The Cincinnati Bengals are sitting pretty at 2-0, and it’s all thanks to a stunning shift in how their ownership built the roster this season. For years, folks like columnist Jason Williams in Cincinnati were calling out the Bengals for sticking to the same old playbook. Now, Williams is doing a complete 180, praising the Brown/Blackburn family for finally making a concerted effort to win.
From Critic to Cheerleader: The Brown/Blackburn Bet Pays Off
Williams, a long-time critic of Bengals ownership in the Cincinnati media, admits he sounds like a “homer” now. But he’s got a good reason: “change.” This season, ownership actually showed they mean business. They pulled off a trade for Dexter Lawrence and then shelled out a massive $125 million on defensive free agents. That’s a huge commitment, and it’s already paying dividends. This rebuilt defense has been a major factor in the Bengals’ perfect 2-0 start against teams many projected to make the playoffs. Williams believes it’s only right to praise them when they make warranted changes, just as he criticized them when they didn’t. This isn’t personal, it’s about holding public-facing institutions accountable.
Winning Isn’t Just Good, It’s Smart Business
This new “go-for-it” mentality from the Bengals should be the standard across the league. Winning ignites civic pride, remember that incredible Super Bowl run in 2021? It makes everyone feel better. Williams argues that winning and making money aren’t mutually exclusive. In fact, spending money can make money. Every sports franchise owner should see both as paramount. The Bengals ownership finally bought into this, realizing that continued penny-pinching would simply waste the generational talents of stars like Joe Burrow and Ja’Marr Chase. What a magnificent job by Mike Brown and kudos to Katie Blackburn for making this happen.
It’s a wild role reversal when you look at how the Bengals and Reds are operating. The Reds, a team beloved for decades, are now the ones unwilling to change. They’re refusing to sacrifice a certain profit margin for going all out to win. And honestly, their public relations under Phil Castellini’s leadership? It’s gotten really bad. It’s sad to see what they’ve become.
Now, the focus shifts to what’s next for the Bengals. They’ve laid the groundwork for a massive season. If Joe Burrow can just stay healthy, a deep playoff run could absolutely be in the cards this season. That’s what’s truly at stake for Cincinnati: proving this investment was worth every penny.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Yahoo Sports.
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