[US, Mexico & Canada customers only] Sep 26, 2025; Bethpage, New York, USA; Former basketball player Michael Jordan watches during the four-balls on the first day of competition for the Ryder Cup at Bethpage Black. Mandatory Credit: Paul Childs-Reuters via Imagn Images Paul Childs-Reuters via Imagn Images

NBA Legend Revealed as Former Bengals Fan

Originally posted on Cincinnati Bengals on SI
By Russell Heltman | Last updated Oct 16, 2025 1:49 PM ET

The greatest basketball player of all time was once a Bengals fan. NBC football analyst Cris Collinsworth was on Up & Adams this week and revealed that NBA legend Michael Jordan grew up a Bengals fan in the late 1970s and early 80s.

Jordan is about to become an NBA analyst for NBC and is now a colleague of Collinsworth's, whom he watched play on those Bengals teams.

"We're at NBC, and we just played his golf course," Collinsworth said on the show. "And so we're there, and Mike was there, and all the brass from NBC is, you know, literally begging him to try and come work for NBC. So I went up and just sat down. Well, another one of my bosses came along. I won't say who but he came by and he was like, Chris, we've got a table for you down here.

"I was like, 'Oh, okay, you don't want me sitting with Michael. Okay, no problem.' So I got up and walked down to the table. As soon as I walked away, apparently, Michael said to the group, You know, I grew up a Bengals fan back in that era, and we used to watch him all the time. So now my friend had to come back and say, 'Hey, we really want you to come back here with Michael's table.'"

It's murky whether or not Jordan roots for the team now, but he could have a soft spot in his heart for the Bengals somewhere still.

Cincinnati went to the playoffs four times between 1973 and 1982, right in Jordan's childhood sweet spot.

Check out the full interview below: