CB Mike Hilton: Bengals out to prove Super Bowl run was no 'fluke'

In the eyes of many, the 2021 NFL season produced surprising results throughout the AFC North. 

Injuries crushed the Baltimore Ravens after they began the campaign at 8-3. The Cleveland Browns failed to meet expectations and have since replaced quarterback Baker Mayfield with Deshaun Watson. The Pittsburgh Steelers put the closing touches on the Ben Roethlisberger era. 

Meanwhile, the Cincinnati Bengals clinched the division crown and then notched three straight victories to earn a berth in Super Bowl LVI, where they lost to the Los Angeles Rams. Before this past January, the Bengals hadn't won a playoff game since 1991, and cornerback Mike Hilton explained he and his teammates are looking to change the team's reputation. 

"Because it's the Bengals -- point-blank, period," Hilton responded when asked why some may doubt Cincinnati's ability to contend for a title during the 2022 season, per Ben Baby of ESPN. "When you think of the Bengals, you're like, 'Oh, the Bengals,' you know? But now, with this group of guys that we have and the coaches that we have, we're really turning this organization around. And we're just trying to get the respect we deserve. When people call it a fluke, we just smile and take it on. We're ready to go out there and prove it again."

Bryan DeArdo noted for CBS Sports that only eight teams in NFL history have played on Super Bowl Sunday after losing the title game the previous season. The 2018 New England Patriots were the last squad to achieve that feat and also hoisted the Vince Lombardi Trophy in February 2019.