CINCINNATI — A new tradition started Saturday night after the Cincinnati Bengals defeated the Las Vegas Raiders for the team's first playoff win in decades.
Bengals Coach Zac Taylor and players dropped of game balls at Pontiac, Walt's Hitching Post and Mount Lookout Tavern.
Taylor also said a game ball will go to the City of Cincinnati.
A new tradition starts tonight. A game ball goes to the City of Cincinnati.
— Cincinnati Bengals (@Bengals) January 16, 2022
Balls will be dropped off at Pontiac, Walt's Hitching Post and Mt. Lookout Tavern.
WHO DEY! pic.twitter.com/9BjnJmUVBQ
"We want to start new traditions with playoff wins where we give game balls to the city and let the fans enjoy it. Take selfies with it," Taylor said during a post game press conference.
Taylor said he wanted the fans a chance to enjoy the game balls with the team.
Matt Tibbe was one of dozens of people inside Mount Lookout Tavern on Saturday night and caught a glimpse of Taylor and Bengals punter Kevin Huber walking in. He started taking video on his phone.
"Everyone's like 'what is going on?' He comes in, place loses it. Automatic excitement," Tibbe said. "I don't think we've ever had a coach do that in Cincinnati."
Tibbe's video has since gone viral - picked up by media outlets around the world. But in that moment, Tibbe felt the world revolved around that bar.
"It means a lot more than I think [Coach Taylor] knows probably, to actually come to where all the fans are dropping off a ball," he said.
Mount Lookout Tavern's kitchen manager Daniel Love was also recording the presentation.
"Mister Taylor was here actually the first week he got hired, had dinner right upstairs quietly with his assistants, unassuming," Love said. "And he got to work and the fruits of his work has bore."
Tight end C.J. Uzomah was spotted Saturday night giving a game ball to Walt's Hitching Post in Ft. Wright, too.
"There is such an incredible history here at Cincinnati. There is Super Bowl appearances, there is conference championships and really these last two decades there has been so many tremendous players, teams and coaches that have come through here," Taylor said.
Bengals coach Zac Taylor appointed a few players to deliver game balls around the Cincinnati area.
— Ben Baby (@Ben_Baby) January 16, 2022
Here’s Bengals TE C.J. Uzomah at Walt’s Hitching Post in Fort Wright pic.twitter.com/jbKQuSYdwZ
The Bengals beat the Raiders 26-19 in the Wild Card round of the NFL playoffs.
It has been more than 30 years since Cincinnati won a playoff game.
While the Bengals have made a couple of Super Bowl appearances, the team has never won a Super Bowl.
