The Bengals Left It To Their Fans To Clean Up The Snow | Defector

"When Takeo Spikes joined the team in 1998, the team gave players used jockstraps. As of a few years back the organization had just six full-time scouts. "There's a lot of overkill in scouting across the league," one scout said. In 2022, players brought their own microwaves into the team facility to re-heat their lunches. In 2024, the Bengals received an F- grade for food in ESPN's anonymous player survey."

"The team did release a statement: "Seat aisles were prioritized and are in good shape," the team said in a statement. "Seats are easily wiped off and ushers are equipped to help there." The NFL says Cincinnati didn't break any NFL snow-removal rules by not removing all that snow, so it's easy to imagine the team will continue this half-assed job after a snowstorm until there's some sort of snowball incident."

The Cincinnati Bengals have a long history of cost-cutting that affects players and fans. When Takeo Spikes joined in 1998, players received used jockstraps. The organization once operated with just six full-time scouts and a scout called league-wide scouting 'overkill.' In 2022, players brought personal microwaves to reheat lunches. In 2024, ESPN's anonymous player survey awarded the team an F- for food. Before a recent game against the Ravens, the entire lower level remained covered in ice and snow two hours before kickoff. The team prioritized seat aisles, said seats could be wiped and ushers would assist; the NFL found no rule violation.

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