one thing all three had in common was great quarterback play. Kenny Anderson and Boomer Esiason had MVP seasons, and certainly what Joe Burrow has done this year is fairly phenomenal, he said. “Joe has captured the hearts of this city. I don't know that maybe since Pete Rose has there been a player that sort of captured this city the way that Joe Burrow has.”Even though Collinsworth lives less than 20 minutes from Paul Brown Stadium, almost all of his advance research the past couple weeks has been on the Bengals. The last Cincinnati game he called was in 2018 against Kansas City.Cincinnati was on NBC for the wild-card round game against Las Vegas, but the crew for that game was Mike Tirico and Drew Brees.The Bengals are the third team since NBC's “Sunday Night Football” package started in 2006 to not make an appearance the year it made the Super Bowl. The Rams have been the opposite. Los Angeles has played seven regular-season Sunday night games since 2018. Collinsworth and Michaels have called the Rams three times this season, including their divisional round win over Tampa Bay three weeks ago.“It was a weird week for me that I had to do almost all my preparation with the Bengals because I knew so much more about the Rams,” Collinsworth said. “I probably have more relationships with the Rams than I did the Bengals. I had never met the offensive or defensive coordinator before (the past couple weeks). I had only met Zac Taylor a couple of times before.”Collinsworth has always had a good relationship with Bengals owner Mike Brown. Even though many think that Brown was in the background during the franchise's success in the 1980's, Collinsworth pointed out that Brown was already running things while his father, Hall of Fame coach Paul Brown, owned the team.“I always thought the greatest thing in the world would be to be an NFL owner. But the more I’m around it, I’m not so sure about that,” Collinsworth said. These guys takes so much heat with their role on the teams. Every city that you go to it is crazy sometimes. “Mike is a guy that in many ways I feel like gets the short end of the stick sometimes because he’s not Jerry Jones, he’s not a big PR guy, he’s not out front and center all the time. I signed to go with the USFL because I couldn't get my contract where I thought it should be. I signed a futures deal there and when the league ran its course he welcomed me back with open arms. When my career was nearing an end and I was starting law school, he allowed me to miss morning meetings to go to classes, which was completely unheard of.”In looking ahead to the game, Collinsworth said the best matchup would be if Rams cornerback Jalen Ramsey is in single coverage against Bengals wide receiver Ja'Marr Chase, the NFL's Offensive Rookie of the Year. But the one Collinsworth has his eye on is Rams pass rusher Aaron Donald.There’s just a million matchup things within this game that they’ve got to play. They’re going to do something but we don’t get to see it until they kick it off,” he said. ___More AP Super Bowl coverage: https://apnews.com/hub/super-bowl and https://twitter.com/AP_NFL

Former Bengal Collinsworth excited to call 5th Super Bowl

Kentucky

LOS ANGELES (AP) — It’s been nearly three decades since the city where the Super Bowl began last hosted the big game. The year was 1993 and, if you’re looking for an indication how much times have changed, O.J. Simpson did the pregame coin flip and Michael Jackson thrilled the country with a spectacular halftime show at the Rose Bowl.The Rams weren’t in the game, not even close. They finished 6-10 on the season and owner Georgia Frontiere was busy plotting the team’s escape from Southern California, eventually landing in St. Louis in what may have been the worst move ever by a modern-day sports franchise.The Rams eventually returned, though it cost them a generation of fan loyalty. That means the new Rams are still a work in progress in a city where they once reigned supreme — as evidenced by the mass of San Francisco faithful who just might have outnumbered the locals at the NFC championship game in the imposing new stadium that cost current owner Stan Kroenke a reported $5 billion to build.Still, nothing builds love more than a Super Bowl championship. And now the Rams of Los Angeles not only have a chance to win their first Super Bowl but do it Sunday in a home stadium that no other city can come close to matching.“There’s a lot of reasons for this city to be excited about this team,” Rams coach Sean McVay said. “We’ve got great players. It’s a fun brand of football that you’re seeing them play, and then you got this iconic venue that we’re able to play out. And oh, by the way, that’s where the Super Bowl is, even though we’re the away team.”Being the away team shouldn’t be much of a problem for the Rams. This is a team, after all, that was away from 1995 until 2016, when Kroenke brought them back for the same reason they left: more money and bigger profits.They have a long, fractured history in Los Angeles, a city that embraced them warmly when they moved from Cleveland the year after World War II ended. But the fact remains the only Super Bowl won by a team with horns on its helmets was won in 2000 when the Rams were, yes, in St. Louis.In a way it’s fitting that the team standing in the way of that championship is form another city that has never celebrated a Super Bowl win. The Bengals for the most part have been hapless over the years, aside from a couple of Super Bowl runs in the 1980s that didn’t end well.Now they have Joe Burrow and, two seasons after winning just two games, are within 60 minutes of capping off an improbable playoff run themselves.Oddsmakers don’t like their chances, making them a 4-point underdog to a Rams team loaded with star talent. But the city is abuzz, with residents shooting off fireworks and honking horns after the Bengals beat Kansas City in overtime in the AFC championship game.“The best way to describe it for the city is it’s like waking up from a long nightmare,” said Joe Kay, a retired Associated Press sportswriter who covered the team through 40 seasons. “It had been more than 30 years since they even won a playoff game.”The easy narrative would be to cheer for the underdog team from a working class town. Unlike LA, Cincinnati has no movie stars, no beaches, no perfect weather and certainly no $5 billion stadium.But it does have iconic chili. It does have Joe Burrow.And, soon, maybe a lot more Joes.“I would imagine nine, 10 months from now, there’s going to be a lot of babies named Joe. … That’s the impact he’s had on Cincinnati,” Bengals coach Zac Taylor said. Indeed, the fit between the city and its star quarterback couldn’t be better. Burrow grew up in a hardscrabble area of Ohio, just a few hours from Cincinnati, though in his hometown of The Plains fans rooted mostly for the Pittsburgh Steelers or the Cleveland Browns.“Growing up, it was nobody really ever talked about the Bengals too much,” Burrow said. “And I think it’s exciting for us, exciting for the city that, you know, the Bengals are starting to, you know, people are starting to realize that we’re really good team and an exciting team as well.”The same thing could be said about the Rams and their city, so maybe in the end these teams and their towns aren’t so different.That will change Sunday night when only one can proudly claim they’re Super Bowl champions.___Tim Dahlberg is a national sports columnist for The Associated Press. Write to him at tdahlberg@ap.org or http://twitter.com/timdahlberg

Column: Rams and Bengals put past aside in Super Bowl

OJSimpson

MichaelJackson

SanFrancisco

The Plains,United States

THE PLAINS, Ohio (AP) — Joe Burrow has become something akin to a mythological figure in the weathered southeastern Ohio village where the Super Bowl quarterback spent much of his youth.In a region with more than its fair share of sorrow from poverty, the opioid epidemic and ongoing pandemic, Burrow has given people something good to claim as their own. “I think these people are proud that he’s from here, that he carries himself the way he does off the field, as much as they are proud of what he can accomplish on the football field,” said Matt Frazee, a service manager for an auto dealership who on Friday nights in the fall is the radio voice of the Athens High School Bulldogs.Athens High School is here, but the more picturesque and bustling college town of Athens is nine miles away. About 3,000 people live in The Plains, including Burrow’s parents, Jimmy and Robin. The community has a couple of stop lights, a few restaurants, scattered businesses and a lot of trailers in one of the poorest areas of the state. Burrow has talked about going to school with kids here who often didn't have enough to eat.“Let’s set the record straight — he’s from The Plains, Ohio,” said Sam Smathers, who started the youth football program here and was Burrow's first coach. “So when you see it on TV and it says Athens, he is not from Athens.”Close enough, say the people of Athens and the 20,000 or so students at Ohio University who have claimed a piece of him. Bars and restaurants have renamed menu items after him. There's a Burrow banner stretched across Court Street and signs all over town. Burrow spent plenty of time in Athens, so it's legit.It's different in The Plains though, more personal.At the center of it is a feeling that Burrow left but didn't leave the people behind. Burrow’s poignant mention during his 2019 Heisman Trophy speech of the poverty in the region turned into the Joe Burrow Hunger Relief Fund, which has taken in $1.5 million in two years. Donations are still rolling in. His face is not ubiquitous on national TV commercials, at least not yet, but last fall he used his name to help publicize a nonprofit program to help train Ohio workers for in-demand jobs.People here see Burrow projecting the same unassuming cool, polite forthrightness and unshakeable confidence he always did. That he hasn't changed makes him even more appealing: They can still identify with him.Smathers, the former youth coach, is a 56-year-old retired electrician who now keeps busy driving a shuttle bus for the university. A big, gregarious guy with a graying ZZ Top beard, Smathers has lived across North McDonald Street from the scoreboard at the football field since 1988.He watched from his porch this week as dozens of cars, many with out-of-state plates, rolled by slowly and went up the hill to the “Joe Burrow Stadium” sign. GiGi's Country Kitchen, a breakfast place on the main drag where Burrow was fond of the Western omelet, is a regular tourist stop.Bursting with pride that sometimes makes him emotional, Smathers is eating up the media attention this week. Everyone wants to come talk to the coach who first installed Joey as the peewee team's quarterback in the third grade. “Everybody is seeing what I’ve seen for years — you put Joe Burrow on the team, that's the X factor,” Smathers said. His garage, known locally as the Dog Pound, once stored football equipment for the youth league. Now it's decorated with Burrow photos and memorabilia and serves as a gathering place for anybody who wants to talk football, watch games, or even review footage of Joey tossing TD passes as a sixth grader. Burrow himself headed to the Dog Pound to hang out when he was in town before the season.That's where Smathers will be watching Burrow and the Bengals face the Los Angeles Rams in the Super Bowl on Sunday night.Burrow grew up here because this is where his parents bought a house when Jimmy Burrow was hired away from North Dakota State by coach Frank Solich in 2005 to be defensive coordinator for the Ohio Bobcats. It was a reunion for the two coaches with deep Nebraska ties.A lot of people are very glad he did.Kevin Wiseman is the sports editor of The Athens Messenger and covered Burrow's high school career. He thinks Burrow's skyrocketing notoriety has been a galvanizing force for good that has nothing to do with whether the Bengals win the Super Bowl.“I know Joe always talks a lot about how he’s thankful for the people from southeast Ohio, Wiseman said, “but sometimes I’m not sure he understands -- or he even could -- how much people appreciate him here and how much he’s loved.”___More AP Super Bowl coverage: https://apnews.com/hub/super-bowl and https://twitter.com/AP_NFL

Tiny Ohio town bursting with pride over local hero Burrow

Ohio

LOS ANGELES (AP) — Ja'Marr Chase gets most of the attention at receiver for Cincinnati with his big-play ability opening up the offense and helping the Bengals reach the Super Bowl.The addition of Chase this season wouldn't have been nearly as consequential for the Bengals if not for the standout play from the two returning receivers in Cincinnati.With Tee Higgins providing the big-bodied outside receiver who thrives on winning contested catches and Tyler Boyd excelling in the middle of the field out of the slot, quarterback Joe Burrow almost always has an open target.“There’s no way that teams can come out there and double all of us and there’s no way to take away one guy and the rest of us is not going to make plays,” Boyd said. “I think we just do a good job of feeding off each other once we see one another make a play, then we’re going to be the next guy to do that and keep the ball rolling.”Completing a receiver group that already had playmakers in Higgins and Boyd was exactly why the Bengals made the difficult decision in April to draft Chase instead of upgrading the offensive line with a player like Penei Sewell.Coach Zac Taylor said offensive coordinator Brian Callahan's experience in Denver — when the Broncos gave Peyton Manning targets like Demaryius Thomas, Wes Welker and Emmanuel Sanders — provided the blueprint for what they wanted in Cincinnati.The Bengals have a similar dynamic with what Higgins calls the “best trio in the game.”“For the most part, we’re a three wide receiver offense,” Callahan said. “If you have three receivers that people have to cover, it’s going to be harder for them. Our biggest philosophy is you want guys that can score touchdowns because you got to score points to win in today’s NFL. The quarterbacks have to have a target to throw to, guys that can win and separate on all levels of the defense. We got three guys that can do that.”While Chase's exploits are well known after he was named the top offensive rookie in the league after setting a rookie record with 1,455 yards receiving and a league-leading seven receptions of at least 50 yards in the regular season and playoffs, Boyd and Higgins are nearly as important.Higgins is second in the NFL with five 100-yard games since the start of Week 12 and his 854 yards in that span trail only Chase and the Rams' Cooper Kupp. Higgins had 194 yards and two TDs in a key late-season win over Baltimore and a team-high 103 yards in the AFC title game when the Chiefs keyed their coverage on Chase. “It definitely helps. The guy’s been playing outstanding, Offensive Rookie of the Year,” Higgins said of Chase. “So of course, he should get a lot of attention. And once he does, that's when TB and I do what we have to do.” Boyd has been one of the most productive receivers out of the slot this season with his 808 yards receiving from the slot in the regular season and playoffs ranking third best in the NFL, according to Pro Football Focus.Boyd also had the most targets this season without a dropped pass with 99 and leads the Bengals with 21 conversions on third down as Burrow's most trusted target in key situations. “Me maneuvering in the slot determines a lot of his hot reads and it allows him to get rid of the football quickly,” Boyd said. “The good thing about that is I understand a lot of what defenses are trying to do to us. I understand coverages and things like that and just preparation.” The three all say their closeness off the field plays a big role in their success on it with the receivers spending lots of time away from the facility eating meals and hanging out.Those relationships mean that none of them ever get frustrated if one of the others is producing the big numbers. “We wish the best for each other,” Higgins said. “If one guy goes off, nobody’s mad. We just just wish the best. We’re hoping somebody goes off.”___More AP Super Bowl coverage: https://apnews.com/hub/super-bowl and https://twitter.com/AP_NFL

Overlooked Higgins, Boyd complete Bengals receiving trio

LOS ANGELES (AP) — Ja'Marr Chase has turned in quite the debut season, rewriting Cincinnati rookie records, earning a Pro Bowl nod, and now scratching off another goal to earn the AP NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year award. “I put it on my wall ... got that accomplishment, and that's more than I can ask for,” Chase said Friday, perched with his right leg over a bleacher in the stands at Drake Stadium on the UCLA campus. “I'm blessed to be in this situation.Next up, Chase can do something he couldn't imagine enough to even put on a to-do list. On Sunday, he can help the Bengals win the franchise’s first Super Bowl. The receiver from New Orleans says he never had a general plan to play in the Super Bowl growing up. “My dream was always to make the NFL,” Chase said. “That was my main dream. It was never to like, ‘Win a game, make this catch.’ It was just to make it to the NFL, you know? That was my biggest dream. And once I got here, it was finally like what’s the next step?”Basketball was his first sport until he was 9. Then he picked up a loose ball and scored a touchdown, convincing Chase to switch to offense. He teamed up with Joe Burrow to win a national championship at LSU. Once reunited with the Bengals, Chase says he expected to eventually reach a Super Bowl. Just not this soon. Once I knew I was getting with Joe, I knew we were going to be great, so it just was earlier than I thought,” Chase said.Chase won the Offensive Rookie of the Year award with 81 catches for 1,455 yards and 13 touchdown catches. All the most ever by a Bengals rookie. He had five 100-yard receiving games. Chase already has set the postseason record for rookies with 279 yards receiving. If he has at least 110 yards Sunday, he would top Torry Holt’s single-game Super Bowl record for rookies.Part of that production came from the simple fact of putting down his goals on paper. “To see it's been done, you know it just feels like a weight's been lifted off your shoulders,” Chase said. “You know what I'm saying?”Chase, who said he plans on staying in his hotel room until it's time to head to SoFi Stadium on Sunday, was very relaxed talking to reporters throughout a 45-minute session. He was surprised when told time was up.He laughed at a question on how he would defend himself if he were Rams cornerback Jalen Ramsey. “He’s the one that's got to check me ... the 6-foot Chase said. “I’m not playing defense, I’m playing offense.” Turning serious, Chase made clear he's looking forward to going against the three-time All Pro. “It’s a matchup I’ve been waiting for, Chase said. “I’m excited about it and I know he is, too. He’s studying me. I’m studying him. We're both trying to find flaws right now, so it should be a great game. I’m excited to get out there and just go.” Now, the goal is big enough it doesn't need to be written down. Just go win a Super Bowl, tapping his experience of helping LSU win a title on college football's biggest stage to help him with his next game. Chase said that would make a great year even better. Burrow wrapped up his second NFL season as the AP NFL Comeback Player of the Year, recovering from the torn ACL that ended his rookie season. With Chase only a year into his career, the receiver sees this as a special experience. “We’ve been playing together for some years now, and we’re getting better, and it only gets better from here, Chase said. “We both had unbelievable years this year. It only gets better from this.” Chase intends to leave his mark on the NFL, though he hasn't thought about what that legacy could be.“I’m just in the moment living it and trying to build it as I go on ...” Chase said. Man, so much going on in my life, and I just want to enjoy this experience that I’m having.”___More AP Super Bowl coverage: https://apnews.com/hub/super-bowl and https://twitter.com/AP_NFL

Super Bowl gives Chase chance to cap amazing rookie season

NewOrleans

LOS ANGELES (AP) — The Cincinnati Bengals found unexpected success this season from multiple places. Joe Burrow. Joe Burrow. And more Joe Burrow. Well, that's not entirely fair. Clutch kicking from Evan McPherson, spectacular plays by Offensive Rookie of the Year Ja'Marr Chase, and a defense forcing timely turnovers, especially in the playoffs, also played a major role.Burrow, Cincinnati's second-year quarterback, was everything the team could have hoped for — and more — in his return from a serious knee injury. He had 4,611 passing yards and 34 touchdown passes in the regular season to win the AP Comeback Player of the Year award.More than just his playmaking ability, Burrow's steady leadership permeates the entire roster.And if the Bengals get more of the same on Super Bowl Sunday, they'll take home their first championship in this most unlikely of seasons. “The leader in the huddle is just a stone-faced killer, like, ’Yeah we’re going to go score this, we’re going to get the 2-point conversion afterward, and boom, that’s it,” veteran tight end C.J. Uzomah said of his quarterback. “You’re like, ‘nice.’ Like I love hearing that. Now I’m going to go back to doing what I need to do. Burrow did have help to get the Bengals this far. In addition to Uzomah, Chase had a big season with 81 catches for 1,455 yards and 13 touchdowns. Chase's emergence also opened up the offense for wide receivers Tee Higgins (74 catches, 1,091 yards, six TDs) and Tyler Boyd (67 catches, 828 yards, five TDs) as well as running back Joe Mixon (1,205 yards rushing, 13 TDs).Even when the offense has stalled in the playoffs, McPherson's 12-for-12 performance on field goals kept the Bengals from having too many empty possessions. More importantly, he clinched the team's victories at Tennessee and Kansas City with winning kicks.The Bengals' offensive line has struggled most of the season. Burrow was the most-sacked quarterback in the regular season (51) and was taken down an astounding nine times in the divisional-round win against the Titans. However, Burrow showed an ability to escape trouble against the Chiefs. The Bengals' best chance at success on Sunday is to mitigate the Rams' powerful pass rush led by unanimous All-Pro Aaron Donald, Super Bowl 50 MVP Von Miller, and veteran Leonard Floyd. On defense, getting pressure on the quarterback is always paramount. For the Bengals to have success in slowing down the Rams they have to disrupt the timing of quarterback Matthew Stafford and dynamic receiver Cooper Kupp, the AP Offensive Player of the Year, who led the league in catches, yards and touchdowns. That responsibility primarily falls to edge rushers Trey Hendrickson and Sam Hubbard. Hendrickson, who signed a big free agent deal last offseason, led the team with 14 sacks in the regular season, and Hubbard had key sacks of Patrick Mahomes late in the AFC title game. If defensive tackles D.J. Reader and B.J. Hill contain the running game, that should free the rest of the front seven to stop the Rams' potent attack.Another factor for the Bengals has been their ability to grab interceptions late in their playoff wins. Linebacker Germaine Pratt picked off Derek Carr to seal the win over the Raiders. Logan Wilson grabbed a tipped ball from Ryan Tannehill in the final minute that helped knock off the Titans. And Vonn Bell intercepted Mahomes in overtime to help clinch the AFC title, and improbably get the Bengals to the Super Bowl.And Stafford has shown a tendency to throw interceptions. He tied for the league lead with 17, including four pick-6s. He has thrown 27 pick-6s in his career, tied for the most since 2000.On the sideline, Zac Taylor, who was 6-25-1 in his first two seasons, has also contributed to the culture change that was needed for the franchise.“We believed from the get-go,” Taylor said after the Bengals’ 27-24 overtime win at Kansas City in the AFC championship game. “Whether people believed in us or not, we did.”The Bengals have already ended several lengthy droughts this season: AFC North title (2015 season), playoff win (31 seasons), road playoff win (never) and Super Bowl appearance (33 years).Sixty more quality minutes (barring OT) will bring the most significant prize of them all: Super Bowl champions.___More AP Super Bowl coverage: https://apnews.com/hub/super-bowl and https://twitter.com/AP_NFL

Burrow's ability, leadership can get Bengals 1st Super Bowl

LOS ANGELES (AP) — Three-time AP NFL Defensive Player of the Year Aaron Donald. Three-time All-Pro cornerback Jalen Ramsey. Wide receiver Odell Beckham Jr. with his pass-catching flair. And the NFL’s best receiver this year in Cooper Kupp. Those are only some of the big names on the Los Angeles Rams. Then there’s Cincinnati quarterback Joe Burrow. Young, confident to the point of brashness and with a fashion sense and style off the field reminiscent of another young QB named Joe who once made waves on the big stage in Joe Namath. Yes, there will be more than enough star power on the field Sunday at the Super Bowl to match the celebrities in the stands at SoFi Stadium. “I think if you look cool in the dictionary, there’s a picture of him in some Cartier shades,” Beckham said of Burrow. “This guy is smooth and truly, as ... he’s going to be one of the greats, I feel like. And I truly believe that Joe Burrow yes, is definitely cool, for sure.”Burrow has earned plenty of attention leading the Bengals far beyond worst to first in just his second NFL season. With Cincinnati’s first Super Bowl berth since the 1988 season, Burrow is the toast of Ohio. LeBron James has reached out to him and rapper Kid Cudi direct messaged Burrow on social media. It's why Burrow is staying off social media. “I haven’t checked in a while,” Burrow said. “My phone hasn’t been blowing up as much, so that’s been nice. Just trying to eliminate those distractions. But yeah, the social part of the position that I’m in, it’s crazier than the football part to me.”Burrow showed off his fashion sense at the AFC title game. First with a big coat on his way into Arrowhead Stadium, then with a gold and diamond necklace over his classic black turtleneck postgame. Cincinnati rookie kicker Evan McPherson says Burrow’s style is pushing him to up his own game for the Super Bowl. “I probably learned a thing or two from him ... ” McPherson said. “My favorite one is probably the jacket from this past (game) in my opinion. It’s definitely special and definitely unique.” The Rams live in Los Angeles — Hollywood, you know — so style comes naturally. No outfit can come close to matching the sheer star power on the roster for a team that seemingly can’t collect enough big names.They traded for Matthew Stafford, upgrading significantly at quarterback. During this season, they traded for linebacker Von Miller, the NFL’s active sacks leader and Super Bowl 50 MVP; signed Beckham in November after he was released by Cleveland; and lured safety Eric Weddle out of retirement for the postseason. “We got a lot of stars over here,” Ramsey said. “We oozing with confidence as well. So don’t forget about who we really are over here. We’ve been playing some great ball in this postseason. And you know obviously we got individual guys who have been great and doing great things in this league for years and years and years.”Kupp turned in the best performance by a receiver in the NFL with 145 catches for 1,947 yards. He credits coach Sean McVay with not shying away from letting his best players work against each other. “I get to line up against Jalen Ramsey and compete against Jalen Ramsey every single week,” Kupp said. “Now, that is a huge advantage for me, and so thankful that coach allows us to be in those positions to compete against each other to sharpen each other. McVay, who has the Rams in their second Super Bowl in four seasons, sees all those stars sharing several of the same traits. They all love football, are extremely intelligent and want to win. McVay and his coaches explain why something needs to happen, and the Rams follow through. That has been a huge part of why this team has been special,” McVay said. “Yes, you have a lot of guys who’ve established themselves as big-time players in this league, but one of the thing’s that’s common about all those guys, they’re great competitors that they want to win a championship.” In addition to Burrow, Cincinnati has a star in the making in Pro Bowl rookie receiver Ja'Marr Chase. For a team used to playing at 1 p.m. each Sunday through the season far from nationally televised games, the Bengals are eager to take advantage of this spotlight. “We got to prove ourselves to get on the big stage, and that’s what we’ve done,” Cincinnati wide receiver Tyler Boyd said. “And it’s showing off.” Exactly the way stars do. ___More AP Super Bowl coverage: https://apnews.com/hub/super-bowl and https://twitter.com/AP_NFL

Rams, Bengals have enough stars to keep attention on field

beckham

OdellBeckhamJr

New York,United States

NEW YORK (AP) — NBC offered a full-throated defense of how it covered skier Mikaela Shiffrin's shocking Olympics flameout, to the point of suggesting there's sexism involved in criticism that it was cruel in its portrayal of her emotional response.NBC's cameras focused on Shiffrin for much of the time as she sat forlornly on the course, head bowed, for more than 20 minutes. The network aired a raw interview where she fought off tears and said she's second-guessing everything she's done for 15 years.For the second straight Olympics, the emotional health of athletes performing on the biggest stage has become a focus of discussion. The experiences of gymnast Simone Biles ad tennis player Naomi Osaka last summer were fresh in the mind of NBC's critics, and the online blowback was fierce. As one response on Twitter put it: “Show some empathy.” NBC, said another, was “shaming” Shiffrin — “torturing” her. “The relentless hype machine, one critic wrote, “has claimed another victim.”No — NBC was doing its job, said Molly Solomon, executive producer of NBC's Olympics coverage.“We have an obligation in that moment, as the broadcaster of the Olympic games, to cover the moment,” Solomon said in an interview with The Associated Press on Wednesday evening. “There's no script when there's a wipeout on the slopes or a fall in figure skating. We're watching real people with real emotions in real time and we did everything we were supposed to do.”Shiffrin's performance was huge news, she said — the biggest story of the Games so far.“I've thought a lot about this, and if Joe Burrow or Matthew Stafford sit on the sidelines 22 minutes after the Super Bowl on Sunday, you can bet the cameras are going to stay on them,” Solomon said.“Here we are in 2022 and we have a double standard in coverage of women's sports,” she said. “Women's sports should be analyzed through the same lens as the men. The most famous skier in the world did not finish her two best events. So we are going to show her sitting on the hill and analyze what went wrong. You bet we are.”As much as fans enjoy reveling in triumph, disappointment in sport — or any endeavor — is often the more compelling story. “More people relate to heartbreak than anything else,” ESPN’s Tony Kornheiser said on “Pardon the Interruption” on Wednesday.It was evident in an interview Shiffrin gave to NBC after she spun out in her first Olympics race how much it was weighing on her. She apologized to viewers: “I'm sorry that that was the performance that I did today,” she said.Speaking with NBC's Todd Lewis following Wednesday's race, Shiffrin's eyes filled with tears.She was second-guessing, she said, “the last 15 years, everything that I thought I knew about my own skiing and slalom and racing methods.”At the same time, critics were second-guessing NBC's role in the pressure placed on Shiffrin, who was anointed as one of the presumed stars before the Games even started. In a segment broadcast before her second race, former ski racer and now NBC analyst Lindsey Vonn said that “this is a must-medal situation for Mikaela. The stakes could not be higher.”After the race, Vonn tweeted that she was “gutted for Mikaela Shiffrin but this does not take away from her storied career and what she can and will accomplish going forward.”Biles, the star gymnast who put the spotlight on mental health in athletics in Tokyo last year when she withdrew from several events, tweeted heart emojis directed toward Shiffrin on Wednesday.She also retweeted a comment by writer Charlotte Clymer, who said that “shaming people just because they didn't perform well at the Olympics feels like the opposite of why we supposedly have the Olympics in the first place.”NBC pointed out that Shiffrin was a world-class athlete enriched by endorsement deals with her face emblazoned on billboards.If NBC was playing an expectations game, it wasn't alone.“Let's all remember, Mikaela Shiffrin is a professional athlete who has won 73 times and (has) three Olympic gold medals,” Solomon said. “She one of the greatest alpine skiers of all time. She's 26 years old and incredibly accomplished. So, for all of us, of course she's going to be one of the centerpieces of the Games. I would think that she would want that.”___Follow Associated Press Media Writer David Bauder on Twitter at http://twitter.com/dbauder

NBC defends Shiffrin coverage, suggests sexism by critics

NewYork

NaomiOsaka

Cincinnati tight end C.J. Uzomah tried to send a message that he wouldn’t miss the Super Bowl by taking the brace off his left knee and tossing it behind him onto the Bengals’ logo during a pep rally.His coach said Wednesday he’s optimistic about Uzomah’s progress even as the Bengals kept the tight end out of practice.Zac Taylor says Uzomah likely will work at practice Thursday with the Bengals taking advantage of having three days of work left to see where the veteran is. Uzomah played only nine snaps in the AFC championship game before hurting his knee. He caught 49 passes for 493 yards and five touchdowns in the best season of his career, and he has 13 catches for 135 yards this postseason.“Again, optimistic with where he’s at,” Taylor said. “Team has handled it really well. We try to keep our scheduling as consistent as possible. And you know, so we’re midway through our first day here, and our guys have handled it really well.”PRINCE’S RETURNIsaiah Prince has no regrets about the difficult decision he made last season.Opting out because of the coronavirus pandemic still wasn’t easy for the Cincinnati Bengals offensive tackle.“Of course, I was very hurt,” Prince said. “I believe that was probably one of the most trying times in my life. Looking back at my career, I don’t think I’ve ever really missed a game, a practice — not in college.“So for me, missing my first season (with the Bengals), that was kind of devastating for me.”Prince was drafted by Miami in the sixth round in 2019 out of Ohio State and played in four games, including two starts, as a rookie. He was waived late that season and claimed by Cincinnati a day later.The 6-foot-7, 305-pound offensive lineman was considered a potential depth piece to help protect then-rookie quarterback Joe Burrow. But the pandemic caused Prince to reassess things at home, and he decided to not play in his first year with the Bengals.“Being at home while I opted out, just watching, I mean, I’m human,” he said. “There were times I was wondering, you know, how am I going to get back in? But I stayed faithful and kept believing in myself.”Prince, whose Bengals teammate Josh Tupou also opted out, went back to school during the year away from football and finished his undergraduate degree at Ohio State. He used boxing to help him train and also worked out at LeCharles Bentley’s O-Line Performance facility in Arizona.Prince returned to the Bengals this season, made the roster out of training camp and took over as the starting right tackle when Riley Reiff was lost for the season with an ankle injury in December. And now Prince is preparing to start in the Super Bowl.“Those times definitely helped prepare me for this moment and staying focused regardless of what’s going on around me,” Prince said. “I think that was a very challenging time in my life, but I still had to wake up every day and stay focused on the things that really needed my attention. That definitely plays a key part in right now with everything that’s going on, is just staying focused and controlling what you can control.” NINE ON NINECarson Palmer is hopeful that the Bengals have enough to beat the Rams on Sunday.Palmer was the top overall pick by the Bengals in 2003 and led the franchise to two AFC North titles in eight seasons. Cincinnati granted his trade request to the Raiders in 2011.Palmer has been a longtime fan of Joe Burrow. Palmer’s brother, Jordan, worked with Burrow throughout the draft process in 2020 before the Bengals made him the top pick and gave him the same jersey number as Palmer’s.“I love everything about him. He’s so level-headed,” Palmer said. “You can’t stop thinking about that playoff game (against Tennessee) where he got sacked nine times. It’s a demoralizing feeling getting sacked that many times. It takes a toll emotionally on you, but you never felt that watching him play. He was cool. He was calm.“There’s a great belief and energy. And that magic. Hopefully there’s enough magic to get past this team of All-Pros and all stars.”Palmer says the biggest key to the game will be for Burrow to get the ball out quickly to be able to beat the Rams’ pass rush.“They’ve been so creative with moving (Ja’Marr) Chase around and finding ways to get him the ball,” Palmer said between appearances on Radio Row Wednesday. “Joe (Burrow) just can’t sit back there. He has to get the ball out of his hand so that Aaron (Donald) and Von (Miller) can’t go to work.”BIG PAYDAY FOR BIG-MAN SCORESFor a guy considered one of the best left tackles in NFL history, Anthony Munoz had excellent hands. The nine-time All-Pro and first-ballot Hall of Famer had seven catches, including four touchdowns in his career with the Cincinnati Bengals. Munoz would love to see a big man score a touchdown in the Super Bowl because Hydroxycut is giving away $100,000 to a fan if an offensive or defensive lineman finds the end zone. It happened 13 times in the regular season.“It’s good that they’re trying to recognize the big man, so hopefully one of our big men on the Bengals will score a touchdown and somebody can win a lot of money,” Munoz said on the AP Pro Football Podcast.Munoz credits former Bengals coach Sam Wyche for installing plays that called his number as a receiver.“Playing offense for Sam was so much fun,” Munoz said. “You never knew what to expect, but it was great, solid stuff, very innovative.”Three-time Super Bowl champion and two-time Pro Bowl guard Mark Schlereth said he never scored a TD at any level of football in his career. He’s rooting for a jumbo-sized score Sunday.“I have the joy of scoring as an offense, but never individually scoring,” Schlereth said. “As an offensive lineman, you don’t get that very often but to have 13 this year, it does happen. A hundred grand would be a nice, little treat.” NEW HEALTH PARTNERSHIPHall of Fame Health is partnering with the Off the Field NFL Wives Association to promote health care services for former players and families.Hall of Fame Heath was launched two years ago during Super Bowl week in Miami to bring world-class health care solutions and services to the football community. Wednesday’s announcement increases the focus to wives, children and family members of former players.“This may be the most important relationship we will ever form,” said Jeremy Hogue, CEO of Hall of Fame Health. “These are strong women, and like most women across the country, they typically make the decisions regarding health care in their homes. They ensure their husbands get the care they need and their kids get the care they need.”The Off the Field NFL Wives Association was founded 16 years ago.___AP Pro Football Writers Dennis Waszak Jr. Teresa M. Walker and Rob Maaddi and AP Sports Writer Joe Reedy contributed to this report.___More AP Super Bowl coverage: https://apnews.com/hub/super-bowl and https://twitter.com/AP_NFL

Bengals' Taylor optimistic on progress of injured Uzomah

Miami

Nearly every time the Kansas City Chiefs got pressure on Joe Burrow in the AFC championship game, he managed to pull off a surprising escape.That ability to get out of trouble with his legs is one of Burrow's best traits and a big reason why he has the Cincinnati Bengals playing in the Super Bowl. “That adds a whole other dimension to our offense,” offensive coordinator Brian Callahan said. “His ability to extend plays, go off-script, do anything that involves moving the pocket and moving the landmarks for the receivers and let those guys go create has generated a number of explosive plays and first downs over the course of the year. He’s got a great natural feel for moving in the pocket. It’s a huge part of playing quarterback in the NFL these days. Guys have to be able to do that. He does it as good as anybody else.Burrow was at his best in that during the AFC championship game win at Kansas City when he turned three sure sacks into third-down conversions with his legs, becoming the first player since Colin Kaepernick nine years ago to run for three first downs in a playoff game when a team needed at least 5 yards for a first down.Burrow also converted on a third-and-1 run, becoming the fourth player at any position to convert at least four first downs with his legs in a playoff game in the past 10 seasons.“He’s found a lot of different ways for us to win these games, and that’s part of the development of playing, is knowing how to play quarterback and doing whatever the game requires,” Callahan said. “He knew against Kansas City that he was going to have to run the ball a few times if they’re going to double guys and play some coverage structures where there were no eyes on the quarterback. He knew going into the game that would be a big part of it and it was.”Burrow's pocket movement is a big part of Cincinnati's offense with his ability to extend plays helping receivers such as Ja'Marr Chase, Tee Higgins and Tyler Boyd get open downfield for explosive gains.Burrow was tied for fifth in the NFL in the regular season with six TD passes thrown on the run, according to NFL NextGen stats and led the league with 10.7 yards per attempt when extending plays.He's increased the frequency of scrambling and running as the season has gone on as he becomes more confident in his left knee that underwent reconstructive surgery during his rookie season in 2020. “It’s night and day from the first half of the season,” Burrow said. “I wasn’t really able to do any of that the first half. I’ve really started to come into my own in that in that sense, making plays, extending plays. That’s something I’ve always been able to do, and I’m starting to finally feel like myself and able to pull out of some of those tackles when defensive players have me wrapped up in the pocket and I’m starting to be able to get out of those situations and make some plays.”Returning to the Los Angeles area for the biggest game of his young career seems appropriate for Burrow, who had his knee surgery done in Los Angeles in December 2020 by Rams team physician Neal ElAttrache.Burrow spent plenty of time rehabbing in the area that he even watched the draft in April at the home of Andrew Whitworth, the former Bengals and current Rams left tackle.All those hours spent working with Bengals rehabilitation director Nick Cosgray have paid off and now Burrow will have a much rewarding return trip to Southern California.“It was a long and grueling process,” he said. “Nick really helped me get back to the player that I was before. I wouldn’t be having the season that I had without him and all the hard work that he put in.Coach Zac Taylor has seen the gradual progress since training camp when Burrow needed extra time off to deal with lingering soreness and the AFC title game when his Houdini-like evasion skills proved so important.“I think it got more comfortable closer to the bye and we started to say, ‘OK, he looks like he’s back 100%,’” Taylor said. “It’s hard to ever guess how far along he is, but we could see his confidence growing and his movement skills and certainly this back half of the season he looks like the guy that played for us last year pre-injury.”___More AP Super Bowl coverage: https://apnews.com/hub/super-bowl and https://twitter.com/AP_NFL

Burrow's scrambling helps Bengals reach Super Bowl

ColinKaepernick

Cincinnati, OH, USA

Joe Burrow didn't want to be a quarterback. When the Bengals star signal-caller started out in football as a third-grader, he reasoned that since there wasn't much passing at that level he'd get more action and contact as a running back or receiver. I didn’t pick a quarterback, Burrow said Thursday. I got to my first pee-wee practice and the coach at the time, coach Sam Smathers — I still see him all the time when I go back home — he basically asked me if I wanted to be quarterback, and I said, 'No, not really.' But then he said 'Well, you’re gonna be quarterback. Too bad.',Also read: NFL: Congress pressures Goodell to release Commanders sexual harassment report,Smathers doesn't specifically recall forcing Burrow to be the quarterback in his Wing-T offense, but he might have. It was a no-brainer, though, especially after he found out that little Joey was the son of Jimmy Burrow, who was the then-defensive coordinator under Frank Solich at Ohio University. Also read: Officials urge mask-wearing for fans attending Super Bowl,We had a couple other kids who were bigger and could play the position, but the knowledge and football IQ I noticed in him at that age was pretty amazing, said the 56-year-old Smathers, who lives across the street from the high school football field in Athens that has been renamed Joe Burrow Stadium. Then I found out who his dad was. Coming from a football family like that, I can understand where he's getting it. Also read: Man who posed as Tom Brady in Super Bowl ring scam pleads guilty,He could remember the plays, the timing came easy with him, then we found out he could throw the ball really well, Smathers said. That's basically how it started — he had a good football IQ even in third grade. Burrow grew up to lead Athens High School — 2 1/2 hours east of Cincinnati — to a state championship game in 2014, throwing six touchdown passes in a 56-52 loss to Toledo Central Catholic. He won the Heisman Trophy and national championship at LSU before becoming the top overall pick in the 2020 draft. In his second NFL season, he got the Bengals in the Super Bowl. Also read: NFL: Why Washington Football Team changed their name to Commanders,Unlike brothers Peyton and Eli Manning, Super Bowl winners who were groomed by their father Archie to be quarterbacks from the time they could pick up a football, the 25-year-old Burrow started out wanting to play a position that required more grit and contact. He loved defense, too, playing cornerback in high school as much as his protective coach would allow. Also read: NFL Old school dismissed: Tom Brady, 'Big Ben' and the end of an era,After going down with a horrific knee injury in his rookie season with the Bengals, Burrow regained his stride in 2021. He broke franchise records in completing better than 70% of his passes in the regular season for 4,611 yards and 34 touchdowns. He made critical plays in Cincinnati's three nail-biting playoff wins. Also read: NFL: Brain Flores opens up about his alleged text exchange with Bill Belichick,Bengals receiver Tyler Boyd said he's glad Burrow found his way to quarterback, but he thinks the Cincinnati star probably would have made a serviceable wide receiver.

{\"time\":1643942455981,\"strCount\":3931,\"blocks\":[{\"type\":\"paragraph\",\"data\":{\"text\":\"Joe Burrow didn't want to be a quarterback. When the Bengals star signal-caller started out in football as a third-grader, he reasoned that since there wasn't much passing at that level he'd get more action and contact as a running back or receiver.\"}},{\"type\":\"paragraph\",\"data\":{\"text\":\"\\\"I didn’t pick a quarterback,\\\" Burrow said Thursday. \\\"I got to my first pee-wee practice and the coach at the time, coach Sam Smathers — I still see him all the time when I go back home — he basically asked me if I wanted to be quarterback, and I said, 'No, not really.' But then he said 'Well, you’re gonna be quarterback. Too bad.'\\\"\"}},{\"type\":\"paragraph\",\"data\":{\"text\":\"Also read:&nbsp;<a href=\\\"https://opoyi.com/english/congress-pressures-nfl-commissioner-roger-goodell-to-release-washington-commanders-sexual-harassment-report\\\">NFL: Congress pressures Goodell to release Commanders sexual harassment report</a>\"}},{\"type\":\"paragraph\",\"data\":{\"text\":\"Smathers doesn't specifically recall forcing Burrow to be the quarterback in his Wing-T offense, but he might have. It was a no-brainer, though, especially after he found out that little Joey was the son of Jimmy Burrow, who was the then-defensive coordinator under Frank Solich at Ohio University.\"}},{\"type\":\"paragraph\",\"data\":{\"text\":\"Also read:&nbsp;<a href=\\\"https://opoyi.com/english/officials-urge-mask-wearing-for-fans-attending-super-bowl\\\">Officials urge mask-wearing for fans attending Super Bowl</a>\"}},{\"type\":\"paragraph\",\"data\":{\"text\":\"\\\"We had a couple other kids who were bigger and could play the position, but the knowledge and football IQ I noticed in him at that age was pretty amazing,\\\" said the 56-year-old Smathers, who lives across the street from the high school football field in Athens that has been renamed Joe Burrow Stadium. \\\"Then I found out who his dad was. Coming from a football family like that, I can understand where he's getting it.\\\"\"}},{\"type\":\"paragraph\",\"data\":{\"text\":\"Also read:&nbsp;<a href=\\\"https://opoyi.com/english/man-who-posed-as-tom-brady-in-super-bowl-ring-scam-pleads-guilty\\\">Man who posed as Tom Brady in Super Bowl ring scam pleads guilty</a>\"}},{\"type\":\"paragraph\",\"data\":{\"text\":\"\\\"He could remember the plays, the timing came easy with him, then we found out he could throw the ball really well,\\\" Smathers said. \\\"That's basically how it started — he had a good football IQ even in third grade.\\\"\"}},{\"type\":\"paragraph\",\"data\":{\"text\":\"Burrow grew up to lead Athens High School — 2 1/2 hours east of Cincinnati — to a state championship game in 2014, throwing six touchdown passes in a 56-52 loss to Toledo Central Catholic. He won the Heisman Trophy and national championship at LSU before becoming the top overall pick in the 2020 draft. In his second NFL season, he got the Bengals in the Super Bowl.\"}},{\"type\":\"paragraph\",\"data\":{\"text\":\"Also read:&nbsp;<a href=\\\"https://opoyi.com/english/nfl-why-washington-football-team-changed-their-name-to-commanders\\\">NFL: Why Washington Football Team changed their name to Commanders</a>\"}},{\"type\":\"paragraph\",\"data\":{\"text\":\"Unlike brothers Peyton and Eli Manning, Super Bowl winners who were groomed by their father Archie to be quarterbacks from the time they could pick up a football, the 25-year-old Burrow started out wanting to play a position that required more grit and contact. He loved defense, too, playing cornerback in high school as much as his protective coach would allow.\"}},{\"type\":\"paragraph\",\"data\":{\"text\":\"Also read:&nbsp;<a href=\\\"https://opoyi.com/english/nfl-old-school-dismissed-tom-brady-big-ben-and-the-end-of-an-era\\\">NFL Old school dismissed: Tom Brady, 'Big Ben' and the end of an era</a>\"}},{\"type\":\"paragraph\",\"data\":{\"text\":\"After going down with a horrific knee injury in his rookie season with the Bengals, Burrow regained his stride in 2021. He broke franchise records in completing better than 70% of his passes in the regular season for 4,611 yards and 34 touchdowns. He made critical plays in Cincinnati's three nail-biting playoff wins.\"}},{\"type\":\"paragraph\",\"data\":{\"text\":\"Also read:&nbsp;<a href=\\\"https://opoyi.com/english/nfl-brain-flores-opens-up-about-his-alleged-text-exchange-with-bill-belichick\\\">NFL: Brain Flores opens up about his alleged text exchange with Bill Belichick</a>\"}},{\"type\":\"paragraph\",\"data\":{\"text\":\"Bengals receiver Tyler Boyd said he's glad Burrow found his way to quarterback, but he thinks the Cincinnati star probably would have made a serviceable wide receiver.\"}}]}

Ajay Joseph

<ul>
  <li>Bengals receiver Tyler Boyd said he's glad Burrow found his way to quarterback</li>
  <li>The Cincinnati star probably would have made a serviceable wide receiver</li>
  <li>Smathers doesn't specifically recall forcing Burrow to be the quarterback in his Wing-T offense</li>
</ul>

Opoyi Central

NFL: Joe Burrow didn't want to be quarterback when starting youth football

Sports

World

Vaishnavi Vaidyanathan

The Cincinnati Bengals overcame an 18-point first half deficit to win the AFC title game 27-24. They will now play the winner of the NFC championship game between San Francisco 49ers and Los Angeles Rams in what will be their first Super Bowl in 33 years. ,Rookie Evan McPherson made a 31-yard field goal to win the game for the Bengals in the overtime. ,Also read: NFL: CBS' microphone issues in focus during Kansas City Chief vs Cincinnati Bengal AFC championship,“We’ve been a second-half team all year,” said Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow, who missed six games in his rookie season with a knee injury. ,“You don’t really want to be that way, but that’s kind of how it’s worked out. Our defense really stepped up in the second half and on offense we made plays when we had to. ... It was just a great overall team effort.”,Also read: Ashanti's mic cuts out during national athem, the entire stadium chips in | Watch,The Bengals (13-7) reached their third Super Bowl; they lost to the 49ers in 1982 and 1989. Kansas City (14-6) hosted its fourth straight AFC championship contest, and is 2-2 in those. The Chiefs won the NFL title two years ago. Burrow further added that he always dreamt of playing the Super Bowl game. ,It’s something I’m really proud of, being from Ohio... this is something I’ve always wanted: playing in the Super Bowl. The weirdest thing about this is that he’s completely calm while he says it. Maybe that’s the key to his success under unimaginable pressure, he added. ,Also read: Chiefs' fans want Mahomes’ fiancee, Brittany, to repeat champagne celebration | Watch,Cincinnati, winner of the AFC North, hadn’t won a postseason game since 1991 before beating Las Vegas, then earned a road victory in the playoffs for the first time in franchise history when it eliminated top-seeded Tennessee. The AFC West champion Chiefs routed Pittsburgh and then won a classic in overtime against Buffalo to get to their fourth consecutive conference title game. On Sunday, Burrow led them back and McPherson, making like a 10-year veteran, kicked four field goals in the game, including the winner after Vonn Bell's interception of Patrick Mahomes on the opening series of overtime got Cincinnati the ball. With inputs from the Associated Press

{\"time\":1643592890681,\"strCount\":2831,\"blocks\":[{\"type\":\"paragraph\",\"data\":{\"text\":\"The Cincinnati Bengals overcame an 18-point first half deficit to win the <a href=\\\"https://opoyi.com/english/nfl-cincinnati-bengals-upset-kansas-city-chiefs-advance-to-super-bowl\\\">AFC title game 27-24</a>. They will now play the winner of the NFC championship game between San Francisco 49ers and Los Angeles Rams in what will be their first Super Bowl in 33 years.&nbsp;\"}},{\"type\":\"paragraph\",\"data\":{\"text\":\"Rookie Evan McPherson made a 31-yard field goal to win the game for the Bengals in the overtime.&nbsp;\"}},{\"type\":\"paragraph\",\"data\":{\"text\":\"Also read:&nbsp;<a href=\\\"https://opoyi.com/english/nfl-cbs-microphone-issues-in-focus-during-kansas-city-chief-vs-cincinnati-bengal-afc-championship\\\">NFL: CBS' microphone issues in focus during Kansas City Chief vs Cincinnati Bengal AFC championship</a>\"}},{\"type\":\"paragraph\",\"data\":{\"text\":\"“We’ve been a second-half team all year,” said Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow, who missed six games in his rookie season with a knee injury. \"}},{\"type\":\"paragraph\",\"data\":{\"text\":\"“You don’t really want to be that way, but that’s kind of how it’s worked out. Our defense really stepped up in the second half and on offense we made plays when we had to. ... It was just a great overall team effort.”\"}},{\"type\":\"paragraph\",\"data\":{\"text\":\"Also read:&nbsp;<a href=\\\"https://opoyi.com/english/chiefs-vs-bengals-ashantis-mic-cuts-out-during-national-athem-the-entire-stadium-chips-in-watch\\\">Ashanti's mic cuts out during national athem, the entire stadium chips in | Watch</a>\"}},{\"type\":\"paragraph\",\"data\":{\"text\":\"The Bengals (13-7) reached their third Super Bowl; they lost to the 49ers in 1982 and 1989. Kansas City (14-6) hosted its fourth straight AFC championship contest, and is 2-2 in those. The Chiefs won the NFL title two years ago.\"}},{\"type\":\"paragraph\",\"data\":{\"text\":\"Burrow further added that he always dreamt of playing the Super Bowl game.&nbsp;\"}},{\"type\":\"paragraph\",\"data\":{\"text\":\"\\\"It’s something I’m really proud of, being from Ohio... this is something I’ve always wanted: playing in the Super Bowl. The weirdest thing about this is that he’s completely calm while he says it. Maybe that’s the key to his success under unimaginable pressure,\\\" he added.&nbsp;\"}},{\"type\":\"paragraph\",\"data\":{\"text\":\"Also read:&nbsp;<a href=\\\"https://opoyi.com/english/kansas-city-chiefs-fans-want-patrick-mahomes-fiancee-brittany-matthews-to-repeat-champagne-celebration\\\">Chiefs' fans want Mahomes’ fiancee, Brittany, to repeat champagne celebration | Watch</a>\"}},{\"type\":\"paragraph\",\"data\":{\"text\":\"Cincinnati, winner of the AFC North, hadn’t won a postseason game since 1991 before beating Las Vegas, then earned a road victory in the playoffs for the first time in franchise history when it eliminated top-seeded Tennessee. The AFC West champion Chiefs routed Pittsburgh and then won a classic in overtime against Buffalo to get to their fourth consecutive conference title game.\"}},{\"type\":\"paragraph\",\"data\":{\"text\":\"On Sunday, Burrow led them back and McPherson, making like a 10-year veteran, kicked four field goals in the game, including the winner after Vonn Bell's interception of Patrick Mahomes on the opening series of overtime got Cincinnati the ball.\"}},{\"type\":\"paragraph\",\"data\":{\"text\":\"<i>With inputs from the Associated Press</i>\"}}]}

<ul>
  <li>Cincinnati Bengals defeated the Kansas City Chiefs 27-24</li>
  <li>“We’ve been a second-half team all year,” said Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow</li>
  <li>The Bengals will play their first Super Bowl in 33 years</li>
</ul>

Bengals QB Joe Burrow says he 'always wanted to play the Super Bowl' after win vs Chiefs

CincinnatiBengals

KansasCityChiefs

AmericanFootball

UnitedStates

International

Kansas City, MO, USA

Cincinnati Bengals on Sunday defeated the Kansas City Chiefs 27-24 in overtime in AFC title game, to advance to their first Super Bowl in 33 years. They (13-7) will play the winner of the NFC championship between San Francisco and the Los Angeles Rams in the Super Bowl in Los Angeles on February 13 local time. ,Also read: Bengals QB Joe Burrow says he 'always wanted to play the Super Bowl' after win vs Chiefs,Mahomes and the Chiefs (14-6) will be left to lament blowing a chance at a third straight Super Bowl appearance. The Bengals covered up an 18-point first half deficit. ,It was Evan McPherson's 31-yard field gial with about 9:22 minutes left in overtime that sealed the game for the Bengals. After that QB Joe Burrow and co kept their cool keep possession and manage to secure a the AFC championship game. ,Also read: Ashanti's mic cuts out during national athem, the entire stadium chips in | Watch,Erasing the first-half deficit to take a late 24-21 lead, the Bengals were chanrging. But Harrison Butker’s 44-yard field goal as time expired in regulation sent it to overtime. One week after Buffalo’s Josh Allen called tails and it came up heads for the overtime coin toss — giving Patrick Mahomes and the Chiefs the ball — Cincinnati backup quarterback Brandon Allen called heads and the coin came up tails. The Chiefs opened overtime again with the ball, but Vonn Bell intercepted Mahomes on the third play, and Burrow and the Bengals took over. And now they're heading to the Super Bowl for the first time since 1989. Also read: Chiefs' fans want Mahomes’ fiancee, Brittany, to repeat champagne celebration | Watch,After the game, Bengals QB Joe Burrow said, “It’s something I’m really proud of, being from Ohio... this is something I’ve always wanted: playing in the Super Bowl. The weirdest thing about this is that he’s completely calm while he says it. Maybe that’s the key to his success under unimaginable pressure. “We have a special team. We’re not done yet, Bengals head coach Zac Taylor said.

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<ul>
  <li>Cincinnati Bengals defeated Kansas City Chiefs 27-24</li>
  <li>They will head to their first Super Bowl in 33 years</li>
  <li>The Bengals will play the inner of the NFC championship</li>
</ul>

#JoeBurrow