A fan wearing an Evan McPherson jersey won everyone in Paycor Stadium a free pizza after kicking a 40-yard field goal.
The man, who hasn’t been identified, was taking part in the Bengals’ "Slice the Uprights" field goal challenge that gives fans the chance to win free pizza. A successful attempt from the 10-yard line gives the kicker free pizza for a year, and a successful attempt from the 30-yard line gives the entire stadium a free slice.
But fans on Sunday had more than just pizza to celebrate about.
Joe Burrow went 23-of-30 for 252 yards and three touchdowns to beat the Cleveland Browns, 24-6, and keep their playoff hopes alive. Ja'Marr Chase had six catches for 97 yards and one touchdown to bring his total yardage to 1,510 this season, breaking the franchise record of 1,455 he set in 2021.
Kicker Cade York, who took the place of an injured McPherson this month, also set a record with his second-quarter 59-yard field goal. He tied the franchise record McPherson set in 2022.
The Bengals improved to 7-8 and move on to host the Denver Broncos next.
Cincinnati Bengals running back Chase Brown scored against the Dallas Cowboys at AT&T Stadium two weeks ago and celebrated as any NFL athlete would – he jumped into The Salvation Army kettle.
Brown’s 19-yard touchdown pass from Joe Burrow put the Bengals up 14-10 in the second quarter. Cincinnati defeated Dallas 27–20 thanks to a Burrow touchdown pass to Ja’Marr Chase with nearly one minute left in the game.
Earlier this week, Brown learned the hard way the consequences of his celebration, even if it did draw attention to The Salvation Army – which has worked with the Cowboys for more than three decades on various initiatives. He was fined $5,000.
"I'm appealing it tomorrow," he said on The Athletic’s "Scoop City" podcast on Tuesday. "I would rather like cut it in half, and then we just donate it to The Salvation Army. They're (the kettles) in every corner (of the field), there's four like it's bait. That's bait, we're getting set up."
Dallas Cowboys players Dak Prescott, Ezekiel Elliott, Dalton Schultz, Jake Ferguson, Peyton Hendershot and Sean McKeon have all been fined in recent years for using the kettle as a celebration prop.
Tennessee Titans quarterback Will Levis had a tough outing against the Cincinnati Bengals on Sunday, and fans added a little insult to injury as well.
Levis was benched in the third quarter after he threw the third interception of his day to Bengals safety Geno Stone. The defensive back ran it back for a touchdown to essentially put the game out of reach for Tennessee. Mason Rudolph finished the game at quarterback.
The second-year quarterback was 8-of-12 for 89 yards. He had three interceptions. Tennessee lost the game 37-27 and dropped to 3-11 on the year.
To make matters worse, fans noted that Levis’ ex-girlfriend Gia Duddy was at Nissan Stadium to take in the game. Duddy was tagged in Instagram photos with some friends. She wore a Titans jacket.
Duddy gained notoriety in April 2023 as she sat with Levis in the NFL Draft green room as he waited for his name to be called. It never happened in the first round, though the Titans pulled the trigger in the second round with the 33rd overall pick on the gunslinger out of Kentucky.
As Levis was set to begin his rookie year, Barstool Sports’ "Pardon My Take" reported the couple broke things off after three years together.
Duddy, a social media influencer, moved to Nashville prior to the start of the 2023 season.
Levis has 1,916 passing yards, 12 touchdown passes and 12 interceptions in 11 starts this season. But with the Titans only winning two games with him as the starter, the experiment may be over.
The Cincinnati Bengals are solely focused on winning out the rest of the season with the hope of sneaking into the playoffs.
However, the reality for star wide receiver Tee Higgins is that he will be a free agent no matter how the season shakes out for Cincinnati, begging the question of whether he finds a home elsewhere or stays put.
That has been a topic hanging over the Bengals’ heads all season long, and it is something quarterback Joe Burrow and fellow receiver Ja’Marr Chase have both commented on.
Burrow said he would be "very disappointed" to see Higgins playing for another team, and Chase reiterated that point before the win over the Tennessee Titans this weekend.
"Yeah, 100%, I feel like he deserves to be here," Chase told reporters about Higgins. "He wants to be here, but at the end of the day, that’s not in my control. I just hope the best for him. I hope he can stay. We keep this going."
Chase added that Higgins is a missing piece to this successful offensive trio if he leaves, saying "we have built chemistry this long, chemistry with Joe, so the chemistry is there already."
So, how does Higgins feel about hearing his teammates sticking up for him with this contract negotiation process on the horizon?
"Man, it means a lot," Higgins told Fox News Digital while helping give out bikes to kids at the Boys and Girls Club of Greater Cincinnati with Raising Cane’s. "It shows those guys got mad love for me, and I’m an asset to this team. I really appreciate them."
Bengals fans obviously understand the impact that Higgins makes, and like Chase said, the ability to run it back with the same trio helps the team’s chances at having a better year than they have in 2025.
That feeling picked up steam when Higgins moved on from agent David Mulugheta to sign with Rocky Arceneaux – the same agent who represents Chase. Chase is also looking to cash in on a new contract as he is set to play on his fifth-year option in 2025.
However, will Cincinnati want to pay both Chase and Higgins, the latter of which has a $18.3 million market value, while the former can possibly be the highest-paid receiver when he signs a new deal as well?
In just nine games this season – as Higgins has battled some injuries – he has 669 yards on 50 catches with six touchdowns.
Albeit a down year by his standards in 2023, the 25-year-old has two 1,000-yard seasons with 30 total touchdowns over five seasons.
Tennessee Titans defensive tackle T’Vondre Sweat went viral on Sunday for his run back during a fumble recovery against the Cincinnati Bengals.
Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow was trying to go down for a sack in the second quarter when he was hit and the ball was knocked out of his arms before he hit the ground. Sweat recovered the fumble and started to turn up the field.
Sweat, who is 6-foot-4 and 366 pounds, was met by Bengals offensive lineman Alex Cappa and he hit him with a vicious stiff arm. Sweat returned the fumble 30 yards and set Tennessee up at their own 41-yard line.
Unfortunately, Titans quarterback Will Levis turned the ball over with a fumble of his own on the team’s next possession. It led to a touchdown pass from Burrow to defensive end Sam Hubbard and tied the game at 14 apiece with 5:13 to go in the first half.
It was the first fumble recovery of the defensive lineman’s career.
Sweat’s play was the talk of the NFL world.
The Titans selected Sweat in the second round of the 2024 draft out of Texas. He’s now played in 14 games for the Titans this season. He had 38 tackles, one sack and a pass breakup going into the matchup against the Bengals.
"So obviously everybody has heard what has happened. I feel like my privacy has been violated in more ways than one. And way more is already out there than I would want out there and that I care to share, so that's all I got to say about that," Burrow began.
"We live a public life, and one of my least favorite parts of that is the lack of privacy. And that has been difficult for me to deal with my entire career. Still learning. But I understand it's the life that we choose. Doesn't make it any easier to deal with."
The league cautioned players to be on high alert after homes were hit last month that were believed to be tied to international organized crime.
NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero reported last month that the FBI is investigating the crime spree, "which is believed to be tied to a South American crime syndicate."
According to the report, at least one other NFL player had his home burglarized.
In the memo, the league also urged players to take precautions, including installing home security systems. They were also encouraged not to post images of expensive items or live updates of their comings and goings on social media.
Fox News' Scott Thompson contributed to this report.
While Joe Burrow was helping the Cincinnati Bengals snap their losing streak on "Monday Night Football," his home was reportedly broken into.
According to WLWT, a Cincinnati-based TV station, police were called to Burrow's home in the area after a report of a break-in.
"Someone is trying to break into the house right now," a woman who called 911 said to the operator, per WLWT. "My daughter is there. This is Joe Burrow's house. She is staying there. He's at the football game. She's wondering what she should do, if she should be hiding or if she should go outside."
The report adds that the woman's daughter also called 911 saying someone broke in.
This reported break-in comes after the NFL recently sent out a memo following burglaries at the homes of Kansas City Chiefs stars Patrick Mahomes and Travis Kelce.
The league cautioned players to be on high alert after homes were hit last month that were believed to be tied to international organized crime.
The Associated Press obtained the memo, which warned that professional athletes in different sports have become "increasingly targeted for burglaries by organized and skilled groups."
NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero reported last month that the FBI is investigating the crime spree, "which is believed to be tied to a South American crime syndicate." According to the report, at least one other NFL player had his home burglarized as well.
In the memo, the league also urged players to take special precautions, including installing home security systems. They were also encouraged not to post live updates of their comings and going on social media, as well as expensive items.
Burrow did recently reveal on HBO's "Hard Knocks" that he purchased a replica Batmobile, which is worth $3 million. He said he had to wait a year before the vehicle was given to him, but after signing a $275 million extension last year, Burrow can certainly afford many other things that may be in his home.
What is unavoidable, though, is the fact that thieves know professional athletes' exact schedules, which was seen during the Mahomes and Kelce break-ins.
Mahomes' house in Belton, Missouri, was reportedly broken into just after midnight on Oct. 6, and Kelce's Leawood, Kansas mansion was hit on Oct. 7 – the same day the Chiefs were playing the New Orleans Saints on "Monday Night Football."
"Obviously, it’s frustrating, disappointing," Mahomes said last month when talking about the break-in. "I can’t get into too many of the details because the investigation is still ongoing, but, obviously, it’s something that you don’t want to happen to really anybody, but obviously yourself."
It's unknown if anything was stolen from Burrow's home at the moment.
New Cincinnati Bengals kicker Cade York made headlines before his debut with the team on Monday, when he revealed that his girlfriend, Zoe Dale, was a cheerleader for the Dallas Cowboys.
York, who took the place of an injured Evan McPherson, told reporters Friday that despite her allegiance to the Cowboys, Dale would be cheering for him.
That is exactly what she did when he made his first extra point attempt at AT&T Stadium on Monday night.
Late in the first quarter, York lined up for his first extra point of the game that would tie the score at 7-7. With a successful kick, ESPN’s broadcast captured Dale’s heartwarming reaction.
York, 23, said last week that he got the call from the Bengals a day after his girlfriend was baptized.
"I was like ‘Well, Zoe, I will see you at home no matter what.’ So yeah, it’s pretty cool."
York was 2-2 on field goals and 3-3 on extra kicks.
A botched blocked punt gave the ball back to the Bengals late in the fourth quarter, and Joe Burrow’s 40-yard touchdown pass to Ja'Marr Chase gave the Bengals a much-needed win over the Cowboys after losing three straight.
"We needed a break," Burrow said after the game. "We haven’t got many this year, but it was nice to get that one and nice to come out of this with a win."
The Cincinnati Bengals have had some crushing defeats this season, but something finally went their way to cash a 27-20 win over the Dallas Cowboys on "Monday Night Football."
The Bengals snapped a three-game losing streak, moving to 5-8 on the season. Meanwhile, the Cowboys’ win streak of two games comes to a halt and they are also 5-8 on the year.
At the two-minute warning, the Bengals were in their own zone after a potential game-winning drive went awry. Facing fourth-and-27, they had no choice but to punt, and things got much worse when Cal Adomitis blocked the punt which should’ve given the Cowboys perfect field position to take the lead late in the game.
Then, that big Bengals break came for Zac Taylor’s squad.
Amani Oruwariye thought it was smart to try and recover the bouncing ball as it was making its way downfield, but he was unable to field it cleanly.
Since it touched Oruwariye, the Bengals could recover and regain possession, and that’s exactly what happened as Maema Njongmeta fell on the ball at the Cincinnati 43-yard line to give Joe Burrow and his crew another shot at taking the lead.
Just three plays later, Burrow found ol’ reliable, Ja’Marr Chase, on a short pass where he made a Cowboys' cornerback miss, and he was off to the races for a 40-yard touchdown to make it 27-20 after the extra point.
That capped another "Monday Night Football" highlight reel for Chase, who finished the game with 177 yards on 14 catches with two touchdowns, which also included the first for the Bengals on the night.
Cooper Rush and the Cowboys did have enough time to move downfield for a potential game-tying drive. But on fourth-and-7 near midfield, Rush overshot Jake Ferguson and the ball hit the turf, sealing Dallas’ fate as a loss.
CeeDee Lamb, who scored the game’s first touchdown and had 93 yards on six catches, was jumping up and down because he was wide open in the middle of the field. Rush didn’t see him, and thus the result.
Burrow’s night was another spectacular one, as he went 33-for-44 for 369 yards with three touchdowns – the other a catch-and-run by running back Chase Brown in the first half – as well as an interception.
For the Cowboys, a positive trend continued for Rico Dowdle despite the loss, as the young running back rushed for a game-high 131 yards on just 18 carries. Since taking over the lead role in the backfield, Dowdle has really turned it on late in the season.
Both of these teams might not be in playoff position with four games remaining, but a primetime thriller was seen at AT&T Stadium where the Bengals finally tasted victory again.
The new Cincinnati Bengals kicker will be sharing the sideline with his girlfriend this upcoming Monday night.
Cade York was signed to the practice squad on Wednesday after veteran Evan McPherson was placed on injured reserve with a groin injury. York, who played alongside Joe Burrow and Ja’Marr Chase at LSU when the Tigers won the national championship in 2019, will make his debut for the team on Monday night against the Dallas Cowboys.
However, there is another familiar face he will share the field with.
"My girlfriend is actually a cheerleader for the Cowboys," York told reporters in the locker room on Thursday.
"She got baptized this Sunday. So it was awesome getting to do that, and all her teammates got to come watch and, literally, the next day I get a call that I’m going to work out for the Bengals, and they’re playing on Monday.
"I was like ‘Well, Zoe, I will see you at home no matter what.’ So yeah, it’s pretty cool."
According to her Instagram, Zoe Dale has been a Dallas Cowboys cheerleader since July 2023.
"I am so unbelievably humbled to announce that I am a Dallas Cowboys Cheerleader," she wrote in a post at the time. "Thank you to everyone who has helped, encouraged, and supported me during this journey. I am blessed to be a part of such a prestigious organization that withholds such iconic history.
"Without the support of my family, friends, and the Lord, I wouldn’t have been able to accomplish this by myself. I am ever so grateful for what God has provided and the women he has brought into my life. Thank you for the countless prayers, thoughts, and love during this process."
York, who last played this season for the Washington Commanders in Week 1, said despite her allegiance to the Cowboys organization, "She’s gonna be cheering for me."
"She’s already told me second quarter and fourth quarter is when she’s on the visitor side. I’ll have to sneak her a couple of smiles," York added with a smile.
York, 23, was traded to the Commanders in August but cut after missing two field goals in Washington’s season opening loss to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
Batman was always trying to keep his real identity as Bruce Wayne a secret.
Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow, who told teammates on HBO's "Hard Knocks" he bought a $3 million replica Batmobile, is being similarly secretive.
On Thursday, Burrow was asked if he really purchased the Batmobile from Wayne Enterprises Experiences, a $2.99 million replica known as "The Tumbler," from Christopher Nolan's Dark Knight films.
There was a lengthy pause as Burrow scanned the room.
"That's the answer you get," Burrow said. Everyone, including the signal-caller, started to laugh.
Burrow knows the clip of him talking to receivers Ja'Marr Chase and Tee Higgins about the purchase has gone viral since the debut episode of the HBO series, which is following the AFC North division teams through the final weeks of the regular season.
Much like Wayne, he'll deny until proven otherwise, even if he revealed the news himself.
Burrow told Chase and Higgins he has to wait a year before he can get into the driver’s seat of the replica vehicle, which is only one of 10 in existence.
It’s a fully functional Batmobile, which comes equipped with a 525-horsepower engine from General Motors, a smokescreen delivery system, imitation gun turrets and a jet engine simulation, though Burrow won't be like Bruce Wayne with the flames coming out of the exhaust.
Burrow even noted that, since he went all-in with this purchase, he should probably get "the expensive Batsuit" to go with it.
Burrow has the money to splurge on a $3 million replica Batmobile after signing his $275 million extension before the 2023 season. He received a $40 million signing bonus with $219 million guaranteed to remain Cincinnati's franchise quarterback.
Joe Burrow is one of the highest-paid quarterbacks in the NFL after receiving a then-record extension last year, and he found a pretty cool way to spend a few of those millions.
The Cincinnati Bengals signal caller revealed on HBO's "Hard Knocks" that he purchased a Batmobile — yes, Batman's signature ride.
"Have I told you I bought a Batmobile?" Burrow told receivers Ja'Marr Chase and Tee Higgins during practice. "I don't get it for like a year, but I bought one."
Only 10 officially licensed and fully functional Batmobiles have been made by Wayne Enterprises Experiences, per ESPN, and Burrow made the purchase worth $2.99 million.
For that price tag, the replica vehicle comes equipped with a 525-horsepower engine from General Motors, a smokescreen delivery system, imitation gun turrets and a jet engine simulation, though Burrow won't be like Bruce Wayne with the flames coming out of the exhaust.
The purchase of this extremely rare vehicle led Burrow to tell Chase and Higgins that he thinks he needs to go all in.
"I think I gotta go all in and go for like the expensive catsuit," Burrow said.
His receivers agreed, as they playfully acted like they had the Batman cap on while laughing over the thought.
Burrow can certainly splurge on a $3 million replica Batmobile after signing his $275 million extension before the 2023 season. He received a $40 million signing bonus with $219 million guaranteed to remain Cincinnati's franchise quarterback for years to come.
However, despite a great 2024 season personally on the stat sheet, the Bengals have been more than frustrated with their 4-8 record, losing close game after close game, which was on full display on "Hard Knocks."
The first episode of the in-season series covered the entire AFC North division, showing behind-the-scenes footage from the Bengals, Pittsburgh Steelers, Baltimore Ravens and Cleveland Browns as they each try to finish the year strong.
The Bengals and Steelers were pitted against each other last week in Cincinnati, where Pittsburgh picked up the road win, which moved their rival's losing streak to three straight games.
Burrow described the season in one word as "frustrating" during an interview on the show, as he's currently producing at his best rate with a league-lead in passing yards (3,337) and passing touchdowns (30) with only five interceptions thrown. His 107.4 quarterback rating ranks fourth in the league among qualified players as well.
The Pittsburgh Steelers don’t know anything about losing records – at least for the last 21 seasons.
Russell Wilson threw for 414 yards and three touchdowns as the Steelers defeated the Cincinnati Bengals 44-38 to wrap up their ninth win of the season. The ninth win guaranteed the Steelers will finish above .500.
It’s the 21st straight season the Steelers have finished at or above the .500 mark, tying an NFL record with the Dallas Cowboys. It’s the 18th consecutive season they’ve had a winning year under head coach Mike Tomlin. The other three were under Pro Football Hall of Famer Bill Cowher.
Tom Landry led the Cowboys to 21 straight non-losing seasons from 1965 to 1985.
Tomlin has been the head coach of the Steelers since the 2007 season. He has one Super Bowl title on his resume. He is 182-103-2 all-time.
"I thought our group smiled in the face of it, particularly [quarterback Russell Wilson]," Tomlin said after the game. "It's the first time for him going through AFC North football, and I thought he acclimated himself to it well today. He put himself squarely in the history of this series with that performance today."
The last time the Steelers finished with a losing record was in 2003 when they were 6-10 with Tommy Maddox at quarterback. The team drafted Ben Roethlisberger in the following draft and their bruising defense helped the team to a 15-1 season in 2004. They won the Super Bowl under Cowher in 2005.
With Pittsburgh’s win over Cincinnati, the Steelers took a commanding lead in the AFC North. The Baltimore Ravens fell to the Philadelphia Eagles and will move at least one game behind the Steelers in the win column.
The podcast brought up a video of Johnson discussing the remedy from a podcast in 2016.
"You know what I did for ankle sprains?" the former wide receiver said at the time. "I would collect warm urine from my teammates, heat it up and put my ankle in it for 30 minutes."
"There's a reason I never been injured — home remedies," he said, admitting there was no "science" behind it. I'm sitting here living proof."
Johnson said his grandmother told him about the secret sauce, and, apparently, it was pretty easy to convince his teammates to help.
"It's a good thing. This is how I was able to collect it all at one time, right? You got team meetings in the morning, right? Everybody. 'Hey y'all, boy, do me a favor, boy. My ankle kind of f---ed up, I need you to all y'all to drink water at one time. So, when we break meeting, if y'all pee it's a bucket in the bathroom.' Boom. Y'all all peeing that bucket for me."
"Ochocinco" was a six-time Pro Bowler and had seven 1,000-yard seasons. He retired with 766 catches (41st all-time), 11,059 yards (38th) and 67 touchdowns (T-56th). The 46-year-old has been eligible for Canton since 2017 but has yet to receive the call.
For the first time in league history, the NFL is flexing a "Thursday Night Football" game.
The Cleveland Browns and Cincinnati Bengals were scheduled to play the Thursday night game during Week 16, but the NFL is replacing that matchup with the Denver Broncos and the Los Angeles Chargers.
The change is unprecedented because of how drastically different team preparation is between a Thursday and Sunday game.
Teams and players generally don’t like playing on Thursday because of a lack of recovery time and preparation can lead to injuries.
The Browns defeated the Pittsburgh Steelers 24-19 Thursday to improve to 3-8 and are closer to the No. 1 overall pick in the 2025 NFL Draft than playoff contention.
The Bengals, despite Joe Burrow and Ja’Marr Chase playing well, are 4-7 and have an uphill climb to make the playoffs.
The Chargers (7-3) and Broncos (6-5) both occupy playoff spots in the AFC and their Week 16 matchup could be pivotal for determining seeding, not to mention better ratings for the NFL.
The Indianapolis Colts (5-6) and Miami Dolphins (4-6) are on the outside looking in.
The Chargers will be home for the Thursday night matchup against the Broncos Dec.19. Both teams are home the prior week, potentially another reason the NFL made the schedule change.
