The Cincinnati Bengals‘ divisional round win over the Buffalo Bills on Sunday put them one win away from reaching their second straight Super Bowl, and just like the team’s four playoff wins over the past two seasons, head coach Zac Taylor and some players hand-delivered game balls to local Cincinnati bars.
Fresh off the return trip from Buffalo late Sunday night, Taylor appeared at popular sports bar Rhinehaus with a ball, jumped on a barstool and immediately launched into a speech in the midst of jubilant “Who Dey” chants.
“Whatever you’re wearing right now, same bar, next Sunday,” Taylor said to loud cheers.
Meanwhile, offensive linemen Ted Karras and Cordell Volson — fresh off anchoring a dominant performance from their unit in Buffalo despite missing three starters — delivered a game ball to Oak Tavern.
“I spent my first night ever out in Cincy right here at the Oak Tavern,” Karras said. “We have a chance to punch our ticket to the Super Bowl next week — we’re going to get it done.”
Taylor and the Bengals started the tradition during their run to the Super Bowl last season, and continued it this year after their win over the Baltimore Ravens in the wild-card round.
Taylor told reporters last week that the Bengals are expanding their game ball outreach program this year to some bars outside the Cincinnati area, and that he plans for the custom to keep going.
“That tradition is never going to die,” Taylor said.
The Bengals will play the Chiefs in Kansas City in the AFC Championship for the second straight season. The winner of Bengals-Chiefs will face the winner of the NFC Championship between the 49ers and Eagles in the Super Bowl, Feb. 12,, on FOX and the FOX Sports App.
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