With the AFC championship matchup set, Cincinnati Bengals fans find themselves in a tough spot.
On one side of the conference championship are the Baltimore Ravens, an AFC North rival and one of three from the division to make the playoffs this year and actually pick up a win.
On the other side is Patrick Mahomes and the Kansas City Chiefs, arguably Cincinnati’s biggest outright rival of the Joe Burrow era and one of the league’s overall better rivalries right now.
Once the matchup became official, Bengals fans got to debating whether they should root for Lamar Jackson and the Ravens, Travis Kelce and the Chiefs — or nobody at all.
Bengals fans chiefs fans let's unite and hate on the ravens https://t.co/7A2W21Tj79 pic.twitter.com/qvDhtK8b5O
— Blake yerian (@BlakeYerian) January 22, 2024
Welp, #Bengals fans, four choices left:
Chiefs: 🗡️🗡️💀
Ravens: 🤮🤮🐦⬛
49ers: 💔💔⛏️
Lions: Here we go.🦁 pic.twitter.com/OcrZLQvjDx— Brian (🍊 cool move here 🕶️) Wedig (@Brian_Wedig) January 22, 2024
i have no words for any Bengals fan rooting for the Ravens. its not a difficult concept to grasp why we should be rooting for the Chiefs to beat them
— Jay (@MoJoJoJeaux) January 22, 2024
Can we please stop with this whole “ if you’re rooting for the Ravens you’re not a true #Bengals fan & you’re an idiot “ this is so ignorant. Maybe we just don’t want the Chiefs to win. Anyway have a great day. Who Dey
— Ava (@AvaCincy) January 22, 2024
Any Bengals fan that is rooting for the ravens, isn’t a real Bengals fan. I’m also not rooting for the chiefs. I’m a Bengals fan, I root for the #Bengals https://t.co/EHiYvaVVBX
— kinsey (@TigressTakes) January 23, 2024
This a bar. Don’t like the chiefs simply cuz they’ve been the team to beat. Ravens hate is deep. I can tell a lot of y’all wasn’t in the early spaces with the Ravens fans. They have zero respect for the Bengals or their fans. 90% of the talking points and hate come from them https://t.co/z8SOfkjqul
— Honcho Da Menace (@Honcho_WhoDey) January 22, 2024
As Bengals fans we are rooting for chiefs over ravens right?
— Adeleke Ademuyewo (@longliveleke) January 22, 2024
The one thing that a #Chiefs victory on Saturday might give #Bengals fans is the satisfaction that Joe Burrow remains the only QB not named Tom Brady to beat Patrick Mahomes in the playoffs. It’s a Pyrrhic victory, to be sure, but #Ravens fans would hate that point.
— Erik (@egveitikkje) January 23, 2024
Y’all can say whatever you want.
The Ravens winning benefits the Bengals much more than the chiefs winning.
I don’t want either team to win in the bowl, don’t get me wrong, but I’m tired of seeing Patrick Mahomes miraculously pull off wins.
Lamar and the Ravens earned it… https://t.co/IK6Uoi6tLI
— The Nati King (@thenatiking) January 22, 2024
Low key kinda rooting for the ravens to smoke the chiefs
— BengalsHead (@BengalsHead) January 22, 2024
True Bengals fans root against the Chiefs. I have respect for the Ravens, I have zero for the Chiefs https://t.co/A9S7DLVe6K
— Chris McCandless Burner Account (@MinzeSabine) January 22, 2024
Y’all can just watch the game without explaining your rooting interests. It’s gonna be okay 😂
— Taryn (@TarynST86) January 24, 2024