Zac Taylor Endears Himself to Cincinnati Fans With Playoff Ritual

Zac Taylor Endears Himself to Cincinnati Fans With Playoff Ritual

Bengals coach Zac Taylor is carrying on a tradition he began last postseason in Cincinnati.

When the Bengals win a playoff game, Taylor personally delivers game balls to different establishments throughout the city that have supported the team.

So after the Bengals’ 24–17 wild-card win over the Ravens on Sunday night, Taylor made sure to deliver game balls the same night. He wrote the date and score on each ball, along with the message of “They gotta play us!”

After the game, Taylor admitted that the “tradition is never going to die,” so as long as the Bengals keep winning in the postseason, Cincinnati fans apparently can expect to see the coach show up at a few bars after a game.

Taylor arrived at a bar called Blind Pig on Sunday night, and the crowd of Bengals fans went absolutely wild. 

“We appreciate it,” Taylor said into a microphone. “You’re the best fans in the whole world. Another playoff win, the first of many.”

The Bengals face the Bills on Sunday afternoon at 3 p.m. ET in a divisional playoff matchup. If the Bengals can win in Buffalo, Cincinnati fans apparently can expect Taylor to pass out more game balls when the team returns home.

Jimm Sallivan