Cincinnati Bengals players were adamant for two weeks that they wouldn’t succumb to distractions at the Super Bowl out in California.
By all appearances that has remained true, to the point Ja’Marr Chase was publicly showcasing some superstitions and he and Joe Burrow received major awards via telecast.
But if for some reason the sheer motivation of playing in the Super Bowl wasn’t enough to keep players away from distractions, it would appear head coach Zac Taylor has thrown an assist out, too.
Safety Jessie Bates told reporters that Taylor has offered to buy his guys a flight to Los Angeles if they win the Super Bowl, per NFL Network’s Aditi Kinkhabwala:
The #Bengals keep being asked about staying safe and not being tempted to enjoy the social fun of LA. Captain and safety Jessie Bates says Zac Taylor has actually offered a bribe: "Coach Taylor said he’ll buy us a flight to LA after we win this whole thing."
!!#SuperBowl— Aditi Kinkhabwala (@AKinkhabwala) February 10, 2022
Not a bad way to sprinkle in some extra incentive, right? Presumably, the Burrow-led locker room knows that Los Angeles will always be there — a shot at a Lombardi could be a one-time thing.
