Cincinnati players declare Ohio should belong to Bengals, not Browns

The winds of change may be blowing as it pertains to NFL fan bases in Ohio. 

"If people want to root for (the Cleveland Browns), it is what it is," quarterback Joe Burrow confidently said after he and the Cincinnati Bengals defeated the Browns 23-10 on Sunday afternoon, per Jimmy Watkins of the Cleveland Plain Dealer. "We love our fans. If you want to come on over, you can hop on the bandwagon." 

The Browns beat the rival Pittsburgh Steelers in a playoff game that occurred in January 2021. Following that contest, Cleveland endured a rough 2021 season, while Burrow and the Bengals booked a trip to Super Bowl LVI but then fell to the Los Angeles Rams in that championship game. 

Currently, 9-4 Cincinnati and the 9-4 Baltimore Ravens are mathematically tied atop the AFC North standings (the Ravens beat the Bengals in October). The 5-8 Browns need a small miracle to participate in even the wild-card round of the upcoming postseason tournament. 

Bengals cornerback Eli Apple poked fun at Cleveland's woeful football history over the past five decades when he declared the Bengals are already altering allegiances throughout Ohio. 

"When’s the last time the Browns won the AFC Championship? OK," Apple said. 

For those wondering, Emily Iannaconi pointed out for NBC Sports this past February that the Browns are one of four franchises that have never played in a Super Bowl (along with the Jacksonville Jaguars, Detroit Lions, and Houston Texans). 

"We’ve got all the cool stuff that people want," Bengals safety Jessie Bates added about a Cincinnati team that is filled with talent and that has six former members of the Ohio State Buckeyes on the roster. Linebacker Germaine Pratt remarked that "everybody’s gonna want to jump on the bandwagon of the team that’s winning." 

The Bengals, along with their potentially growing bandwagon, will next hit the road to play at the 6-7 Tampa Bay Buccaneers this Sunday. Cincinnati will be looking to Cleveland for some help when the Browns host none other than the Ravens on Saturday afternoon.