The prodigal son delivered on his promise to revive Cincinnati Bengals football! The first Super Bowl appearance in nearly 35 years. The first postseason appearance in five years. And two road wins over the top two teams in the AFC just to get there!
- Max Ogden
FanSided Contributor Sourcing Specialist
What emotion defined this fandom this year?
Relief. The Cincinnati Bengals defeated the Houston Oilers in the Wild Card round of the 1990 NFL Playoffs. Fast forward 31 years and the Bengals had failed to secure a single playoff win. As someone in their early 30s, I have spent my entire life holding on to stories of teams that I wasn't even alive to witness. The only form of hope I had was the optimism that something would change. Enter Joe Burrow. In just his second season in the NFL, Burrow not only ended the drought, but led Cincinnati to the Super Bowl for the first time since the 1988 season. Decades of heartbreak suddenly paid off as Burrow grew into the leader that the franchise had dreamed of him becoming years down the line. A prodigal start for the Ohio native led to the long-awaited alleviation of the burden of heartbreak.
Best fan moment of the year
Reaching the Super Bowl is no small feat for any franchise, but for a fanbase that hadn't seen their team reach the big game in over 30 years, there truly is nothing that compares to it. Watching Joe Burrow lead the Bengals back from a 21-3 deficit against the Kansas City Chiefs in the AFC Championship Game was one of the greatest sports moments of my life. Burrow to Tee Higgins, Joe Mixon for first downs, and Evan McPherson kicking a 31-yard field goal to the ages. A drive and moment that I will hold on to for the rest of my life.