The Bengals returned from their bye week to find a change to their locker room.
Ping pong tables that had been a fixture in past years had been removed during offseason renovations, but they are back for the final weeks of the regular season. Head coach Zac Taylor explained that the decision was made to foster a higher level of interaction among the team’s players over the next month.
“I just want guys to interact. That’s one way to do it,” Taylor said, via the team’s website. “I’m not overthinking it too much, but here’s a way to create some energy and get guys up and active . . It’s December football now, and we need everyone to be at their best. Need everyone to have energy when they walk in the building. That creates some competitiveness. That’s about all there is to it.”
Kicker Evan McPherson said he felt Bengals teams over “the past three years have been really close” and that ping pong has played a role in that because players spend time with teammates they might not otherwise and defensive end Joseph Ossai added that “it means a lot on that field when you know a guy personally.”
Ossai also said that “if the head coach says it matters, then it matters” and the Bengals’ 12-5 record after December 1 in the last three seasons suggests Taylor has a good read on what it takes to finish strong.
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