After Damar Hamlin’s cardiac arrest eventually led the NFL to cancel Bills-Bengals from last Monday night, a potential logjam at the top of the AFC saw Cincinnati draw the short straw in the new plan. While everyone made concessions in a proposal that could never be perfect considering the circumstances, the Bengals — the AFC North champions, mind you — were not guaranteed a home playoff game.
Were matters to break against a frustrated Joe Mixon and Co., a coin flip would actually determine whether the defending AFC champions would get to host a team — in this case, the Ravens — in their home digs.
After Mixon scored an early touchdown while the Bengals sent Baltimore an early statement on Sunday, he pulled a hidden coin out to celebrate. While gathered around by Bengals teammates, Mixon flipped the coin and kicked it away once it hit the turf.
I guess we really know how the Bengals feel about the NFL’s AFC playoff plan for them:
Mixon really had a coin in his glove 😂#BudLightCelly | @budlight pic.twitter.com/eg8evfvtsT
— Cincinnati Bengals (@Bengals) January 8, 2023
Mixon’s celebration and mocking of the NFL’s plan are fitting. If the Bengals beat the Ravens — and by early indications, it seems they’ll humiliate third-string Baltimore QB Anthony Brown — the proposed coin flip won’t even come into play. The Bengals would get their desired guaranteed home postseason game, at least in the Wild Card Round.
The statement from Mixon and the rest of the team makes it pretty clear they know they can control their destiny here.
NFL fans loved Mixon mocking the league's coin-flip home playoff game proposal for the Bengals
Joe Mixon with the Touchdown and the Coin Flip Celebration.
Perfect. 😂pic.twitter.com/VatHIy3hvy
— Cincinnati 💔 (@CincyProblems) January 8, 2023
Joe Mixon with the coin flip celly lol pic.twitter.com/ZfaJ7vsiZb
— alex (@highlghtheaven) January 8, 2023
This is a top-3 TD celebration this year. Joe Mixon showing how Bengals feel about the coin toss scenario — and with 17-0 lead it doesn’t look like they’ll have to worry about heads or tails today. pic.twitter.com/bJHhzUQXvq
— Cameron Wolfe (@CameronWolfe) January 8, 2023
Joe Mixon the first TD scorer busts out the coin flip celebration with a coin hidden in his glove, apparently.
Worth every penny if the NFL fines him
— Jake Liscow (@JakeLiscow) January 8, 2023
Joe Mixon really hid a coin in his glove for this TD celebration 💀
(via @Bengals)pic.twitter.com/ynxFQmfDb5
— FOX Sports: NFL (@NFLonFOX) January 8, 2023
Joe Mixon is a savage lol pic.twitter.com/LsB1VLghVr
— 🗣🎙‼️ (@LanceTHESPOKEN) January 8, 2023
Joe Mixon with the coin toss celebration is a classic!
Heads or Tails?
— Jason McCourty (@JasonMcCourty) January 8, 2023
Joe Mixon scores from a yard out, pulls a quarter out of his glove, and flips it cointoss-style 😂
Just like @ochocinco requested! pic.twitter.com/myGbMNSr87
— Caleb Noe (@CalebNoeTV) January 8, 2023
Joe Mixon playing with an actual coin in his glove 😆 worth whatever find the NFL gives them pic.twitter.com/DPGRoVRAin
— Clay Winstead (@ClayWinstead) January 8, 2023
Joe Mixon and the Bengals flip a coin for their TD celebration.
I see what you did there.
— Andrew Siciliano (@AndrewSiciliano) January 8, 2023
YES SIR https://t.co/IRYtb8e01O
— Grant E. Doepel (@GrantDoepel) January 8, 2023
This is fantastic https://t.co/lNzZmFfQu2
— Tim Benz (@TimBenzPGH) January 8, 2023
You guys did it. You actually did it!
I love this team! Who Dey! https://t.co/iVw0ocGOY4 pic.twitter.com/Bdjpb3J7IW
— Lee W. Mowen (@theleewmowen) January 8, 2023
Worth every coin. 🪙💰 https://t.co/081cyVO9gQ
— DocFlynn (@DocFlynnNFL) January 8, 2023
Iconic! https://t.co/0RbWJRN9WQ
— Anthony Sizemore (@ASizemore_21) January 8, 2023
